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Why The Saudi-Iran Conflict Will Not Escalate
A Saudi soldier fires a mortar toward a Houthi movement position, at the Saudi border with Yemen, April 21, 2015. (photo by REUTERS) *Ali Omidi, Al-Monitor*: *Five reasons why Iran-Saudi conflict won't escalate* Relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia have been tense ever since the establishment of the Islamic Republic back in 1979. Initially, Iran’s doctrine of exporting its revolution and its leaders’ negative view of countries such as Saudi Arabia, together with Riyadh’s creation of the Gulf Cooperation Council and support for Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s regime during its 1... more »
Does Rubio's Malfunction Mean The Brokered Convention Is The Only Hope The GOP Establishment Has Left?
Not even Herr Trumpf calling Cruz a "pussy" tonight at a rally in Manchester-- for not being as gung-ho as he should be about torturing people-- could knock the Rubio robot out of the news. But no one could have gotten more of a hard-on from Rubio's agony at the hands of Chris Christie Saturday night than Paul Ryan. Christie may not have ever persecuted Al Qaeda or the Taliban or ISIS successfully, but he absolutely *skewered* former coke runner and ex-gay prostitute Marco Rubio, even if not in a way that will save Christie's own moribund campaign. And speaking of moribund campaig... more »
Two Maps On Who Controls What Territory In Syria
*Reuters* *(Click on Image to Enlarge)* *ISW* *(Click on Image to Enlarge)*
Beware: Teachers in Okay, Oklahoma, May be Armed — and Dangerous
[image: Okay Public School - 900] The superintendent of a rural school district, taking zero chances should an active shooter trespass his grounds, has posted large signs to alert intruders that staff members could have a firearm on hand. "Attention: Please be aware that certain staff... more »
FBI Officially Confirms Its Investigation into Hillary Clinton’s Private Server
[image: Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speak during a campaign stop, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016, at Manchester Community College in Manchester, N.H. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)] The FBI has formally notified the State Department that it is investigating Hillary Clinton’s use of a primary email server while Secretary of State. The confirmation of what MSNBC calls “one of the world’s worst-kept secrets” comes just one day before... more »
UN Report: All Sides In Syria Killing Thousands Of Detainees
*Reuters*: *Mass deaths in Syrian jails amount to crime of "extermination" - UN* Detainees held by the Syrian government are being killed on a massive scale amounting to a state policy of "extermination" of the civilian population, a crime against humanity, United Nations investigators said on Monday. The U.N. commission of inquiry called on the Security Council to impose "targeted sanctions" on high-ranking Syrian civilian and military officials responsible for or complicit in deaths, torture and disappearances in custody, but stopped short of naming the suspects. The independen... more »
War in Syria: "Thank God the Russians intervened"
*Title: War in Syria: "Thank God the Russians intervened." Source: FRANCE 24 English. Date Published: February 8, 2016. Description:* Angela Merkel is in Ankara to bargain over billions in aid for refugees pledged by Europe. She needs Turkey and the EU to be working together ahead of a Brussels summit next week. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of Syrians fleeing a Russian-backed government offensive are blocked from entering Turkey. What should Merkel be telling her hosts in Ankara? What should she be telling Vladimir Putin? What will she say to her EU partners next week? The journalis... more »
Why does anybody join ISIS? And who really created it?
*Al Etejah TV Panel Discussion * *Part 1: Who created ISIS?* *Part 2: The Arab Spring, Syria and Khilafah * In this episode of Panorama, Al Etejah’s Hassan Alkatib discusses the Arab Spring, the Syrian revolution and the Caliphate. Hassan is joined by four guests: deputy editor of 5Pillarz, Dilly Hussain, economist and author Rodney Shakespeare, Iraqi analyst and human rights activist Zaid al Isa, and via Skype, academic and author Dr Kevin Barrett. In part 2 of this show, the guests discuss what the Arab Spring has achieved, the role of the west and regional powers in manoeuvring ... more »
Is The Islamic State Running Out Of Money?
Photo from Langer Report *Reuters*: *Air strikes help force ISIS to halve fighters' pay: Glaser* U.S.-led air strikes have had a substantial impact on the money Islamic State (IS) makes from oil, and have helped force the militant group to cut its fighters' pay by up to 50 percent, a senior U.S official said on Monday. Daniel Glaser, assistant secretary for terrorist financing at the U.S. Treasury Department, said the strikes had hit the group's ability to extract, refine and transport oil from territory it controlled in Iraq and Syria. "When you look at difficulties that we know ... more »
Because Banning Butt Sex is More Important Than Tainted Water
There's a curiously fascistic strain in the Michigan GOP. An unimaginative wag would perhaps say it's due to something in the water but whatever the cause, the Michigan Republican Party is becoming indistinguishable from Hitler's Nazi party. Take this news item that just came screaming out of Lansing, Michigan/1930's Berlin, Germany: "Bill criminalizing anal and oral sex passes Michigan Senate." Like a typical Republican scumbag stealth legislator, the fat fuck above, one State Senator Rick Jones, inserted a rider in an animal cruelty bill that banned oral and anal sex bet... more »
Top 5 Reasons Why Hillary Will Not Reform Wall Street
*-by j. darcy* In the most recent Democratic debate of what is quickly degenerating into the political counterpart of bare-knuckle boxing, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Bernie Sanders went at it toe-to-toe, all snippy like, to the delight of the assembled audience and anybody else not in the punditry business who happened to be watching. Which, if the ratings are to be believed, weren't quite as many as MSNBC probably would have liked. That said, there was one part that stuck out rather curiously. It was the part where Hillary took apparent umbrage at the notion (oh, just floating ... more »
MENA Report ( February 8 , 2016 ) Around the Horn : 1. Syria War Updates ; 2. Turkey - Kurds Aspect Of Syria War ; 3. UAE Cost Cutting Due To Low Oil Prices - Trimming Ministries / Outsourcing Most Gov't Services ; 4. Jordan & Lebanon - Syria War Aspects ; 5. Libya In focus ; and Iraq In focus.
Evening Wrap ...... *Al Arabiya EnglishVerified account* @AlArabiya_Eng 38m 38 minutes ago U.S., #Saudi push ceasefire ahead of #*Syria* talks http://ara.tv/cbxmy [image: Embedded image permalink] This Masquerade - George Benson .....background music while reading *zerohedge* @zerohedge 2h 2 hours ago Turkey, Saudi Arabia Mull *Syria* Ground Invasion As Russia, Hezbollah Decimate Rebels http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-02-0 8/turkey-saudi-arabia-mull-syria-ground-invasion-russia-hezbollah-decimate-rebels … *Sami* @Parado... more »
The Deterioration of American Politics Continues With The Smearing of Young Women By "Mainstream" Figures
*The Wicked Witches of the West.* *Title: Genocide Promoter Endorses Hillary Clinton. Source: The Alex Jones Channel. Date Published: February 8, 2016. *
Chet Raymo, “At Home In An Infinite Universe”
*“At Home In An Infinite Universe”* by Chet Raymo “They are questions that bedeviled thinkers for thousands of years: Is the universe infinite or finite, eternal or of a finite age? It is certainly hard to imagine a universe that extends without limit in every direction, or a universe without a beginning or end. It is equally difficult to imagine a finite universe; what is beyond the edge? Or a beginning or end in time; how can something come from nothing? how can what is cease to be? The problems are so intractable philosophically that their resolution has generally been left to ... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Coppenbrügge, Niedersachsen, Germany. Thanks for stopping by.
The Economy: Greg Hunter, "DOW 6,000 Extreme Sell-Off Coming- Gregory Mannarino”
“*DOW 6,000 Extreme Sell-Off Coming- Gregory Mannarino”* By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com “Trader/analyst Gregory Mannarino called the top of the DOW in May 2015. The market was well over 18,000 then and currently more than 2,000 points lower. Mannarino now says the Dow is going to “6,000–or lower.” Mannarino warns, “People need to be ready for a major, extreme sell-off in equities which are inflated in a bubble.” Mannarino also says that the current stock market is, “the biggest bubble of them all that was inflated by a runaway central bank, and I believe it is bursting now. There i... more »
Satire: "Jeb Hopes to Woo Voters with Ad Featuring Worst President in U.S. History"
*"Jeb Hopes to Woo Voters with Ad * *Featuring Worst President in U.S. History"* by Andy Borowitz NEW HAMPSHIRE (The Borowitz Report)— "The former Florida Governor Jeb Bush is hoping to jump-start his lagging Presidential campaign with a new television ad featuring the worst President in U.S. history, campaign aides confirm. With the crucial New Hampshire primary just hours away, the Bush campaign believes it can finish strong by reminding voters of Jeb’s connection to a man who left the nation in smoldering ruins. In the ad, which Bush aides are calling “a fantastic closing argumen... more »
Has Russian President Putin Chosen His Successor?
