11:02 pm MST
Is Kissinger The Right Person To Broker A Deal Between Russia And The West?
Vladimir Putin and former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. © ITAR-TASS/Alexandra Mudrats *Politico: **Kissinger, a longtime Putin confidant, sidles up to Trump* America's pre-eminent ex-diplomat gets back in the mix. Could he help broker a deal with Russia? Back in the 1990s, Henry Kissinger, the legendary former U.S. secretary of state-turned-global consultant, encountered an intriguing young Russian and proceeded to ask him a litany of questions about his background. “I worked in intelligence,” Vladimir Putin finally told him, according to “First Person,” a 2000 autobiogra... more »
For Christmas Eve, we hark unto the openings of Berlioz's "Childhood of Christ" and Handel's "Messiah"
*In the Sunday Classics era, Christmastime provided a bountiful musical opportunity. Since 2016 brings us a "three-day Christmas" -- Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Christmas holiday celebrated -- I thought I would dip back to 2011, when Sunday Classics had a three-day sequence that began with the openings of Berlioz's oratorio L'Enfance du Christ (The Childhood of Christ) and Handel's eternal Messiah, then zoomed in on that opening tenor solo of Messiah, and finally expanded to encompass the whole of Part I, the only one of Messiah's three parts that is in fact Christmas-conne... more »
China Aircraft Carrier Carries Out Fighter Drills Over Open Seas
*The Independent*: *China warship carries out fighter drills over open seas* Capabilities of carrier closely watched since Beijing announced it was ready to 'fight enemies' China has said its first aircraft carrier has carried out a set of combat drills in the Yellow Sea ahead of further planned missions, sparking fears the group could soon venture into the fiercely-contested South China Sea. Aircraft performed air conflict manoeuvres along with practising launch and recovery from the Soviet-era warship, which China bought off Ukraine in 1998 and has since spent years refurbishing... more »
GAIA PORTAL: Stretchings begin as Essence Awareness expands
*Stretchings begin as Essence Awareness expands* by ÉirePort Stretchings begin as Essence Awareness expands. Nasturtium* communities come to the forefront. Lilies are carried for the fallen. Star Lights are recognized in full. airport | December 24, 2016 at 10:10 | Categories: Uncategorized | URL: http://wp.me/p2sFUY-B8 * From wikipedia nasturtium (/nəˈstɜːrʃəm, næ-/; literally "nose-twister" or "nose-tweaker") Fresh salad with Nasturtium flowers, Italian Alps summer 2015.
#ChristmasMyths, #7: So why December 25?
*A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS to all of you, and a Salacious Saturnalis!* *Why are we celebrating morning drinking today? There’s a very good reason, and it’s not quite what you think …* ------------------------------ As every child knows, Christmas falls on December 25th every year. Every year. But is it because it says so in the Bible? Hell no! You won’t fnid any concept of that there. The very few early Christian churches who did observe the Nativity2 celebrated it sometimes in May, sometimes in April, and even occasionally in January. So clearly they had no clue when their leg... more »
Justin Trudeau's Christmas Gift to Canadians, Lumps of Coal and Diluted Bitumen
Chasing distant billboards and dumbing down the electorate.... Sandy Garossino recently wrote an op-ed piece for the National Observer...and I must say, what a load of gibberish it was.. Sandy opined that ....The Kinder Morgan pipeline battle is not "*the hill to die on" *and that environmentalists should be happy to surrender.. Her reasons were, to say the least, not thought out, at all.....in fact Garossino said in her article that Justin Trudeau had appeased environmentalists by bringing forth a national carbon strategy and a 100 megaton cap on tar sands emissions.... Sandy... more »
“Ave Maria”
Schubert, “Ave Maria” by Placido Domingo And Wiener Sängerknaben (Vienna Boys Choir) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4vBAR4EaHY
Merry Christmas, 2016!