‘He is always somewhere next to Putin': The Russian President previously awarded Dyumin the Hero of Russia honour for courage *Daily Mail:** Vladimir Putin is grooming ex-bodyguard and military hero, 43, to become future Russian president, experts claim* * Vladimir Putin is grooming Alexei Dyumin to be his Kremlin successor * Hard-man Dyumin, 43, is currently Putin's deputy defence minister * Dyumin commanded Special Operation Forces of the Russian Army * He is also believed to have served in the GRU military intelligence unit Vladimir Putin is grooming an action man ‘military hero... more »
Economic News , Data & Views ( February 8 , 2016 ) Overview ( 1, Equities - Global Perspective . 2. BOJ vs FED - Currency Tussles . 3. Bond Land - Global Topics. 4. Chines New Year Closures through Much Of Asian Markets . ) Europe ( 1. ECB Late Afternoon Chatter On Global Coordination At G-20 . 2. Greece Items Of Note . 3. Refugee / Migration / Border Security Items Of Note. 4. Major Market Sell-offs. 5. Russia To Issue Debt - first time Since 2013. 6.Odds & Ends. )
Evening Wrap.... Overview..... *Charlie Bilello, CMT* @MktOutperform 55m 55 minutes ago Equities, % off 52-wk high China: 47% Italy/Brazil: 31% Germany: 28% France: 23% UK: 20% Canada/Japan: 19% US: 13% [image: Embedded image permalink] *Charlie Bilello, CMT* @MktOutperform 1h 1 hour ago The BOJ is doing everything in their power to crash the Yen and it is flat vs. the Dollar since November 2014. [image: Embedded image permalink] *zerohedge* @zerohedge 1h 1 hour ago "the Federal Reserve computer systems used to manage interest on reserves do n... more »
Obama Will Ask Congress for Billions More to Spend on Global Warming Schemes
[image: President Barack Obama gestures during his meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington.] President Barack Obama is preparing to unveil his 2017 budget request, and already reports have surfaced the president is planning on asking Congress for billions of dollars more to spend on global warming programs. "One of the greatest challenges of... more »
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- February 8, 2016
Reuters *Alexander Kudascheff, DW*:* Endgame in Syria?* While plans are being made for more talks in Geneva, Russia and Assad are creating facts on the ground by attacking Aleppo. But one player in particular will emerge the winner, says Alexander Kudascheff. Syria's conflict appears to be approaching an endgame. Bashar al-Assad is regaining the upper hand - with Russian help, partly in the guise of massive air support, and probably also with massive logistical and technical assistance for the Syrian army on the ground. The struggle for Aleppo has taken on the character of a decis... more »
George Osborne’s Psychiatrist Brother Admits Inappropriate Behaviour
The psychiatrist brother of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, has admitted having sex with a vulnerable patient under his care to a disciplinary panel of the General Medical Council. Dr Adam Osborne engaged in an “inappropriate” emotional and sexual relationship with a vulnerable patient. This is the second time the General Medical Council has had to take disciplinary measures against the psychiatrist. Dr Osborne was previously suspended for behaving “dishonestly” over another matter. The Guardian reports: Dr Adam Osborne, who is currently suspended by the GMC, admitt... more »
Sea Level Sanity
By Paul Homewood https://rclutz.wordpress.com/2016/02/08/sea-ice-and-sea-level-update/ Ron Clutz offers a bit of sanity: Post Paris sea level alarms are ramping up: As global temperatures rise, scientists know that sea levels will follow suit. Today, global sea level is the topic of two new papers, both published in Nature Climate Change. Source: Carbon Brief, today’s […]
Maine Required Childless Adults to Work to Get Food Stamps. Here’s What Happened.
[image: Sales Clerk Talking to Customer, Grocery Store, Supermarket, Shopping, Customer, Dairy Counter] One trillion dollars -- that's how much the government spent last year on means-tested welfare aid, providing cash, food, housing, medical care, and social services to poor and low-income individuals. The food stamp program is the nation's second largest welfare... more »
Federal Employees Spent $1 Million in Taxpayer Money at Casinos, $100,000 at ‘Adult’ Entertainments
[image: tablegames - 900] The federal government is no stranger to waste -- some examples are egregious. From July 2013 through June 2014, over 4,000 transactions, worth just short of $1 million, were conducted at casinos using the Department of Defense's government travel cards. Furthermore,... more »
College Bans ‘Lord,’ ‘God’ and ‘Jesus’ in Football Locker Room
[image: The Steihauer Field House at Colorado School of Mines in Golden Colorado.] A college in Colorado has decided to cancel an entire donor program rather than allow Bible references in its football locker room. Former college football player Michael Lucas donated $2,500 in 2015 to his alma mater Colorado School of Mines. As part... more »
US Faces Shortcomings in ‘Our So-Called Coalition’ for Anti-ISIS War
[image: Ash Carter2 - 900] WASHINGTON (AP) -- To doubters of its strategy for defeating the Islamic State, the Obama administration likes to tout its coalition of 66 nations and claim strength in numbers. But a year and a half into the war, some administration... more »
World News Briefs -- February 8, 2016 (Evening Edition)
*VOA*: *Citing Betrayal, Some Syrian Rebels Withdraw From Front* GAZIANTEP, TURKEY — Syrian rebels in northern Syria have come under an intense weeklong bombing campaign by Russian warplanes. The insurgents, who also have been trying to hold on in the face of a coordinated ground offensive by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, have sheltered in tunnels or taken cover in blast craters. One young rebel fighter told VOA about his ordeal and why he and many other fighters are withdrawing from the front. For almost a quarter of his young life, 20-year-old Ahmad has been a figh... more »
Why Iraq Will Get Nowhere Even If It Manages To Defeat ISIS
*Title: Iraqi MP Mish'an Al-Jabouri: I Took Millions of Dollars in Bribes, All Iraqi Politicians Do. Source: MEMRITVVideos. Date Published: February 7, 2016. Description:* In a TV interview, Iraqi MP Mish’an Al-Jabouri admitted that he had taken millions of dollars in bribes. In a January 26 interview with Al-Etejah TV, MP Al-Jabouri claimed that all Iraqi politicians take bribery and that only a coward would not. He claimed that the entire political echelon is corrupt and responsible for the destruction of the country. Al-Jabouri is a member of the Iraqi Commission of Integrity, ta... more »
Jay West and Lieutenant Colonel Duran
I have often wondered why it was that Karl Pflock went after me in his anti-Roswell book. I have often wondered why there are those who quote from it as if it had been written in stone but ignored the mistakes he made in it. I have wondered why the fourth note on the map included on the inside covers of the book said, “The ‘revisionist’ Randle – Schmitt/first Ragsdale/ ‘true’ Kaufmann crash site,” when it was, in fact, the first site that Ragsdale identified. Wouldn’t the new site, out by Boy Scout Mountain and championed by the late Max Littell, be the “revisionist” site since it c... more »
North Korea’s Missile Launch Shows It Could Target US Homeland
[image: Kim Jong Un - 900] North Korea has again successfully put a satellite into orbit, demonstrating the same technology needed to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and showing that its long-range missile program is becoming increasingly reliable. In 2015, the U.S. commanders of U.S.... more »
Russell Wilson Honors Peyton Manning With Heartfelt ‘Thank You’
[image: SEATTLE, WA - SEPTEMBER 21: Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) shakes hands with Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) after the overtime win 26-20 September 21, 2014 at CenturyLink Stadium. (Photo by John Leyba/The Denver Post via Getty Images)] Russell Wilson, quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks, commemorated Peyton Manning’s Super Bowl victory Monday with a sincere thank you note. In the letter published by The Players’ Tribune titled “If This Is It” Wilson wrote: From all the wins, to the few... more »
Is Syria Worth World War III?
*Those who want a Turkish-NATO-Saudi invasion of Syria should be careful what they wish for. This war is not simply about overthrowing a dictator. It never was. But even if Assad is somehow magically overthrown, that will open a bigger can of worms like in Libya. None of Syria's neighbours will be able to control the territory as they like to presume.* *An excerpt from, "Invasion in Syria? Riyadh ‘Dangerously Leaning Toward Military Adventurism’" Sputnik News, February 8, 2016: * Saudi Arabia is notorious for its attempts to spread radical Islam and support its adherences all aroun... more »
Hillary Clinton: It's the Politics, Stupid
Time bullshit was called on Hillary Clinton's cheerleaders. You know what I'm talking about, the avalanche of comment saying that she *must win* the Democrat nomination for presidency, regardless of her record and views. And to a piece those defences are, at best, willfully clueless, and, at worst, bad faith. Before we go there, let's get the caveats in. Were I a registered Democrat with a vote at an upcoming caucus, my support would go to Bernie Sanders. This is because his politics are closer to mine than Hillary Clinton's, and the chance of him burying the Republican contender -... more »
Mysterious Epidemic Sweeping Through ISIS Territory & Middle East
ISIS in Syria and Iraq are facing an epidemic of Swine Flu which last raised its head in Britain during the ‘pandemic’ of 2009/2010. The Islamic jihadists have issued health warnings to citizens under their control, after the virus killed dozens and threatens to wipe out ISIS fighters across Syria and Iraq. The “mysterious epidemic” is sweeping through the Middle East, according to reports. The Daily Express reports: A human rights monitor group based in ISIS-ruled territories revealed the outbreak had infected “dozens of civilians in the countryside of Raqqa”, where the terror grou... more »
In the Safe Spaces on Campus, No Jews Allowed per The Tower
This article is a must read here's a small extract. 'Over the course of what was probably no longer than an hour, my history was denied, the murder of my people was justified, and a movement whose sole purpose is the destruction of the Jewish homeland was glorified. Statements were made justifying the ruthless murder of innocent Israeli civilians, blatantly denying Jewish indigeneity in the land, and denying the Holocaust in which six million Jews were murdered. Why anyone in their right mind would accept these slanders as truths baffles me. But they did. These statements, and o... more »
Obama Asking Congress for Emergency Funding to Combat Zika
[image: Zika - 900] WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama is asking Congress for more than $1.8 billion in emergency funding to fight the Zika virus and the mosquitoes that spread it here and abroad, but says “there shouldn’t be a panic on this.”... more »
Turkish President Erdoğan Tells The U.S. To Choose Either Turkey Or The Syrian Kurds
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan (left) slammed the visit of an envoy from the U.S. to the Syrian city of Kobani. In this photo, Erdogan is seen during a visit to Lima, Peru, Feb. 2, 2016. PHOTO: REUTERS/GUADALUPE PARDO *IBTimes:* Turkey’s Erdoğan Slams US Over Envoy’s Visit To Kobani, Asks It To Choose Between Kurdish Forces And Ankara Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan slammed the United States in comments published by local media Sunday and said that Washington should choose between Turkey and the Kurdish Democratic Union Party, or PYD, the Associated Press (AP) reported Mon... more »
Quote of the Day: Because ‘borrowing’ like this is actually theft
*“The sad part is Coleman died homeless in September 2006 without seeing a dime but still having watched the ungodly riches roll in for those who borrowed his work.”* ~ from an article by Karl Ernest: Artist Behind One of the Most Sampled Tracks of All Time Finally Gets Paid (Sort Of) Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Please contact author for permission to republish: (organon at ihug.co.nz)
Woman Who Said Bill Clinton Groped Her Named Spokesperson for RAPE PAC Against Hillary
[image: Kathleen Willey is seen in a February 27, 2000 file photo during a McCain 2000 rally in Alexandria, Virginia. A federal judge ruled today that President Clinton 'committed a criminal violation of the Privacy Act' when releasing letters to cast doubt on the reliability of Willey. Willey accused President Clinton of making sexual advances towards her in the White House.] Kathleen Willey, who told 60 Minutes she was sexually harassed by Bill Clinton, is taking a position as spokeswoman for a PAC opposing Hillary Clinton. Willey said she was groped by Bill Clinton in the Oval Off... more »
Feb 8: insanity