*“A Prayer for the World”* “Let the rain come and wash away the ancient grudges, the bitter hatreds held and nurtured over generations. Let the rain wash away the memory of the hurt, the neglect. Then let the sun come out and fill the sky with rainbows. Let the warmth of the sun heal us wherever we are broken. Let it burn away the fog so that we can see each other clearly, So that we can see beyond labels, beyond accents, gender or skin color. Let the warmth and brightness of the sun melt our selfishness, So that we can share the joys and feel the sorrow of our neighbors. And let the ligh... more »
Josh Groban, "O Holy Night"
Josh Groban, "O Holy Night" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDFvKQm26b4
“How Christmas Was Nearly Canceled – Permanently”
*“How Christmas Was Nearly Canceled – Permanently”* by Bill Bonner POITOU, France –” Well, it was a quiet Christmas in this corner of Christendom. On the eve, we went to Mass in our local church – a cold, stone relic of the 12th century. The best seats were taken by the time we got there, but we found a row of chairs in the back. We are considerably taller than most of the French in this area. So, we had no trouble seeing over the heads of the indigenous Catholics. The local people are short; many are almost dwarfish. What caused it? Malnutrition many years ago? Was there a partic... more »
Bernie's Revolution Is Winning-- Let's Not Let It Be Derailed By Idiots
*Jimmy Gomez* California elected 5 new freshmen this year— all Democrats replacing Democrats: Ro Khanna, who won a primary against Mike Honda, Jimmy Panetta, who took the seat Sam Farr retired from, Salud Carbajal, who took the seat Lois Capps retired from, Nanette Barragan, who took the seat Janice Hahn retired from and Lou Correa, who took the seat Loretta Sanchez gave top when she ran, unsuccessfully, for the Senate. Politically all the freshmen are pretty much like their predecessors. Lou Correa is, by far the most conservative, and like Sanchez, he’s part of the Blue Dog caucus... more »
Intel spending $50 million to develop silicon qubits that they would scale to quantum computers with millions of qubit
Intel has a team of quantum hardware engineers in Portland, Oregon, who collaborate with researchers in the Netherlands, at TU Delft’sQuTech quantum research institute, under a $50 million grant established last year. Earlier this month Intel’s group reported that they can now layer the ultra-pure silicon needed for a quantum computer onto the standard wafers used in chip factories. This strategy makes Intel an outlier among industry and academic groups working on qubits, as the basic components needed for quantum computers are known. Other companies can run code on prototype chips ... more »
Six13: Chanukah (Shake It Off) + Jewish Voice for Peace: End the Occupation of Palestine
Dandelion Salad Happy Chanukah! Six13Sings on Dec 11, 2014 CHAG SAMEACH! Life got you down? You should be thinking about the miracle of light. Just shake it off… it’s Chanukah! *** Against enormous odds we are making change. Jewish Voice for Peace on Dec 14, 2016 Together we will succeed. Join Jewish Voice for Peace. […]
Bionic eyes and Arms
1. The NHS will pay for 10 people with an inherited form of blindness to be fitted with “bionic eye” implants. Five patients with a condition known as retinitis pigmentosa will be treated at the Manchester Royal Eye Hospital and five at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London next year. They will be given a pair of glasses mounted with a camera that captures light and sends wireless signals to an implant in the retina. The implant will then relay information to the brain to help patients regain some sight. 2. DARP delivered the first two advanced “LUKE” arms from a new production line... more »
Christmas falls on the 25th again!
*SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2016Producing holiday travel:* Just as predicted by major news orgs, Christmas had fallen on the 25th once again. This has us heading for the train and for northbound travel. We don't expect to post again until the end of the week. At that time, we'll continue our posts about the year(s) in review. We spent two years pretending to conduct an election. During all the folderol, which topics didn't you hear discussed? Which topics *never* get discussed? Which facts never get explored, even by liberals and progressives? If we liberals could get people to listen... more »
How To Fight Voter Suppression, A Guest Post By Alice Marshall
*On Wednesday Alice Marshall did a guest post about grassroots electoral organizing, riffing on the book she authored, The Precinct Captain's Guide To Political Victory, and the response was so overwhelming that we asked her to do a follow-up, which she did (below). When Harry Reid happened to mention the other day that under the chairmanship of Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the DNC was a worthless organization (his word, not ours), this is precisely the kind of thing he probably had in mind. Apparently Wasserman Schultz was too busy doing something else to attend to her job.* The 201... more »
Good and Evil in Star Wars
If you like *Star Wars*, it's a must-see. If you like space action movies, you should watch it. If you're at a loose end and the kids are mithering, take 'em to the cinema - it'll knock their socks off. Don't go in expecting multi-layered narratives and nuanced characterisation, *Rogue One* is a disciplined journey from A to B. It's a tightly plotted, entertaining romp with no loose endings, and works fantastically well as the immediate prequel to *Episode IV*. Like many millions of people, I'm a fan of *Star Wars*. Not a superfan mind, I'm not into the expanded universe, the nove... more »
Israel settlements: Netanyahu orders UN ties review per BBC News
The BBC report http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-38429385 on Barack Hussein Obama's final fuck you to the world's only majority Jewish state. Unfortunately for the institutionally anti Israel BBC they have to end their joyous report with this: '... Mr Trump, who will be inaugurated on 20 January, tweeted after the vote: "As to the UN, things will be different after Jan. 20th." On Thursday, Mr Trump had urged the council to reject the motion.' January 20th cannot come soon enough for sanity to return to the world.
American Indian Airwaves -- Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin Lead NO! DAPL Action Los Angeles
Watch videos Part I and Part II: NO DAPL Action Los Angeles More on this video -- A virtual media blackout, again no surprise. Also, upon all of encroaching the Wells Fargo branch on 1600 Vine Street, Los Angeles, CA, Wells Fargo officials closed their doors and prohibited anyone from entering or existing. Inside the Wells Fargo branch, however, was Gloria Arellanes, a Tongva
Once in Royal David's City
Alexandra Coghlan has an interesting piece at *The Spectator *on 'the wartime origins of Carols from King's'. Her post begins: Christmas, for many people, began at exactly 3 p.m today, Christmas Eve. The moment when everything stops, frantic present-wrapping, mince-pie making and tree-decorating ceases and calm briefly takes hold. The reason? A single boy treble whose voice, clear and fragile as glass, pierces through the chaos with those familiar words: ‘Once in Royal David’s city/ Stood a lowly cattle shed…’. The service of Nine Lessons and Carols from King’s College, Cambri... more »
Mohawk Nation News 'Trudeau's Pipe Dream'
TRUDEAU’S PIPE DREAM Posted on December 24, 2016 Mohawk Nation News Please post & distribute. MNN. Dec. 24, 2016. Last week prime minister ‘Patsy” Trudeau announced his plans to decolonize Canada. He can’t because Canada has always been occupied by illegal invaders. Canada is a Mohawk word that designates a rotino’shonni settlement. The kaia’nere:kowa, great peace, signifies our tie to
And now, on BBC Four...
Sometimes the BBC can still really hit the spot. I'm presently watching BBC Four's two-hour *'All Aboard! The Sleigh Ride'* - a slow, two-hour documentary without commentary, presenter or background music (from the people who brought us* 'The Canal Trip'*) which is giving us a reindeer's eye view of snow-swathed northern Norway and the mainly female (and, if Dame Jenni and Jane Garvey will permit me, rather fetching) Sami herders as they track across an old postal route, over frozen lakes, through forests and snowy hills. And, yes, it's out-and-out magical. Often the only sou... more »
A Conspiracy of Goodwill- Merry Christmas Conspirators
I came across the quote shown below and thought...... It's good. I like it! It's very suitable. It speaks of the reasoning I've had this blog for so many years. And it communicates to all readers my view of their participation here. We're all, hopefully, *participating in a conspiracy of goodwill *in order that our human societies, formed of our families & friends, both near and far will endure. *Merry Christmas Conspirators!!! * *And a truly happy, healthy and prosperous new year!!*
Backlash Against German Chancellor Merkel Grows Over Her Open Border Policy
*Wall Street Journal:* *Backlash Swells in Germany as Hunt for Terrorist Ends* *Tunisian migrant Anis Amri is killed in shootout near Milan; Angela Merkel faces mounting pressure over migrants * The hunt for the suspect in the deadly attack on a Berlin Christmas market ended before dawn Friday in a shootout with Italian police near Milan, but the political fallout was just beginning to gather force. Anis Amri, a Tunisian, lived in Germany for more than a year, despite having been previously jailed in Italy and denied asylum in both nations. Even as Europe’s most-wanted man, he tr... more »
In Under 4 Minutes, Video Exposes Vile Nature of DEA Classifying CBD Oil as Schedule 1
[image: cbd]Journalist Ben Swann thoroughly explains why the DEA's decision to list CBD oil and other cannabinoids under Schedule I is not only absurd, but the agency doesn't have the power to do so.
Goldman-Sachs Caught Manipulating US Dollar — No One Arrested, Slap on Wrist Instead
[image: goldman]Goldman-Sachs was ordered to pay a measly 120 million dollar fine for profiting off the people by manipulating the value of the dollar.
Christmas Greetings and Notice to Readers
*Good King Wenceslaus* Good King Wenceslas looked out on the feast of Stephen, when the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even. Brightly shown the moon that night, though the frost was cruel, when a poor man came in sight, gathering winter fuel. Hither, page, and stand by me. If thou know it telling: yonder peasant, who is he? Where and what his dwelling? Sire, he lives a good league hence, underneath the mountain, right against the forest fence by Saint Agnes fountain. Bring me flesh, and bring me wine. Bring me pine logs hither. Thou and I will see him dine when we bear them th... more »
The 3D-Printed Piccolissimo Is The World’s Smallest Drone
This drone is approximately the width of a quarter. The post The 3D-Printed Piccolissimo Is The World’s Smallest Drone appeared first on Futurism.
Chris Hedges: A New McCarthyism
Dandelion Salad with Chris Hedges RT America on Dec 24, 2016 On this week’s episode of On Contact, Chris Hedges explores the rise of a new McCarthyism with Professor Ellen Schrecker, author of “Many are the Crimes: McCarthyism in America”. They examine the role of President Elect Donald Trump and the impact the suppression of […]
"Hilarious Trump Christmas Parody: 'It’s The Most Wonderful Time in 8 Years'”
"Hilarious Trump Christmas Parody: 'It’s The Most Wonderful Time in 8 Years'” by Dana Kamide - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sW85ZcswiqM
U.S. Vice President Biden Gives His Analysis On Why Hillary Clinton Lost The U.S. Presidential Election
*L.A. Times*: *As Democrats ponder their future, Joe Biden makes a plea for a focus on the middle class* Over a career in elected public office lasting more than 46 years, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. has seen campaigns from the rudimentary, family-run effort that first launched him unexpectedly to the U.S. Senate as a 29-year-old to the sophisticated, data-driven juggernaut that helped elect him and Barack Obama twice to the nation’s highest offices. But rarely has he trusted anything as much as his own gut instinct, attuned to the middle- and working-class sensibilities of his fo... more »
US Govt Now Asking Travelers for Facebook and Twitter Profiles to Feed Surveillance State
[image: social-media-travling]This profound intrusion into privacy will be "ineffective and prohibitively expensive" but serves the goal of expanding mass surveillance.