The part on the Irving press will be (blessedly) short. Section A barely qualifies as village gossip. The editorial still has nothing in particular to say. All the other columns are at least passable. But there's a bit of a problem with Alec Bruce's. Bruce has a superb vocabulary. But he too often tries to pack all of it into one sentence. That makes tough reading for anybody, and especially for those with the lowest literacy rate in Canada. He also writes in sentences that are long and complex. It is common to see sentences that are a paragraph long – and a long paragraph long. ... more »
Can Anyone Fill Grayson's And Edwards' Shoes In The House? Meet Pramila Jayapal
Two of our very first Blue America candidates, a decade ago, were Alan Grayson and Donna Edwards, who have been inspirations from the moments they ran, won and started pushing their strong progressive agendas in the House. These are two admirable people who have made a substantive difference in a screwed up, largely dysfunctional Congress. Grayson, in fact, passed more legislation than any other member of Congress, even with the House under GOP control! Now both Donna Edwards and Alan Grayson are leaving the House and running for the Senate. (You can contribute to either or both of... more »
Immigration Consequences of Criminal Convictions
I recently went to a fund raising lunch at a Church. The lunch raised funds to help resettle in Canada refugees fleeing from civil unrest in Syria. This event got me thinking of the concerns that are sometimes heard about "foreign criminals". Some who raise these concerns are asking in good faith, some, perhaps are motivated by racism, but regardless Canada has a very strong system ensuring that new arrivals in Canada who do commit criminal offences will not be allowed to stay. More to the point, perhaps, is the statistical fact that overall immigrants are less likely to commit crim... more »
Somali Jet Suicide Bomber Was On The Wrong Plane
A suspected suicide bomber who blew a hole in the fuselage of a Somali passenger jet flying from Mogadishu to Djibouti and was subsequently sucked out and killed, was on board the wrong plane, according to the airline. Chief executive of Daallo Airlines said on Monday that the bomber was meant to fly on a Turkish Airlines flight which got cancelled due to high winds. Aljazeera reports: The explosion ripped a one-metre hole in the side of the Daallo Airlines jet on Tuesday, after which the suspect was reportedly sucked out of the decompressed cabin. The 74 passengers aboard the flight... more »
Merkel Is "Horrified" By ISIS Deaths At Hands of Russians In Syria, But Not By Refugee Rapes In Her Own Country
*This cretin is horrified by ISIS deaths in Syria but not by refugee rapes in Germany. The pro-ISIS policies of her ally Erdogan have caused more civilian suffering and created more refugees in Syria than Putin's actions.* *An excerpt from, "Syria: Angela Merkel 'horrified' by suffering under Russian airstrikes" The Guardian, February 8, 2016:* *The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, has said she is “horrified” by the suffering caused by Russian bombing in Syria as pro-government forces backed by airstrikes came closer to encircling Aleppo. * Opposition activists and state media on ... more »
The Battle For The Syrian City Of Aleppo Continues
*CNN:* *Aleppo siege marks dramatic upheaval on Syrian battlefield* (CNN)The images from Aleppo, Idlib and Syria's border with Turkey can be described in one word: despair. Tens of thousands of people have fled the relentless bombing and shelling that has paved the way for dramatic battlefield gains by the regime of President Bashar al-Assad and its allies. Hundreds of thousands more remain trapped, awaiting their fate with trepidation. In the space of a few weeks, the Syrian battlefield has been transformed, the balance of forces pulverized and the prospects for peace talks -- a... more »
Russian Military Forces Put On High Alert Across Southwestern Russia As Part Of Massive Drills
© PHOTO: RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTRY *New York Times:* *Russia Announces Surprise Military Drills in South* MOSCOW — Russia’s Defense Ministry announced a surprise military exercise on Monday that ordered troops garrisoned throughout the nation’s southern region to full combat readiness, a move that appeared intended to unnerve neighbors. State television showed pilots clambering into their airplanes in snowy airfields and officers unfurling maps and speaking on telephones. The exercise began at 5 a.m. “From that moment, we began our surprise check of the military preparedness in th... more »
Forex Mortgage Protesters Detained By Moscow Riot Police
Riot police have detained around 10 people protesting outside the central bank in Moscow, who were asking for a better deal on their Forex mortgages after the recent decline of the Russian ruble. The Star reports: Around a hundred protesters gathered outside the bank to demand their loans be converted to rouble mortgages from dollar and euro ones or that their repayments be recalculated using a different rouble exchange rate to take account of the Russian currency’s sharp fall in the last 18 months. Protesters have previously targeted the banks where they first took out their mortga... more »
Putin Scrambles Thousands Of Troops For Large-Scale Drills
Russian President Vladimir Putin has deployed thousands of troops and hundreds of warplanes on Monday to southwest Russia for large-scale military drills, amid escalating tensions with the West and NATO. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has said that military units have been put on high alert on Monday, as troops wait in readiness for potential conflict. AP.org reports: The district includes troops stationed in Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, as well as forces in the North Caucasus and southwestern regions near the border with Ukraine. Shoigu... more »
ISIS Leader ‘Al-Baghdadi’ Revealed To Be Mossad Agent
The head of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, may be an undercover Mossad agent named Elliot Shimon, according to sources close to Edward Snowden. According to these sources, Al-Baghdadi was recruited by the Israeli intelligence agency to wage psychological warfare against Arab and Islamic societies. Usatwentyfour.com reports: We offer below three translations that want to assert that the Caliph Al-Baghdadi is a full Mossad agent: The so-called “Elliot” was recruited by the Israeli Mossad and was trained in espionage and psychological warfare against Arab and Islamic societies. This inf...more »
North Korea Planning Underground Nuclear Test
South Korea have claimed that North Korea are preparing to conduct another underground nuclear test, in a bid to escalate tensions with the UN and international community. Seoul’s intelligence agency warned that Pyongyang is preparing its fifth nuclear test, just one day after it fired a long-range ballistic missile. Enews.pk reports: In its previous nuclear test, on 6 January, North Korea detonated what it says was a hydrogen bomb, but international experts have rejected that suggestion. Pyongyang’s latest provocations have been met with unanimous condemnation – even from allies C... more »
Weird Clouds Fall From The Sky in Morocco
A weird spectacle has been filmed in the skies of Morocco as a group of citizens say that they have witnessed clouds falling from the sky. The rare phenomenon occurred just days after weird sky sounds were heard in other parts of Morocco. Meteorologists have denied that the substance falling to the ground is clouds – saying that it would be impossible for that to occur. Instead, they say that the white fluffy substance falling to the ground in Doukkala is “artificial foam”. If the mysterious substance is artificial foam, where does it come from? Are these ‘clouds’ proof of geoengine... more »
China Harvests Organs From Political Prisoners While They’re Alive
China is facing international condemnation after new allegations emerged that authorities have routinely harvested the organs of political prisoners whilst they are still alive. Newsweek say that well-respected journalists from all over the globe have confirmed that thousands of people have had their organs illegally forcibly removed, without anesthetic, by Chinese authorities whilst in prison. Theantimedia.org reports: Many of the victims belong to a banned religious group called Falun Gong, a forbidden, though peaceful Chinese religion created in 1992. Members continue to face co... more »
Saudi Arabia’s Presence In Syria Will Plunge Middle East Into Chaos
A German newspaper has warned that if Saudi Arabia sends its ground troops into Syria then the entire Middle East region will be plunged into chaos. “The Saudi Kingdom is ready to participate in any ground operation of the coalition in Syria,” Saudi military Spokesman Ahmed Assiri told news channel Al Arabiya. Airstrikes alone are not be enough to destroy ISIS, Assiri said. “There rather should be a mix of air and ground operations.” Farsnews.com reports: However, Washington which was ready to support all its allies in the fight against Daesh terrorists refused to comment on the Sa... more »
Twitter Tanks As Users Revolt Against Facebook Style Changes
Twitter has come under fire from its users after an announcement by the company to take control of its users’ news feeds with a Facebook-style algorithm, restricting what users see on their timeline. Shortly after BuzzFeed broke the news, users took to twitter to revolt against the move, saying that the algorithm introduction amounts to censorship. Breitbart.com reports: According to Buzzfeed, the latest, radical alteration to Twitter’s user experience could come as early as next week, although the online outlet did not confirm whether the new system would be mandatory. The news ha... more »
Beyoncé Does an Action at Halftime
*At yesterday's Super Bowl Beyoncé stole the show with her halftime performance. The New South Negress carries a piece by zandria that shares the deep meaning of 'Formation', the new song by Beyoncé. Below is an excerpt from that article.* *We Slay, Part I* *By zandria* The articulation of southern blackness here invites us to theorize black resistance practices. There is the expressive resistance that stands and fights and brandishes guns and stages coups. There is the quiet resistance, the meditative kind that Kevin Quashie talks about. For Ralph Ellison’s protagonist in *Invis... more »
Clinton: Sanders Accepted $200K From Wall Street
[image: DES MOINES, IA - NOVEMBER 14: Democratic presidential candidates (L-R) Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Hillary Clinton and Martin O'Malley stand on the stage prior to a presidential debate sponsored by CBS at Drake University on November 14, 2015 in Des Moines, Iowa. The candidates participated in the party's second presidential debate. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)] MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) -- The Latest on the race for the White House with one day to go until the New Hampshire primary (all times local): ___ 2:25 p.m. Hillary Clinton says rival Bernie Sanders accepted about $20... more »
Supplemental: The Times' Amy Chozick does it again!
*MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2016Which part of "emergency manager" doesn't she understand:* How did it happen? When a new water supply was used for the city of Flint, why wasn't the water treated with standard anti-corrosion chemicals? That's one of the basic questions which remains unanswered concerning this debacle. Last week, we showed you some of Professor Marc Edwards' thoughts on the subject, as told to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. When he testified last Wednesday, the Virginia Tech expert described horrific behavior: EDWARDS (2/3/16): *I have said repe... more »
New Hampshire Today-- What Primary Voters Should Be Thinking About As They Make Their Final Decision
Lots pf progressive organizations are making a big deal out of Hillary Clinton taking a pledge to not cut Social Security. MSNBC Maddow blogger Steve Benen featured it on their blog yesterday. What's next? "Hillary Clinton is not still a Republican?" Yes, it's good she made the pledge-- second nature to progressives like Bernie-- especially when so many of her congressional Leadership Team back cuts, and Benen explains why he thinks it's significant and a big deal. In most of the major debt-reduction plans put forward in recent years -- the Grand Bargain, Simpson-Bowles, et al-- ... more »
This Is The Fate Washington Wants For The Syrian People
*Source - Angry Arab:* The Organization which put civilians in cages as human shields, obtained White House approval as legitimate opposition member in Geneva
Anonymous Calls For Saudi Arabia Ban From Olympics
Hacktivist group Anonymous have urged the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to ban Saudi Arabia from participating in the upcoming Olympic Games in Rio de Janerio, Brazil. Anonymous released a video by their Operation Nimr branch, urging a ban on the Gulf Kingdom following the execution of 47 people last year. Sputniknews.com reports: The call to ban Saudi Arabia from this year’s summer Olympic Games comes in protest to the execution of 47 people, including Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr and several Arab Spring activists in early January. “We feel the IOC banning Saudi Arabia ... more »
After This Weekend's North Korean Missile Test Will Iran Now Want To Buy This Rocket?