"CNN Turns Off Cameras After Donald Trump Calls Them Out For Their FAKE Focus Group"
https://youtu.be/qPjuk6VO_qs One of my favourite moments of the US Presidential Election.
Mosul Campaign Day 68, Dec. 23, 2016
There was movement on the northern front for the first time since the start of the month. The Iraqi forces (ISF) cleared the Police Academy and vehicle registration directorate building north of Mosul. The ISF had not done anything in that sector since December 5 when three villages were freed. Northern forces were supposed to organize to take the town of Tal Afar in the west and attack the northern neighborhoods of Mosul in November, but have been stalled. Some units have been shifted to east Mosul instead in recent weeks. The Iraqi air force dropped more flyers over Mosul. This... more »
President-Elect Trump's Remarks On Foreign Policy Is Upsetting The Current White House Administration
U.S. President Barack Obama meets with President-elect Donald Trump (L) to discuss transition plans in the White House Oval Office in Washington, U.S., November 10, 2016. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque *Wall Street Journal*: *Donald Trump’s Forays Into Foreign Policy Strain Transition* *President-elect wades into foreign policy before taking office, setting up confrontation between outgoing and incoming administrations* WASHINGTON—President-elect Donald Trump is upending the modern convention that the U.S. speaks with one voice on foreign affairs, plunging into some of the most sensitive ... more »
Miracle on 'Dateline London' Street
Regular readers of our little blog will know that I've been closely monitoring the BBC News Channel/BBC World's flagship *Dateline London *for donkey's years and have complained, again and again, about the programme's heavy left-liberal bias. Many has been the episode - and I do mean 'many' - when* all* the voices have been from the political Left. And when that hasn't happened (and they've often been completely absent), right-wing voices have usually been relegated to being the harassed outsider in the discussion. Few BBC programmes have been so consistently and relentlessly b... more »
Meet Carl Paladino-- The Utimate New York State Trumpist
*same-same* Not many people outside of New York have ever heard of Caril Paladino— and they’re better off for that. The aggressively senile far right 70 year old Buffalo realtor managed to win the Republican gubernatorial nomination against the hapless Rick Lazio in 2010. He went on to be absolutely shredded in the general election of Andrew Cuomo, losing 2,910,876 (61%) to 1,547,857 (32.5%). His senior adviser was well-known right-wing crackpot and Trump retainer, Roger Stone. Paladino was a right-wing Democrat until 2005 when he finally figured out he was a Republican and officia... more »
President-Elect Trump Pits Defense Contractor Boeing Against Lockheed Martin
Based on the tremendous cost and cost overruns of the Lockheed Martin F-35, I have asked Boeing to price-out a comparable F-18 Super Hornet! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 22, 2016 The F-35 program and cost is out of control. Billions of dollars can and will be saved on military (and other) purchases after January 20th. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 12, 2016 *New York Times*:* Trump Pits Boeing Against Lockheed to Cut Costs of New Fighter Jets* President-elect Donald J. Trump’s latest missive on military spending suggests that Boeing has perhaps swa... more »
WikiLeaks Has Denied Russia Was Source for DNC Leaks 5 TIMES — Media Still Refuses to Report It
[image: russia]Wikileaks has repeatedly and vehemently denied Russia was the source for leaked documents, but corporate media refuses to report it.
Was (Is) NSA Leaker Edward Snowden A Spy?
*Eli Lake, Bloomberg:* *Was Edward Snowden a Spy? The Answer Remains Classified* Ever since the former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden fled to Hong Kong and handed hard drives filled with highly classified documents to the journalists Glenn Greenwald and Laura Poitras, there has been rampant speculation over whether he was really a foreign agent. The official story is well known. Snowden over time grew frustrated with the U.S. government's excessive domestic surveillance. In an act of civic bravery, he leaked the evidence to reporters from the Guardian and the ... more »
Happy Bloody Holidays From the Obamas
During all eight years of the Obama administration, the (hard power) president and his (soft power) consort have delivered Christmas propaganda talks to the American people. The central theme of each and every one of the m is the normalization of permanent war and the fetishization of armed military personnel as sacred objects. An analysis of the Obamas' Christmas speeches reveals that the same four-part jingoistic formula operates in all eight versions. The two spouses take turns praising God, praising the troops and inflicting guilt. And pretty soon we get the idea that both God a... more »
Cop Receives Unprecedented LIFE SENTENCE for Tasering Handcuffed Man — to Death
[image: taser]In an unprecedented win for police accountability, a former East Point police officer was sentenced to life in prison for murdering a man with a taser.
"Allowing Ourselves to Receive: Acceptance as Giving"
*"Allowing Ourselves to Receive: Acceptance as Giving"* by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM By allowing ourselves to receive we are given the gift of seeing through another person's eyes. Giving and receiving are part of the same cycle, and we each give and receive in our own ways. But we can lose our balance when we try to be too controlling on either side of the cycle. On the receiving end, we may feel that we don't deserve the effort made if what we gave was easy for us to give. But perhaps there is a different lesson there for us. We may be receiving not only gratitude, but a chance ... more »
Trans-Siberian Orchestra, “Christmas Canon”
Trans-Siberian Orchestra, “Christmas Canon”
Wishing For New Physics In Next Years' Results
In any physicists' new-year wish list there is a mandatory item: the finding of some unexpected, bolt-from-the-blue new physics result - possibly leading to highly-cited publications, press interviews and invitations, and ultimately career advancements or other similar ego boosts. Because we do it for the progress of mankind and the furthering of human knowledge, but we also do it for ourselves- we are human beings too. read more
BBC’s Arctic “Heatwave” Occurs Regularly
By Paul Homewood http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-38417198 More Arctic alarmism from the BBC: Temperatures at the North Pole could be up to 20 degrees higher than average this Christmas Eve, in what scientists say is a record-breaking heatwave. Climate scientists say these unseasonably warm weather patterns in the Arctic region are directly linked to man-made […]
Polar Bear Population Is Rising, Despite Green Fears
By Paul Homewood http://dailycaller.com/2016/12/22/polar-bear-population-is-rising-despite-green-fears/ From the Daily Caller: Polar bears are much more resilient to changing levels of sea ice than environmentalists previously believed, and numerous healthy populations are thriving. Predictions that bears would die due to a lack of sea ice have continuously not come to pass. A new study by […]
Northerntruthseeker Taking Small Break For Christmas
I am informing my readers here that I will be basically missing in action for the next 2 days... It is Christmas, and this year I have some relatives over and I need to concentrate on family matters... It also means that I will be possibly delayed in releasing my usual weekly rant for tomorrow, since it is Christmas day... I will probably have it out on the next day, Monday.... I want to wish everyone a wonderful and joyous Christmas.... Please remember to keep the real true meaning of Christmas and NOT the commercialization in your hearts.... This is indeed the time to spend time ... more »
"The Twelve Days Of Christmas, 2016 Edition"
And, lest we forget... Jeff Foxworthy, "Redneck 12 Days Of Christmas"
André Rieu, “Silent Night”
André Rieu, “Silent Night” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBJY3AxtoHM
Christmas Eve 2016
*we have much to celebrate this Christmas.* Most of all we have our faith in the Creator, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Wishing all my readers a safe and happy Christmas. This is what we woke up to today:
2 Deadliest Police Depts in America Under Investigation Amid Pile of Dead Bodies
[image: investigation] Kern County earned itself the dubious honor of being home to the two most lethal police departments in the country. Now they're under investigation.
Outmatch them at every pass
Merry Christmas, Steve, and Happy Hollandaise as Digby says! Just finished this somewhat long piece on Trumpian semiotics, so here it is. The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 22, 2016 It's just amazing, really, how willing people are to try to make an *interpretation* of the daily Trumpism, as if it were an oracle from the lips of the Pythoness high on laurel fumes or the Cumaean Sibyl, how they keep guessing how you could translate ... more »
The Kremlin Is Sending 'Two Clear Signals' To The Incoming Trump Administration
*Sputnik*:* Putin 'Sends Two Clear Signals' to Washington * Russian President Vladimir Putin sent two "unmistakable signals" to US leadership and the American people, saying that Moscow does not view Washington as an aggressor and urging both countries to build cordial relations, journalist Vladimir Ardaev wrote for RIA Novosti. Signal #1: Russia doesn't view US as an aggressor *"The president has clearly indicated that Russian leadership does not consider the United States to be a potential aggressor capable of attacking Russia," Ardaev said.* Speaking at a marathon press confe... more »
Using Holidays as a Distraction, Obama Just Signed NDAA ‘Propaganda’ Provision to Destroy Free Press
[image: propaganda]President Obama signed into law the 2017 NDAA and its Orwellian countering foreign propaganda provisions — all but making censorship official policy.
Hark!