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei (R) and Chairman of North Korea's Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly Kim Yong-NAM meet in Tehran on Saturday, September 1, 2012. Press TV (Iran) *Gordon G. Chang, Daily Beast: **North Korean Nuke-Capable Missile Could Hit U.S. and Be Sold to Iran* The launch on Sunday is another sign of Pyongyang’s growing threat, and the impotence of U.S. and global efforts to stop it. On Sunday, North Korea completed its second-in-a-row successful test of a three-stage launcher, showing the regime’s mastery of an especiall... more »
Abortionists Enthusiastically Embrace Devastation Wrought by Zika Virus
[image: Baby with Zika virus - 900] Abortionists are embracing the devastation wrought on pregnant mothers by the Zika virus to advance a global pro-choice agenda, saying mothers must be able to safely and affordably terminate pregnancies if birth defects are a likely outcome, or if the parents can't afford costs associated... more »
Labor pains study brought into this world twice
A group of authors published two articles about one study on pain during childbirth, so one journal is retracting it. This may seem like a standard case of salami slicing — but this one comes with a nearly 600-word commentary co-authored by the editors of the two journals in question. The commentary lays out — […] The post Labor pains study brought into this world twice appeared first on Retraction Watch.
The Zika Virus Scam: Who Launched The Fake Epidemic Story In Brazil?
I am still shocked by all the reports out of the Jew spew media, even today, "warning" everyone about this 'Zika Virus epidemic" that in reality is non-existent and a complete FRAUD..... It still bugs me to this day how easily people are deceived and so gullible to believe almost anything they see over their Talmudvisions, and read in the Jew spew news articles...... I have said since this "Zika Virus outbreak" that originated in Brazil that we are dealing with a scam for the dual purpose of demonizing Brazil AND to get stupid people to line up like sheep and allow criminals to injec... more »
NATO & Saudi Arabia To Discuss Troop Deployment To Syria
NATO and Saudi Arabia are set to discuss Riyadh’s proposal for troop deployment to Syria under the pretext of fighting ISIS, according to reports. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates have all expressed their readiness to send ground troops to Syria as part of the US led coalition. Press TV reports: Saudi media quoted NATO sources as saying on Monday that Saudi Defense Minister and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman is scheduled to attend the Western military alliance’s meetings in Brussels this week to hold talks on Riyadh’s plan for ground intervention into Syri... more »
58,000 Children Risk Starving To Death In Somalia Says UN
More than 58,000 children are at risk of dying from starvation in Somalia if they are not provided with urgent humanitarian assistance the United Nations has warned. The international community has failed to tackle the famine crisis due to the internal conflicts and an ongoing war in the African country. Press TV reports: UN aid chief for Somalia Peter de Clercq said on Monday that more than 300,000 children under the age of five are acutely malnourished. The UN official also said that they urgently need medical, food, and other humanitarian support. “The level of malnutrition, espe... more »
Another Coal Plant To Shut Down This Year
By Paul Homewood https://tallbloke.wordpress.com/2016/02/08/rugeley-b-power-station-calls-it-quits/#more-25560 Tallbloke has news of the latest coal fired power plant to announce closure this year: Another 1000MW needs to be found from somewhere else. It’s making for a long list: Fiddler’s Ferry (reported here on February 4th) Longannet, Ferrybridge and Eggborough. 150 jobs are also at risk. […]
Met Office Confirm Imogen Due To Jet Stream Moving South
By Paul Homewood https://twitter.com/hashtag/jetstream?src=hash When Slingo is wheeled out in a few weeks time to blame this winter’s storms on global warming, just remember this tweet from the Met Office. As I have been pointing out all winter, this shift is connected to a large pool of unusually cold water in the North […]
Is Donald Trump Already Veering Left?
[image: FILE - In a Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016 file photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event at Plymouth State University, in Plymouth, N.H. Trump has given a list of reasons for his second-place finish in the Iowa caucuses, including a failure to invest in boosting voter-turnout and claiming that Ted Cruz “stole” the win. But with voting fast approaching in New Hampshire, data from political advertising tracker Kantar Media reveal another possible explanation: Trump got pummeled on TV political-advertising. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)] Donal... more »
8-Year-Old Girl Among Those Pulled Out From Building 2 Days After Taiwan Quake
[image: Taiwan earthquake - 900] TAINAN, Taiwan (AP) -- At least four people, including an 8-year-old girl, were rescued Monday from a high-rise Taiwanese apartment building toppled by a powerful quake two days earlier, as frustration grew among families waiting for searchers to reach their... more »
Telegraph’s Record Breaking Claims For Imogen Are Nonsense
By Paul Homewood http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/weather/12145886/UK-weather-Storm-Imogen-lashes-Britain-with-gales-and-torrential-rain-live.html?WT.mc_id=e_DM86823&WT.tsrc=email&etype=Edi_FPM_New&utm_source=email&utm_medium=Edi_FPM_New_2016_02_08&utm_campaign=DM86823 I’m not sure where the Telegraph gets “record breaking winds” from. According to the Met Office, we have a figure of 96 mph for the Needles, which generally gives wind speeds well above land based stations, whenever storms head that way. (The weather station there is actually on the […]
Jihad Comes To Africa
A man holds a copy of the Quran at a protest against Niger President Mahamadou Issoufou’s presence at a Paris rally after the Charlie Hebdo massacre, Niamey, Niger, in January 2015. PHOTO: TAGAZA DJIBO/REUTERS *Yaroslav Trofimiv, WSJ*:* Jihad Comes to Africa* Boko Haram, al-Shabaab and other ruthless groups threaten to turn the continent into global jihad’s deadliest front *Africa’s Muslim belt is getting bloodier.* Boko Haram—the regional affiliate of Islamic State and one of the world’s deadliest terrorist groups—has accelerated its campaign of almost daily suicide bombings. Jus... more »
The Fall-Out From North Korea's Missile Test
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reacts as he watches a long range rocket launch in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang February 7, 2016. REUTERS/KCNA *Reuters*: *North Korea rocket launch may spur U.S. missile defense buildup in Asia* North Korea's latest rocket launch might kick off a buildup of U.S. missile defense systems in Asia, U.S. officials and missile defense experts said, something that could further strain U.S.-China ties and also hurt relations between Beijing and Seoul. North Korea says it put a satellite into or... more »
North Korea's New Satellite Passed Over Super Bowl Site
*IBTimes*: *Super Bowl 2016: North Korea’s New Satellite Passed Over Levi’s Stadium An Hour After Game Ended* North Korea’s newest satellite passed over Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, just an hour after the the Denver Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers 24-10 to win the Super Bowl 50 Sunday, the Associated Press (AP) reported. "It passed almost directly overhead Silicon Valley, which is where I am and where the stadium is," tech watcher Martyn Williams said in an email to AP. "The pass happened at 8:26 p.m., after the game. I would put it down to nothing more than a co... more »
Odds & Ends
- For the past week I've been gathering articles and other information for the next edition of the Global Network newsletter called *Space Alert!*. This morning I sent the whole bunch to the person we pay to lay the paper out. I should have the proofs back by the end of the week. It's always a daunting challenge at first to sort through the volumes of potential material. My favorite section of the paper is the two-page spread we call 'Odds & Ends' which are bits of items from around the world. Going through an article to extract just enough to pass on ... more »
The Science is ‘Settled,’ So Australia Will Fire 100 Climate Scientists
[image: Al Gore - 900] Liberal politicians like to say the science behind global warming is "settled," so what's the point of having any climate scientists? Australian officials have decided to axe 350 jobs from its government-backed science bureaucracy last week, as they switch from... more »
‘I Forgave ISIS': A True Example of Forgiveness and Love
[image: Iraqi Christians - 900] “I forgave ISIS.” An Iraqi Christian in Jordan sitting in what looks to be a church auditorium gives her testimony. “We love our enemy, even the ones that hurt us.” Her videotaped testimony is part of an exhibit recently on... more »
Are the Wheels Coming Off in the Democratic Primary? A Roundup.
*Carl Bernstein explains why the White House is "horrified" at the state of the Clinton campaign, which they (and Bernstein) favor.* *by Gaius Publius* This is a roundup of recent pieces with a common theme — the wheels may be coming off the effort to keep the insider game alive on the Democratic side. Note, for example, in the Bernstein portion, the great concern by the White House that Hillary may not be able to take the crown. I didn't expect to see this explosion of concern. Putting all this in one place makes interesting reading. I do encourage clicking through. The sections ... more »
Anti-Russia Hysteria Whipped Up To Apocalyptic Levels By BBC
Once again, Russia is being portrayed as the evil bad guys who frequently play opposite the good guys in the form of the peace loving NATO nations. A new BBC program features Moscow initiating an invasion on Latvia followed up with a nuclear strike on Britain. In the fictional scenario, which the BBC said was “developed over many months of research and in consultation with military, diplomatic and political experts around the world,” so-called pro-Kremlin separatists have taken over dozens of towns on the Russian-Latvian border, with Moscow then invading the NATO member state to su... more »
Authors used wrong dataset in study on shock therapy, exercise in depression
A psychiatric journal has pulled a 2014 paper that found electroconvulsive therapy and exercise helped people with depression, after the authors determined they had mistakenly analyzed the wrong data. According to the retraction notice from the Journal of Psychiatric Research, the researchers had “erroneously analyzed” data from a previous study they had published the year […] The post Authors used wrong dataset in study on shock therapy, exercise in depression appeared first on Retraction Watch.
Untitled
*From* *Jenna Orkin* Chesapeake Plummets Over 20% On Report It Has Hired Bankruptcy Attorneys Germany Shuts Down Canadian Bank Tied To Money Laundering A man may have been killed by a meteorite for the first time in nearly 200 years More Than 3,100 Pregnant Colombian Women Have Zika Virus: Gov't Man killed by falling crane remembered at funeral Chicago Christian college professor to step down after saying Muslims worship same god Leaked police files contain guarantees disciplinary records will be kept secret Bayer refuses to pull insecticide despite EPA's request Colombia sees Guill... more »
Why Do They Pay Attention To Monbiot?