I bought myself a book for Christmas (Mark Forsyth's *A Christmas Cornucopia*) and then, immediately after it arrived from Amazon, read the whole thing in one evening. I enjoyed it so much that I thought I might actually share the bit about Santa with you here at *ITBB*, but, as the author has now posted a potted retake of his Santa chapter over at the* Spectator, *I won't bother. Instead, I'll do something about *Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, *famously with words by Charles Wesley and music by Felix Mendelssohn - except that... (a) Wesley was aghast that his original words "Hark ... more »
Christmas 2016
Around the world, hatred for migrants is on the rise. Michael Harris writes: The National Front in France is flat-out anti-immigrant. The ultra-right mayor of Beziers was quick to point out that the terror suspect in Germany was once again a refugee. “The wave of migrants,” he said, “is a wave of death.” Austria now has its Freedom Party, which spouts the same anti-immigrant line. Even in Germany, which has been a beacon to the world in its acceptance of over a million desperate people displaced by war in the Middle East, the extreme Right is rising. The Alternative for Deutsch... more »
Could President-Elect Trump's Tweets Spark A Nuclear Arms Race?
The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 22, 2016 *Vann R. Newkirk II, The Atlantic*: *Could Trump's Tweets Spark a Nuclear Arms Race?* A nonproliferation expert puts the president-elect’s latest remarks in context. Donald Trump tweeted something controversial today. After Twitter controversies involving Boeing, terror attacks, and former President Bill Clinton, Trump has directed his attention towards the American nuclear arsenal. Thu... more »
Arresting Mary, Joseph & Baby Jesus
Four activists dressed as Mary, Joseph and two Shepherds were arrested at the front gate of the Drone Warfare Center at Hancock AFB in Syracuse, NY.
Weekend reads: The year’s top retractions; quoting Trump leads to a firing; life without Elsevier journals
This week at Retraction Watch featured revelations about a frequent co-author of the world’s retraction record holder, and a prison term for fraud. Here’s what was happening elsewhere: What were the top retractions of 2016? Our picks, in The Scientist. After quoting Trump’s campaign slogan, the American Physical Society’s chief lobbyist is fired. (Jeffrey Mervis, Science) See […] The post Weekend reads: The year’s top retractions; quoting Trump leads to a firing; life without Elsevier journals appeared first on Retraction Watch.
Unwrapped (Open) thread
Sorry again for the small number of posts this past month. This has been due to circumstances beyond our control (well, *my* control). Hopefully, *ITBB* will burst out anew in the new year with so many posts that you'll struggle to ever keep up with them. Until then, here's another open thread. Thank you for sticking with us and and a 'Merry Christmas!' and a 'Happy Hanukkah!' to you all. Ho, ho, ho!
The festive spirit
Just to really get you into the Christmas spirit... If you fancy watching a BBC presenter and a couple of her (pro-EU, rightwing-bashing) guests have a right good sneer at Nigel Farage, the right-wing press and British people who don't understand 'Europe' then please treat yourself to watching both of last night's editions of *The Papers *on the BBC News Channel. If you *don't* fancy watching it, please allow me to summarise then: Silly Nigel Farage! Silly Brits just don't understand how Europe works! OMG the Daily Mail! OMG the Daily Telegraph! OMG the Sun!
The oracle speaks (well, tweets)...
Talking of opinionated BBC reporters, here are BBC Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen's latest tweets, expressing exactly the kind of views I'd expect from him (despite him being 'impartial' and all that):
"He came in peace. And was teargassed"
Talking of Hugh Sykes, here's another of his latest tweets: This publicity stunt by Palestinian activists seems to have become an annual event (news of which is always eagerly shared by anti-Israel activists). It doesn't seem to be quite the peaceful protest that Hugh implies it is though. Here's how last year's 'Santa march' was reported in the *International Business Times*: A number of Palestinian protesters dressed like Santa Claus have clashed with the Israeli army while protesting in the West Bank, Bethlehem, on 18 December. Around 50 Palestinians clashed with police, with *... more »
Sigh
*Newsnight*'s policy editor Chris Cook tweeted the following yesterday: Hugh Sykes *wasn't* impressed: Our Hugh wasn't wrong there.
SEE YOU IN THE NEW YEAR
Well, I've got to be traveling on -- family to see, airports to endure. I'll be gone for the rest of the month, so let me wish you happy holidays and a more tolerable new year than I'm sure you're expecting. As usual, you'll be in good hands with the relief while I'm away. See you on January 1.