By Paul Homewood http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/dec/24/christmas.famine Following the deferential treatment handed out to George Monbiot by the Environmental Audit Committee last week, I have to ask why anybody pays the slightest attention to the hack? After all, it was back in 2002 that he claimed: This is why biotechnology – whose promoters claim that […]
Are We Facing Another Banking - Financial Crisis?
*Market Watch:* *Why a selloff in European banks is ominous* Europe’s bank index has posted its longest weekly string of losses since 2008. European banks have been caught in a perfect storm of market turmoil, lately. Lackluster profits and negative interest rates, have prompted investors to dump shares in the sector that was touted as one of the best investment ideas just a few months ago. The region’s banking gauge, the Stoxx Europe 600 Banks Index FX7, -4.48% has logged six straight weeks of declines, its longest weekly losing stretch since 2008, when banks booked 10 weeks of... more »
Coming soon: Much more testing than ever.
Sent to USA Today, Feb. 8 Former testing enthusiast John King now joins the chorus of born-again critics of over-testing, a clear reaction to the success of the United Opt-Out movement. ("Acting Ed. Secretary: Educators 'unfairly blamed' for schools' challenges," Feb 8): In King's home state of New York, 20% of students who were to be tested opted out last year. Secretary King does not mention that the "well-intentioned" so-called reformers plan to replace end-of-year standardized tests with what could be daily testing. The core of education will consist of module after module... more »
Pro-Abortion Radicals Have Lost Their Hearts and Minds
[image: Doritos2 - 900] Two tweets in the last week, one from Cosmopolitan and one from NARAL, reveal the depravity of these radical pro-abortionists. Although the tweet has now been removed, Cosmopolitan sent out this message on February 4th: "Texas women are having more... more »
Trudeau and ISIL: some guesses and thoughts
Just watching the press conference about Canada withdrawing CF-18s from Iraq and increasing the number of special forces and logistical support...some quick thoughts. - Half a dozen CF-18s bombing the odd truck or position every few days is not massive air campaign. I'd venture to guess that there is an oversupply of strike aircraft in the region relative to available targets. Unless a
Aleppo: Syrian Actions- NATO Reactions
The battle for Aleppo is pivotal- This fact was made clear weeks ago here at the blog. *January 16/2016: Syrian Endgame Could Begin in Aleppo- Who Would Block This Pivotal Win? * *‘Ask yourself what group or organization would want only to deny Syria’s combined allied forces from taking back Aleppo? The answer is NATO”* *Oh a baby in a blanket... Not! Look at all the men in the vicinity?**I would take this staged photo, with the requisite 'baby' imagery, as a manipulative device being used for maximum emotional appeal.* *CTV-Syrian Troops are within kilometres of the Turkish bo... more »
Bill Kills
Last night while you were watching a bizarre Superbowl commercial featuring an ultrasound fetus seizing up at the sound of Daddy crunching Doritos, First Dude Wannabe Bill Clinton went full Quentin Tarantino with a bizarre verbal seizure of his own. Dressed nattily and folksily in a Buffalo plaid shirt, the aging ex-prez outed himself as a pathetic troller of Internet trolls who are (shock!) bashing Wifey based solely upon her XX chromosomes. Of course, the way the New York Times headline described his puerile hissy fit, it was a lot more intellectual: "Bill Clinton Launches Stingin... more »
It Keeps On Getting Worse In Venezuela
Students take part in a rally against President Nicolas Maduro's government in Caracas on Nov. 21, 2015. Carlos Garcia Rawlins, Reuters *Juan Cristobal Nagel, Foreign Policy*: *Venezuela Is About to Go Bust* Venezuela’s economy is facing a tsunami of bad news. The country is suffering from the world’s deepest recession, highest inflation rate, and highest credit risk — all problems aggravated by plunging oil prices. Despite all its troubles, though, until now Venezuela has kept making payments on its $100-billion-plus foreign debt. That is about to end. In recent days a consensus h... more »
THE YEAR OF THE LIBERAL: Krugman diagnoses Them, maybe goes a bit easy on Us!
*MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2016The boys and girls in the bubble(s):* Marco Rubio had a strange five minutes last Saturday night. Derided all week as the heavily memorized "boy in the bubble," he seemed to go out of his way to enact the critique in an exchange with his week-long tormentor, Chris Christie. What the heck did Rubio do? He stated an ugly claim about Obama, then recited it three more times, almost verbatim, while under attack from Christie. All in less than five minutes! On this videotape of the debate, you can see Rubio state his point for the first time at 18:15, roughly t... more »
Fingers on the Trigger
I've tried to figure out what makes these cats in the Pentagon the CIA Lock-Mart Ray-thee-gun and Boering really tick.... The folks back home are confused despairing depressed many flat out given up ready to climb into a hole and pull the dirt in on top of themselves Do the war boys really want to end it all? Are they that crazy? What about their own kids? It's hard to keep pushin the rock but the alternative is not so appealing The dream the house upon the hill seems not so important when the crazy cats got their fingers on the triggers
A New Poll Says British Media Is The Most Right Wing In Europe
The British media is perceived to be the most right-wing in Europe, framing immigration in a particularly negative light, according to a new poll. The survey, conducted by YouGov, examined the views of people from Britain, France, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland where British respondents noted a right wing bias in the UK press. RT reports: Published on Monday, the poll asked participants whether they think their state’s media coverage of five key issues is too right-wing, left-wing or balanced. Policy areas examined were immigration, health, economics, housing and crime... more »
Haiti's President Steps Down Without A Successor. Carnival Celebrations Delayed Over Fears Of Political Violence
*Reuters:* *Haiti's mood grim as president leaves with no replacement, Carnival delayed* Michel Martelly stepped down as Haitian president on Sunday, leaving a deeply divided country in the hands of a disputed interim government, while the first day of Carnival celebrations was canceled as violent protests erupted. The mood was grim on what should have been a festive day that would have marked a newly elected president, as well as the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Duvalier dictatorship and the start of the Caribbean country's Carnival. Riot police clashed with protesters a... more »
Military Photo of the Day: February 8, 2016
[image: Grenade into Bunker-900] A U.S. Army soldier tosses a practice grenade into a bunker during Basic Training at South Carolina’s Fort Jackson on Feb. 1, 2016. Thank you to Sgt. 1st Class Brian Hamilton for capturing this image!
Just Get There, Whatever You Do
* Zen Gardner* - Be strong. And just get there, whatever it takes. The post Just Get There, Whatever You Do appeared first on Waking Times.
A few observations to start the week
Have you taken up the MCB’s generous invitation to visit 80 Mosques? It was devised so that Muslims can explain their religion to us. But why not offer open, spontaneous visits? Spot-checks if you like. Seriously, what’s the good of a pre-prepared presentation, or ‘pitch‘, like on Dragons Den. “Hello Dragons. My name is Abdel and I’m here today to show you why you need Islam. I want several million con reverts and I’m offering nought percent of the business.” We don’t want to be given the run-around, do we? Not like Hans Blix and those procrastinating weapons inspections. Fobbed... more »
Sen. Ben Sasse: Democrats Have Gone ‘Post-Constitutional’
[image: U.S. Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska speaking at the 2015 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on February 26, 2015 in National Harbor, Maryland.] Is the United States facing a constitutional crisis? Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., thinks so, saying that the Democratic Party has largely gone post-constitutional and that even inside the GOP, there is a crisis of confidence in the American idea. Sasse... more »
Children of Sperm Donors Speak Out
[image: Fatherhood, Father, Son, Family, Piggyback Ride, Sunset, Sunrise] Stephanie Raeymaekers is an advocate for donor-conceived children in Belgium. This is an interview about her work. The Belgian advertising industry recently launched a campaign to support sperm donation. Award-winning men donated theirs to boost national creativity. As the child... more »
Growing Unemployment And Poverty In Iraq
Iraq’s economy is in a tailspin. Falling oil prices are depriving the country of much needed revenue. At the same time costs are up with the war and the hundreds of thousands of displaced. That’s leading to skyrocketing unemployment and an increase in poverty. At the end of January 2016 a parliamentary committee said that the jobless rate had hit a new level. The committee announced that unemployment could be as high as 40%. It blamed the economic crisis caused by the drop in oil revenues and the war with the Islamic State. Many of those out of work were the displaced from Ninewa,... more »
German Chancellor Angela Merkel ‘Horrified’ By Russian Bombings In Syria
*Blomberg*: *Merkel Voices 'Outrage' Over Syrian Offensive and Russian Airstrikes* * Chancellor speaks after meeting Turkish Premier Davutoglu * Merkel calls for swift implementation of deal on refugees German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed “outrage” over attacks against Syrian civilians as an offensive by the regime’s troops backed by Russian air strikes drive thousands of refugees to the Turkish border. "We’re not only shocked, but also outraged, at what’s happened in terms of human suffering in the past few days for tens of thousands of people through bomb attacks, includin... more »
Middle East War Games Could Prepare UK For Russian War With NATO
The British Army is to deploy 1,600 troops to Jordan to take part in war games which could be preparation for a potential ‘confrontation’ between Russia and NATO member countries in Eastern Europe. Army sources told the Daily Telegraph that the drill dubbed Shamal Storm, will simulate an Iraq invasion for the first time in over a decade, but is not a prelude to sending ground troops to fight ISIS, but rather it could be seen as a dry run for one day having to deal with a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine or Eastern Europe. A source said: “This isn’t a counter-Isil exercise. If a... more »
2014 ORI finding results in retraction of cancer paper with manipulated images
A paper flagged in an Office of Research Integrity notice more than one year ago has finally been retracted. According to the notice, the paper includes images manipulated by author H. Rosie Xing, a former University of Chicago cancer researcher. The main conclusions of the paper are affected by the ORI finding, according to the retraction note from Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. But otherwise, […] The post 2014 ORI finding results in retraction of cancer paper with manipulated images appeared first on Retraction Watch.
Every Scientific Law We Have Today Will Be Rewritten In The Next 50 Years
*Michael Forrester* - We separate chemistry, physics and so many other sciences,yet they are all integrated in ways even quantum scientists are just now understanding. The post Every Scientific Law We Have Today Will Be Rewritten In The Next 50 Years appeared first on Waking Times.