Tweet, tweet, tweet
A festive Twitter exchange (delivered in a fascinating array of different fonts and font sizes, just because it's Christmas - or maybe because I just can't get the fonts right on Google Blogger): *Donald J Trump (to Twitter)*: The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes *Nick Robinson (to Twitter, re Trump's tweet)*: How kind. The Donald's Christmas gift to the world *Tim Montgomerie (to Ni**ck Robinson)*: America's gift to world; nuclear weapons (and conventional power) that US ta... more »
“Charlie Brown Christmas Dance”
“Charlie Brown Christmas Dance”
Just in time for the holidays: Your comprehensive-ish guide to "Thurber (et al.) Tonight" (the whole dang series)
*Including Woody Allen, Robert Benchley, Bob and Ray, Will Cuppy, Wolcott Gibbs, Ring Lardner, S. J. Perelman, Jean Shepherd, and E. B. White Tonight* *All I asked Santa for was a better picture of the great Will Cuppy; the one I've been using looks like it was taken clandestinely while he was in the Witness Protection program. However, given my lack of faith in the fat phony, I wasn't optimistic that he'd come through, so I went searching on my own once again, and once again my Google Images search for "Will Cuppy" yielded the swell pix of Will Rogers and Ring Lardner which somehow... more »
Local Council By-Election Results 2016
Party Number of candidates Total vote % +/- 2015 Average/ contest +/- 2015 +/- Seats Conservative 306 161,348 29.2% -1.8% 527 -311 -29 Labour 281 168,765 30.6% +0.4% 601 -277 -8 LibDem 236 82,015 14.9% +5.2% 348 -37 +28 UKIP 192 49,199 8.9% +0.8% 256 -68 -3 Green 137 25,378 4.6% -0.3% 185 -53 +1 SNP* 17 22,544 4.1% -4.9% 1,326 -521 -1 Plaid Cymru** 15 3,814 0.7% -0.5% 254 -94 +3 TUSC 10 896 ... more »
"Relaxing Fireplace with Piano Christmas Music, 2 Hours HD"
"Relaxing Fireplace with Piano Christmas Music, 2 Hours HD"
(Dystopian Fantasies: 1984 Nursery Tale) Putin and HealthCare Monsters Go Bye-Bye (So, Where Did the Neoliberal Destruction of the Country's Infrastructure, HealthCare and Pensions Get US?) SS Trumps (Official Lying Updates) Great Escape from Tax Justice (Trump's Announced Economic Betrayal) Long-Term War on Democracy
Never in our lifetimes have we experienced such vivid previews of what unfettered capitalism is likely to mean in an ever more unequal country, now that its version of 1% politics has elevated to the pinnacle of power a bizarre billionaire and his “basket of deplorables.” I’m referring, of course, not to his followers but to his picks for the highest posts in the land. These include a
Storm Barbara
By Paul Homewood Storm Barbara The Met Office were forecasting winds of up to 90mph for Storm Barbara, but it is now clear that such forecasts were well over the top. The only place that got anywhere that figure was way to the north, Stella Ness in the Shetlands. Elsewhere the highest recorded gusts […]
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*From Jenna Orkin*An Ebola vaccine gave 100% protection in a trial — and that's a great sign for the next outbreak How Amazon can become the world's first trillion-dollar business Trump says US must 'expand its nuclear capability' until 'the world comes to its senses' Bailing out the world's oldest bank could spark a fresh crisis for the eurozone Berlin Attack Suspect Killed In Shootout In Milan: Real-Time Updates Snopes Co-Founder Embezzles $98,000, Drops Weight, Leaves Fat Wife And Marries Actual Whore Euroskeptics Enraged At Europe's Open Borders After Details Of Ber... more »
"26 Popular Traditional Christmas Carols w/ Festive Art by Thomas Kinkade"
*"26 Popular Traditional Christmas Carols w/ Festive Art by Thomas Kinkade"* "An 80 minute collection of 26 much-beloved traditional Christmas carols, sung by a variety of well-known English choirs, with images of traditional Victorian-period Christmas cards. Be sure to set the video quality to 720p to truly appreciate the artwork on display here, it's totally worth it :) 0:00:00 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Wells Cathedral Choir 0:02:58 Unto Us A Son Is Born - Guildford Cathedral Choir 0:05:02 O Little Town Of Bethlehem - Norwich Cathedral Choir 0:08:14 The Holly & The Ivy - Norwic... more »
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*The good ol' Green/Left double standard again* Dr. Susan Crockford (email: scrock@uvic.ca) has written a well-informed and approachable book about polar bears. She has no time for the usual Warmist scare about the bears being "endangered". The book has only just been released but the Warmists are already on the case. A review by someone called "Eli" on Amazon reads: "Caveat emptor: the author's vague self-description as "a professional zoologist who has studied polar bear ecology and evolution for more than 20 years" appears intended to mask the facts that her PhD and professio... more »
The Poet: Robert Frost, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”
*“Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”* “Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village though; He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow. My little horse must think it queer To stop without a farmhouse near Between the woods and frozen lake The darkest evening of the year. He gives his harness bells a shake To ask if there is some mistake. The only other sound’s the sweep Of easy wind and downy flake. The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep... more »
"Greensleeves"
Images of nature with "Greensleeves" performed by David Nevue. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5ItNxpwChE
"My Grown-up Christmas List"
*"My Grown-up Christmas List"* "No more lives torn apart, That wars will never start, And time will heal our hearts. Every man will have a friend, That right will always win, And love will never end. This is my grown-up Christmas List." - Author Unknown
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*Lord Carey portrait ‘to be pulled from window of Strand campus of Kings College London -- after LGBT group's anti-homophobia campaign * *Unusually for the Anglican Episcopate, Carey is a genuine man of God and a believing Christian so is a true believer, not a hater. Taking his picture down is just silly tokenism. It is unlikely to bother him. Christians have real issues to deal with* CONTROVERSIAL alumnus Lord Carey looks set to be removed from Strand’s windows – two years after he was branded “homophobic” for his diatribe on gay marriage. The move marks a landmark victory ... more »
Taiwan News Number 5: KMT Chair election
*A woman feeds stray dogs.* This week my piece was on the KMT's Chairmanship election, which has been moved up from Aug to May of 2107. Potential rivals are few, and all are wounded. The "princelings," the children of KMT elites, lack appeal. Eric Chu, the current Mayor of New Taipei City, the one municipality still controlled by the KMT, performed poorly in the Presidential election and worse, is half-Taiwanese and thus suspect to many staunch mainlander voters. Hau Long-bin, the son of reactionary old KMT heavyweight Hau Pei-tsun and the former mayor of Taipei, lost an easy legi... more »
"Stille Nacht" ("Silent Night")
"Stille Nacht" ("Silent Night") St. Thomas Boys Choir (Thomanerchor)
"Many Thanks- An Internet Merry Christmas!"