US & Israel Prepare For Large Scale Military Exercise
The IDF announced on Saturday that Israel and the US will hold a joint military exercise later in February with the focus on training in ballistic missile warfare. The war games called ‘Juniper Cobra’ aims to prepare the two armies for the threat of a missile attack as well as helping to improve cooperation between the two militaries, the Times of Israel reported. Press TV reports: The drill, staged every two years, is said to be in the works since 2014, when thousands of soldiers from both armies took part in a five-day event that included simulations of a missile attack. “This ex... more »
World News Briefs -- February 8, 2016
*CNN:* *Syrian refugees: We did not flee for tents* Syria-Turkey border (CNN)Tantalizingly close to Turkish soil, thousands of Syrian refugees fleeing an upsurge in violence have gathered at their neighbor's border. They can see Turkey's flag fluttering in the distance, the safety they long for painfully near but closed to them. Long lines of tents provide some shelter from the elements but there is nothing to protect the refugees from the brutal war tearing apart their homeland. Turkish authorities continue to insist they have an open door policy but that most certainly doesn't... more »
Kathleen Matthews: AKA Kathy Cunningham, Republican Political Operative
*-by Jeffrey Hearn* Kathleen Matthews has had to face questions regarding her true political identity since day one of her campaign for the open congressional seat in Maryland's Eighth District. Since before then, actually, since her personal campaign contribution to conservative Republican Senator Roy Blunt-- during *this* election cycle-- was widely reported even before she formally announced her candidacy. On the day she announced, therefore, she went out of her way to stress that she was "a lifelong Democrat." She had been inspired to get involved in politics, she said "by a ... more »
ISDS : Investor-State Dispute Scam
A German documentary on the investor rights in trade agreements - ISDS - now with English subtitles : "Corporations Complain - We Pay". Canada and Canadian ISDS losses - described as the "gold rush in the ISDS industry" - figure prominently in the film : "Canada is the only western country that has ever accepted ISDS with the United States. We're actually one of the most sued countries, always by US companies, because we signed one treaty that allowed ISDS with the United States. And ultimately it only exists because at some point everyone expects the public will have to pay." ...more »
Panel Says FDA Should Approve Experiments on Male ‘Three-Parent’ Embryos
[image: mitochondria] A panel of experts from the Institute of Medicine, a U.S. non-profit advisory organization, recommends that the FDA approve a technique that would create an embryo that has DNA from three parents. The panel consisted of historians, doctors, bioethicists, and... more »
This Year’s Super Bowl: A Pro-Life Tipping Point?
[image: Baby in womb fetus - 900] It is rare for the wise and powerful to admit that they are ignorant. But that is what the majority of Supreme Court justices did in Roe v. Wade, claiming that science offered no answer to the fundamental question of... more »
Obama’s Climate Challenge. Do Business Leaders Dare To Take It?
[image: Global Warming Expensive Policies Money - 900] President Obama is bruiting the idea of a $10 per barrel oil tax, which will of course ride on top of existing oil taxes, and which naturally you would end up paying for in increased gasoline taxes as well as... more »
Strangling Our Future
http://www.corbisimages.com/ Youth unemployment is a problem world wide. Carol Goar reports that: Our youth unemployment rate is 13 per cent. In Sweden, 19.4 per cent of young people are looking for work. In France, the youth jobless rate is 25.9 per cent. In Spain, it is 46 per cent. In Greece it is a staggering 48.6 per cent. (It is hard to get comparable statistics from Africa, where youth can mean anything from 12 to 30 years of age.) The International Labour Organization -- which is sponsored by the UN -- is raising the profile o... more »
Untitled
*The sexism of Safe Spaces* *Students' unions that want to ‘protect women’ are turning the clock back so I am rather in favour of it. Safe spaces for men were once numerous -- private clubs etc. And in Australia many public bars in hotels were "men only" -- places where men could relax without risking female criticism. Let's revive all that! If safe spaces are OK for women, they must be OK for men too* Safe spaces first appeared on campus in the Seventies as ‘women’s centres’. Back then, a safe space was designed to protect women from physical harm, as well as helping with ac... more »
GOP-Controlled Senate Is About to Approve Another Obama Judge
[image: U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley speaking at the Iowa Republican Party's 2015 Lincoln Dinner on May 26, 2015 at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines, Iowa.] Though President Barack Obama's time in office is drawing to a close, the Senate pipeline for judicial nominees remains open. On Monday, the Senate will consider Rebecca Ebinger for a lifetime judicial appointment as a district judge in Iowa. Sen. Chuck... more »
From the "It Just Never Ends" Dept: "No Immediate Threat To The Public..."
*CNN, Feb 6, 2016:* "A leak at the Indian Point nuclear facility in New York has sent contaminant into the area groundwater, causing radioactivity levels 65,000% higher than normal, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on Saturday. The groundwater beneath the nuclear plant flows into the Hudson River at a point about 25 miles north of New York City. The NRC plans to send an expert in health physics and radiation protection to the site." *AP, Feb 6, 2016:* "It was unclear how much water spilled, but samples showed the water had a radioactivity level of more than 8 million picocuries per liter. Th...more »
Cruz Breaks With Other Candidates, Slams Drafting Females
[image: Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz speaks during the Republican Presidential Candidates Debate February 6, 2016 at St. Anselm's College Institute of Politics in Manchester, New Hampshire.] Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz said Sunday proposing to force women to sign up for the draft is the result of dangerous political correctness, and if he were president, he would make sure to put a stop to it. Cruz's... more »
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- February 8, 2016
*Nikkei Asian Review*: *South Korea and US to begin formal talks on missile defense system* WASHINGTON/SEOUL (Dow Jones) -- Hours after a North Korean long-range rocket launch, Washington and Seoul said they were in consultations over the deployment of an advanced missile defense shield in South Korea. The potential deployment of a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense, or Thaad, system on the Korean Peninsula is strongly opposed by China. Wary of closer cooperation between the U.S. and South Korea, Beijing has warned Seoul that the introduction of Thaad could hurt their bilateral t... more »
Merkel in Turkey for Migrants Talks as 33 People Die at Sea
[image: German Chancellor Angela Merkel, center, and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu inspect a military honour guard in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. Merkel is meeting Davutoglu and other Turkish officials for talks on reducing the influx of migrants to Europe. Turkey, a key country on the migrant route to Europe, is central to Merkel's diplomatic efforts to reduce the flow.(AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)] ANKARA, Turkey (AP) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel held talks in Ankara Monday on how to reduce the influx of people into Europe as reports emerged that another 33 pe... more »
Financial Titans Issue Big Warnings for 2016
[image: financial crisis] A growing list of financial gurus and industry experts are warning that 2016 could see a devastating collapse in global financial markets, pushing America into an economic downturn potentially worse than the 2008 recession. Analysts at Citigroup, famed financial broker... more »
Divers Find 2 Bodies, Wreckage of Small Plane Off California
[image: In this still frame from video provided by KABC-TV, a flotilla of boats search for wreckage from two small planes that collided in midair and plunged into the ocean off of Los Angeles harbor Friday, Feb. 5, 2016.] LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Two bodies and the wreckage of a small plane were found Sunday by divers searching in the water off Southern California for evidence following a midair collision believed to have killed three people, authorities said. Divers... more »
"How It Really Is"
Network, "You've Got to Get Mad" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rA60kLwgvYo
“The Global Economy Could Fall Farther and Faster Than Pundits Expect”
*“The Global Economy Could Fall Farther and Faster Than Pundits Expect”* by Charles Hugh Smith “The core narrative of central bank/cartel capitalism is centralized agencies have the power to limit downturns and extend credit-based “good times” almost indefinitely. The centralized power bag of tricks includes fiscal policies such as deficit spending to boost “aggregate demand” in downturns and monetary policies such as lowering interest rates to zero and buying assets, a.k.a. quantitative easing. If we crawl under the barbed wire and escape the ideological Keynesian Concentration Ca... more »
“The $10 Trillion US Tax Giveaway– $10 Trillion More Proposed”
*“The $10 Trillion US Tax Giveaway– $10 Trillion More Proposed”* by Jack Rasmus “From 2001 to 2016 US politicians have cut taxes on corporations and wealthy investors by no less than US$10 trillion. Another US$10 is coming. Proposals for more tax cuts now pending in Congress– plus proposals supported by Trump, Cruz, other Republican presidential candidates– will add another US$10 trillion in tax cuts. And, as from 2001 to 2016, the latest proposals will once again benefit mostly US big banks, big corporations, and the wealthiest investors – i.e. the 1 percent and, even more so, the...more »
New Activity Spotted By Satellites At Iran's Top Secret Military Site Long Suspected For Doing Nuclear Work
*(Click on Image to Enlarge)* *Kim Dozier, Daily Beast:** Satellites Show Mystery Construction at Iran’s Top-Secret Military Site* *A series of images, taken from space, show furious construction at a key Iranian facility. Was it to hide nuclear weapons work?* Newly released satellite images of Iran’s top-secret Parchin military complex reveal that even as Iran was working to negotiate a nuclear deal, it was apparently working to hide its atomic work of the past and hedge its bets for the future. Forecasting site Stratfor.com says the images published Monday show Iran building a ... more »
Indian Report: 'F-35 Loses to Russian Su-35 in ‘Tactical Capabilities’
Air Power Australia *India Defense Forum*: *American F-35 Loses to Russian Su-35 in ‘Tactical Capabilities’* Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Fighter Jet has become the most expensive military project in the US history to date, but still can’t meet the Pentagon’s initial requirements and loses in capabilities to Russian Sukhoi Su-35 aircraft. The Russian Sukhoi Su-35, acknowledged to be one of the best contemporary fighter jets, beats the American F-35 in “tactical” capabilities, a former US Department of Defense’s senior expert Michael Maloof revealed in an interview with the Iranian news... more »
You are my Match Valentine with Free Printable
One of my very favorite treats in the whole world is chocolate covered pretzels. The combination of sweet and salty is just perfect. I took the inspiration of dipping pretzels and ran with it and came up with this darling printable and easy Valentine to pull together. You will need: - The Valentine Printable at the end of this post - Red Candy Melts - small cellophane bags - red baker's twine - scissors - a hole punch - pretzels Add a handful of red candy melts to a bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir the melts and then microwave for 30 seconds. Repe... more »
I know nothing about refining oil
However correct me if I am wrong, it is simply heating up the oil and taking the condensate off. Much like making booze. So why not just put the oil sands in the cracker and hit it with lasers powered by a nice little Candu reactor? Heating the oil sands over and over to get the end stage thousands of kilometres from the source makes no sense.
Trump Seeks to Reverse Fortunes in New Hampshire
[image: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump gestures to the crowd as he signs autographs at a campaign event at Plymouth State University Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016, in Plymouth, N.H. (AP Photo/David Goldman)] NASHUA, N.H. (AP) -- One day before New Hampshire voters go to the polls, Hillary Clinton took a trip to Michigan. And other candidates, including Jeb Bush, said their campaigns will go on no matter what the outcome Tuesday. Donald Trump... more »
Untitled
*"Mr 97%" wimps out* On 31 January, I put up a challenge to Warmist John Cook. Cook runs a blog that purports to debunk skeptical challenges to Warmism and is the author of one of the famous "97% consensus" papers. He is much quoted by Warmists and could reasonably be regarded as one of the heavyweights of Warmism -- although he is in fact a young psychologist who has not even got his doctorate yet. So my challenge stemmed from his claim that he can debunk all climate skepticism. As it happens, I live only about a 15 minute drive from where he works. So I invited him to visit... more »
"No 'Artful Smear.' Clintons Paid $153 Million in Speaking Fees, Analysis Shows"
*"No 'Artful Smear.' * *Clintons Paid $153 Million in Speaking Fees, Analysis Shows"* By Common Dreams "There has been a lot of talk in recent weeks about the speaking fees paid to presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and an analysis published Saturday sheds some light on exactly how much Wall Street and other major corporate powers ponied up for the former Secretary of State and her husband, President Bill Clinton. *$153 million*, CNN concludes, is the amount the power couple raked in between February 2001 and the launch of Hillary Clinton's presidential bid in May 2015. What's... more »
The Syrian War Is Shifting In Favour of The Assad Regime
*(Click on Image to Enlarge)* *Bloomberg*: *Advantage Assad After Five Years of War in Syria* * Turks, Saudis have few options to aid embattled rebel allies * War heads to shootout with Islamic State as `moderates' wilt After five years of war and a quarter-million dead, President Bashar al-Assad and his Russian and Iranian allies now have the upper hand in Syria, and they’re seeking to drive home a growing battlefield advantage rather than negotiate. In the past week, the United Nations has tried to get peace talks under way in Geneva, European leaders met in London to seek ways... more »
Is The U.S. War Against The Islamic State Helping Al Qaeda?
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi vs. al-Zawahiri. (AFP) *Nancy Youssef & Shane Harris, Daily Beast*: *America’s ISIS War Is Helping al Qaeda* *U.S. intelligence and defense officials are increasingly worried their fight against the self-declared Islamic State is benefitting al Qaeda, ISIS’ jihadi rival.* U.S. strikes against the self-proclaimed Islamic State have had an unintended beneficiary: al Qaeda. Al Qaeda has exploited the strikes and gained strength, and that has created a growing rift within U.S. national security circles about where the coalition should aim its strikes. Some Americ... more »
'Do we have to hijack your planes again?' Fatah official asks. BBC yawn
'Former Palestinian peace negotiator Nabil Shaath said in an interview earlier this month that he often asks Westerners whether Arabs have to "hijack your planes and destroy your airports again" to make the world take notice of the Palestinian cause.' More here http://www.timesofisrael.com/do-we-have-to-hijack-your-planes-again-palestinian-official-asks/ but not on the BBC of course.
In America’s Quest for Authentic Community, Trump Has the Wrong Map
[image: Classroom, Teaching, Teacher, Learning, Students, Public Education System] After a week of no school due to the snowstorm, Northern Virginia kids were in their classrooms again last week, but for what? That seems a bit snide of me, but seriously, why are they dutifully sitting in classrooms, doing homework... more »
the Real Jason Bourne #4 - the world is at war - first look trailer
see, it's a War World, I told ya...
Getting Ready For The Robot Wars
*Geoff Dyer, Financial Times:* *US military: robot wars* *More money must go to technology to confront China and Russia, say some people in the Pentagon* When historians come to write about technological innovation in the first half of this century, they are likely to pay special attention to a US Navy drone called the X-47B — otherwise known as the Salty Dog. Two years ago, the autonomous drone created aviation history when it landed on the deck of an aircraft carrier by itself — that is, without the help of a pilot operating it remotely. Last year the unmanned aircraft marked a... more »
The Afghan District Of Sangin Is On The Verge Of Falling To The Taliban
*BBC*:* Sangin 'on verge of falling back into Afghan Taliban hands'* The key district of Sangin in the southern Afghan province of Helmand is once again on the verge of being overrun by the Taliban, according to an Afghan army commander. The commander, who wishes to remain anonymous, told the BBC that most of the district had already been taken. He said the Afghan government now controls just a few square kilometres of Sangin city. The Afghan army and local governor's office dismissed the claims. A spokesman for the Helmand governor acknowledged there had been security problems ... more »
Compactified M-theory and LHC predictions
*Guest blog by Gordon Kane* I want to thank Luboš for suggesting that I explain the compactified M-theory predictions of the superpartner masses, particularly for the gluino that should be seen at LHC in Run II. I’ll include the earlier Higgs boson mass and decay branching ratio predictions as well. I’ll only give references to a few papers that allow the reader to see more details of derivations and of calculated numbers, plus a few of the original papers that established the basic compactification, usually just with arXiv numbers so the interested reader can look at them and trace... more »
(Zombie Owners Hate/Screw Over/Laugh At Zombie Slaves/Workers? No Love Left in US Workplace) Goldman Sachs Instructs Voters for Their Own Good? (Who Owns Organic Food? You Guess!) Thyroid Cancer Stems from Nuclear Plants? (Farewell, Dan)
Goodbye, Dan, old friend. Fare thee well. Dan Hicks, Founder of the Hot Licks, Dies at 74ACLU Pries Torture Photos Out Of Washington (2/5/2016)One Billionaire's 'Megayacht' Destroyed 80% of West Bay's Protected Caribbean Coral Reef News from the outside inside? Or just more disinfo to redirect embarrassing attention? Just remember, never speak negatively of the Mossad or Israel (or
The Pentagon Is Building An 'Arsenal Plane'
It's not known if the Pentagon will revive old B-52 bombers to create an unmanned flying bomb truck, or perhaps recall retired C-130s for a turboprop approach. Past candidates for this concept included the Boeing B-1R. US Air Force *Popular Mechanics*: *The Pentagon Is Building the "Arsenal Plane," a Giant Flying Battlewagon* The Arsenal Plane will carry a tremendous punch a long, long way. U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter has revealed the existence of a program to develop a so-called "Arsenal Plane." Designed to back up fifth generation fighters such as the F-35 with a larg... more »
Blue Angels At The Super Bowl
#BlueAngelsFly over #SB50! #BA70Years #America pic.twitter.com/mcjlBqBUXN — Blue Angels (@BlueAngels) February 8, 2016
Picture Of The Day
*(Click on Image to Enlarge)* North Korean leader Kim Jong Un watches a long range rocket launched into the air in this still image taken from KRT footage and released by Yonhap, Feb. 7, 2016. PHOTO: REUTERS/YONHAP
Why Would Russia Invade The Baltics?
Image from The Economist *Doug Bandow, National Interest:* *Why on Earth Would Russia Attack the Baltics?* When the Cold War closed many people believed that history had ended. Peace had descended upon the earth. The lion was about to lie down with the lamb. The Second Coming seemed on its way. Europe was certain to be free and undivided. Alas, it hasn’t worked out that way. But no worries. At least NATO officials are happy. Following Russian intervention in Georgia and Ukraine the alliance rediscovered a sense of purpose through its old enemy, Moscow. The Obama administration ju... more »
Alex Law-- Fighting Back Against Corruption In South Jersey... On A Bernie Platform
If Bernie Sanders wasn't running for president this year, Alex Law would still be a compelling candidate for Congress in the badlands of South Jersey where politics are under the control of the state's most corrupt family, the Norcross Machine, something that harkens back to past darker decades. When the grotesquely corrupt retainer who had been serving as the Machine's Member of Congress, Rob Andrews, was given the option of leaving Congress or going to prison for improper use of campaign funds, he resigned and Boss Norcross stuck his right-wing younger brother into the seat. An... more »
Are stocks overvalued?
No, says Olivier Blanchard and Joseph Gagnon.
At the Dawn of an Age of Wonders - Some Thoughts on a Superhero Campaign
I received some discussion, both within and outside my gaming group when I mentioned my desire to at some point dive into Hero System and Traveller. I've a few further thoughts on those two settings and I figured I'd explore them a little bit more. The earliest I see a new game would be the late-March/early-April time frame, fitting in with my grad school schedule. Given I'm currently doing a science fiction game I figured I'd mull over some thoughts about superhero campaigns. It may just be a thought exercise but what GM doesn't like such exercises... I've grown to think that wh... more »
Musical Interlude: Secret Garden, “Silent Wings”
Secret Garden, “Silent Wings” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xf9ShbKxCv8
Delicious Irony Re CSIRO and Prof Bob Carter
Image by Bob's Friend John SpoonerProfessor Bob Carter often revealed the flaws in C.S.I.R.O's statements. (Bob called CSIRO - Sigh-Row) As an example, when talking of the now defunct Flannery-led Climate Commission said: The game is rather given away by the following style of disclaimer, which is inserted inside the front cover of all climate consultancy reports prepared by CSIRO, one of the groups that acts as a model-provider to the IPCC: This report relates to climate change scenarios based on computer modelling. Models involve simplifications of the real processes that are ... more »
North Korean Patrol Boat Retreats From South Korean Waters After Warning Shots
*The Guardian*: *South Korean navy fires warning shots at North Korean patrol boat* Tensions rise further after North Korean patrol boat strays over disputed maritime border one day after rocket launch The South Korean navy has fired warning shots at a North Korean patrol boat, further heightening tensions already raised after Pyongyang’s launch of a long-range rocket over the weekend. The defence ministry in Seoul said the North Korean vessel crossed the disputed Yellow Sea border just before 7am (2300 GMT Sunday). It “quickly retreated” at 7.15am after five warning shots were f... more »
South Korea Considers Going Nuclear to Counter North Korea
[image: South Korean army soldiers watch a TV news program with a file footage about North Korea's rocket launch at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016. North Korea on Sunday defied international warnings and launched a long-range rocket that the United Nations and others call a cover for a banned test of technology for a missile that could strike the U.S. mainland.] South Korean officials are mulling the idea of obtaining nuclear weapons in response to recent provocations from neighboring North Korea. North Korea's successful launch of a long-range rock... more »
Pentagon Orders Top Officials To Consider The Impact Of Climate Change On All Military Actions
An Air Force reserve pararescueman from the 920th Rescue Wing scans the ravaged Texas landscape in the aftermath of hurricane Ike. Photograph: Tech. Sgt. Paul Flipse/U.S. Air Force photo *Matt Smith, VICE News*: *The Pentagon Just Issued Marching Orders on Climate Change* A bit over a year after identifying climate change as a "significant challenge" for the US military, the US Department of Defense has given its top officials orders for handling the hazards posed by a warming world. The boring-but-important 12-page document issued in January tells the armed service chiefs and top... more »
Minister: Washington Is Prepping For Military Strike Against Russia
Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, Sergei Ryabkov, has said that Washington is preparing to launch a global military strike soon. The U.S. is deliberately destabilising relations with Russia, according to Ryabkov, by creating a global missile defense system, and continuing to develop tools capable of inflicting a disarming strike without using nuclear weapons . Fort Russ reports: Ryabkov noted that negotiations may resume when the concerns and priorities of Russia will be taken into account, “That is, when a situation is created, which ensures equal security for al... more »
NATO Planning Biggest Army Build-up Against Russia Since Cold War
NATO have announced plans to build-up its biggest military presence on the Russian border since the Cold War, in an effort to deter Russia from invading surrounding countries. As relations between Russia and NATO-backed allies continue to deteriorate, NATO have decided to bolster defenses on its eastern flank by stationing 40,000 troops permanently at Russia’s doorstep. Japantimes.co.jp reports: NATO defense ministers will this week begin outlining plans for a complex web of small eastern outposts and warehoused equipment ready for a rapid response force, with troops on rotation an...more »
Epidemic: 25,000 Infected With Zika In Colombia
Over 25,000 people are now confirmed as being infected with the Zika virus in Colombia, with 3,100 of them being pregnant women, President Juan Manuel announced over the weekend. As the disease continues to ravage the America’s Brazil is investigating the link between Zika and microcephaly, a birth defect marked by an unusually small head size. Alarabiya.net reports: Researchers have identified evidence of Zika infection in 17 of these cases, either in the baby or in the mother, but have not confirmed that Zika can cause microcephaly. There are so far no recorded cases of Zika-link... more »
Queen Elizabeth Vetoes Electoral ‘Proportional Representation’ Idea
Queen Elizabeth opposed a change to the British voting system which would have allowed “proportional representation” – a type of electoral system that decides the make-up of a parliament by allocating seats on the basis of the number of votes each party received. The Queen told Labour peer Joyce Gould, Baroness Gould of Potternewton, during a 20-minute conversation that she utterly opposed a change to the British voting system, even though the change would have made voting fairer and more representative of the British public’s needs. Breaking from protocol to discuss the incident, ... more »
Erdogan Gives Ultimatum: Choose Your Ally – Turks Or Kurds?
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned the U.S. that they need to decide who their ally is, Turkey or the Kurdish people in Syria. The ultimatum was given over the weekend to journalists as Erdogan made his way back to Turkey from a Latin America trip. Dailysabah.com reports: He said a security summit would be held when he returned to Turkey. “I don’t want the mistakes committed in Iraq repeated in Syria,” adding that he saw the rejection of the resolution allowing U.S. troop deployment in Turkey and Turkish troop deployment overseas in February 2003 just before the secon... more »
North Korea: We Will Launch More Rockets, Not Less
North Korea have issued a defiant warning to the west, saying they intend to continue launching more long-range rockets in the future, despite international warnings to stop. Pyongyang say the most recent rocket launch on Sunday was so that North Korea could send a satellite into space, strongly denying claims by the West that the launch was used as a means of testing ballistic missiles. Sky News reports: In a state TV broadcast, a female North Korean announcer wearing a traditional dress said the “epochal” launch, personally ordered by leader Kim Jong-Un, had “successfully put our... more »
British Man Sells ‘Fresh Air’ In A Jar To Chinese For £80
A UK businessman is making thousands of pounds in cash by selling jars of fresh air to wealthy people in China for £80 per jar. Leo De Watts says he sells British countryside air shipped in jars to people in polluted cities such as Shanghai and Beijing, where he says the elite pay a large sum of money to inhale the air for a few seconds. Independent.co.uk reports: The Aethaer products include air from Somerset, Wales and Dorset, with each area said to create air with different qualities. Watts’ website boasts: “Aethaer is filtered organically by nature as it flows between the leaves... more »
Governments should address Climate Hazards instead of trying to stop Climate Change
Revisiting a 2011 address by Professor Bob Carter on "Climate Context as a basis for Better Policy", given at the University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba. The main theme of Bob's address was that Governments should not waste money on trying to stop climate change, but rather should use funds preparing for Climate Caused Disasters. Some of the main points: Horses for Courses. (53m) There is no such thing as a Global Climate. It doesn't exist. It's an imaginary construct for the scientists to think about and play with. Nobody lives in a Global Climate. We all live in a loc... more »
Russia Launch Space Rocket Into Orbit
Russia have launched the Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket containing the navigation satellite Glonass-M into space from the Plesetsk space center on Sunday. “On Sunday, at 03.21 a.m. Moscow time [24:21 GMT] a squad of Russian Space Forces of Russian Aerospace Forces successfully carried out a launch of a Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket with the navigation satellite Glonass-M,” the press service told Russian media outlets. Tass.ru reports: “It will take several hours for the Frigate upper stage to bring the Glonass-M spacecraft to the intended orbit,” the Defense Ministry added. The Soyuz-2.1b r... more »
‘God Bless America’ Signs Fly After Atheist Group Targets Post Office Banner
[image: 1454872687796] A Midwestern community has united in a show of patriotism after an atheist organization targeted a local post office's "God Bless America" poster. Freedom from Religion Foundation cried foul after the group noticed a "God Bless America" banner that employees... Continue reading *“‘God Bless America’ Signs Fly After Atheist Group Targets Post Office Banner”* at *foxnews.com*.
Musical Interlude: David Schombert, "A Space Journey"
David Schombert, "A Space Journey" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Un5SEJ8MyPc&feature=related
Utah Legislators Back Plan to Declare Porn a Health Crisis
[image: In this March 2, 2015 file photo, Republican Sen. Todd Weiler speaks on the senate floor at the Utah state Capitol in Salt Lake City. Weiler, wants to declare pornography a public health crisis, echoing an argument being made around the U.S. by conservative religious groups as porn becomes more accessible on smartphones and tablets. Utah lawmakers are scheduled to discuss the resolution Friday, Feb. 5, 2016 in a legislative hearing.] SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- A state senator in Utah wants to declare pornography a public health crisis, echoing an argument being made around the U.... more »
Trump: Bush Family Used Eminent Domain to Build a Baseball Park
[image: trump_donald_20] Following attacks from primary rival Jeb Bush about his past use of eminent domain, Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump on Sunday accused the Bush family of using the practice to build a baseball stadium in Texas. Continue reading *“Trump: Bush Family Used Eminent Domain to Build a Baseball Park”* at *thehill.com*.
2 Dead, 4 Hurt in Shooting After Mississippi Mardi Gras Parade
[image: Mardi-Gras-Shooting-Pass-Christian-90000] PASS CHRISTIAN, Miss. (AP) -- South Mississippi police say a shooting after a Mardi Gras parade in Pass Christian has left two people dead and four others wounded. Police Chief Tim Hendricks confirmed the number of dead and wounded to... more »
The End Of Open Borders Within The EU
*The Telegraph*:* The EU's €110bn problem: slow death of Schengen risks new crisis for Europe's battered economies* One of EU's harshest critics calls on Brussels to preserve passport-free travel at all costs to stop the continent from descending into economic turmoil. The collapse of the Schengen system of open borders risks plunging Europe into fresh economic turmoil, Hungary’s foreign minister has warned. Europe’s escalating migration crisis - which saw over a million people pour into the continent last year - has led to the re-introduction of temporary border controls in the ... more »
House Hearing on Massive Cyber Insecurity at US Dept. of Education
from February 2, 2016:
If You Don't Think Hillary Is Part Of The Establishment, You Should Probably Go Back To Fifth Grade
I hope you read yesterday's post, The Pervasive, Sickening Impact Of Wall Street On Politics, which made the case-- strictly based on cold, hard facts-- for why Hillary should drop out immediately and endorse Bernie for president-- for the sale of the country. She won't ,of course; she is a breathtakingly corrupt careerist. No one even defends her except people on her payroll, people who want to get a job in her administration or those who, tragically, refuse to look at her horrifying public record of deceit and corruption. A few minutes ago one of her morons on Twitter repeated ... more »
Super Bowl 50: Dominant Defense Leads Denver Broncos to 24-10 Victory
[image: Panthers Broncos Super Bowl fumble - 90000] SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) -- If this was the final game of his magnificent career, what a Super way to go out for Peyton Manning. He can thank Von Miller and the Broncos’ swarming, big-play defense for his second NFL... more »
"A Look to the Heavens"
"A gorgeous spiral galaxy some 100 million light-years distant, NGC 1309 lies on the banks of the constellation of the River (Eridanus). NGC 1309 spans about 30,000 light-years, making it about one third the size of our larger Milky Way galaxy. Bluish clusters of young stars and dust lanes are seen to trace out NGC 1309's spiral arms as they wind around an older yellowish star population at its core. *Click image for larger size.* Not just another pretty face-on spiral galaxy, observations of NGC 1309's recent supernova and Cepheid variable stars contribute to the calibration of the... more »
Chet Raymo, “Silence”
*“Silence”* by Chet Raymo “A gray, drizzly day. As I take my place in a quiet corner of the college Commons it is still dark. I open my laptop and there on the screen is the poem I was reading yesterday afternoon in the library, as I closed my laptop for the day: “Silence”, by Billy Collins. "These lines particularly resonate: And there is the silence of this morning Which I have broken with my pen, A silence that had piled up all night Like snow falling in the darkness of the house- The silence before I wrote a word And the poorer silence now." When I was a young man I read a littl... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Bridgetown, Saint Michael, Barbados. Thanks for stopping by!
US Exports Fell in 2015 for First Time Since Recession
[image: In this Friday, Jan. 29, 2016, file photo, an Icelandic cargo ship is loaded with containers in Portland, Maine. On Friday, Feb. 5, the Commerce Department reports on the U.S. trade gap for December.] WASHINGTON (AP) -- The U.S. trade deficit rose in December as American exports fell for a third straight month, reflecting the pressures of a stronger dollar and spreading global weakness. Those factors contributed to the first annual drop in U.S.... more »
License Plate Readers a Double-Edged Sword for NY Village
[image: In this Nov. 19, 2015 photo, Freeport Mayor Robert Kennedy demonstrates the village’s license plate scanner system at Village Hall in Freeport, N.Y. Since November 2015, the ring of 27 cameras has scanned more than 15.4 million license plates, resulting in 25 people being arrested, 500 cars being impounded and more than 2,000 summonses being issued.] FREEPORT, N.Y. (AP) -- When this Long Island village switched on its “ring of steel” last fall, it knew it was getting a potent policing tool. The system of 27 cameras would scan the license plate of every single vehicle... more »
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