*"Many Thanks- An Internet Merry Christmas!"* Author Unknown "As we finish up the year 2016, I want to thank all of you for your educational e-mails over the past year. I am totally screwed up now and have little chance of recovery! I no longer open a bathroom door without using a paper towel, or have the waitress put lemon slices in my ice water without worrying about the bacteria on the lemon peel. I can't use the remote in a hotel room because I don't know what the last person was doing while flipping through the adult movie channels. I can't sit down on the hotel bedspread be... more »
"Can You Keep Christmas?"
"Are you willing to forget what you have done for other people, and to remember what other people have done for you? To remember the weakness and loneliness of people who are growing old? Are you willing to believe that love is the strongest thing in the world... stronger than hate, stronger than evil, stronger than death? Then you can keep Christmas! But you can never keep it alone." - Henry van Dyke
"Fra Giovanni, Written on Christmas Eve, 1513"
"Written on Christmas Eve, 1513" "I salute you. I am your friend, and my love for you goes deep. There is nothing I can give you which you have not. But there is much, very much, that, while I cannot give it, you can take. No heaven can come to us unless our hearts find rest in it today. Take heaven! No peace lies in the future which is not hidden in this present little instant. Take peace! The gloom of the world is but a shadow. Behind it, yet within our reach, is joy. There is radiance and glory in darkness, could we but see. And to see, we have only to look. I beseech you to loo...more »
ThePianoGuys, “Carol of the Bells” (for 12 cellos)
ThePianoGuys, “Carol of the Bells” (for 12 cellos) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9GtPX6c_kg
Joy to the World
Entertainers in Hollywood and elsewhere have refused to perform for the inauguration of the forty-fifth President of the United States of America. The Trump committee reached out to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and they agreed to participate. Thus they are featured here on this day of days. Forward deployment on a military ship means that the 24/7 cycle that is the life of a ship at sea is one of those things that can not change. Not even for a day. The section may gather for a turkey dinner when it's their turn to eat, and somebody may offer a blessing on the food and a prayer for th... more »
The Tyee - Next Economy: Tech Capitalism’s Impossible Dream
Read this interview at The Tyee Douglas Rushkoff has been observing the Internet’s trajectory since the 1990s, writing 16 influential books about digital culture along the way including Media Virus and Present Shock. Rushkoff’s latest work, Throwing Rocks at the Google Bus, focuses on the business and investing practices of today’s leading tech companies like Uber and Snapchat, and how they are exaggerating the worst aspects of an economic system that pushes for growth at all costs. http://ieet.org/archive/banner-1082652_960_720.jpg
Mystery of 1952 ‘Great Smog’ Which Killed 12,000 Londoners Has Been Solved
This sounds as if the stoichemistry drives the concentration of Sulfuric acid while the Nitric acid is carried off. Thus smog slowly becomes an acid suspension which does no one any good. China is experiencing simular conditions and need to also enact clean air laws. This reminds us of just how dangerous this smog can be. . *Mystery of 1952 ‘Great Smog’ which killed 12,000 Londoners has been solved * *Rob Waugh* *november 18, 2016* *https://ca.yahoo.com/news/mystery-of-1952-great-smog-which-killed-12000-londoners-has-been-solved-093408147.html* * December 1952, the ‘Great ... more »
Lucy Mbabazi: How One Rwandan Woman Is Using Mobile Phone Technology to Change the World
[image: lucy mbabazi] It has already been almost ten years since cell phone access came to over two thirds of humanity. now we have here a simple innovation that allows government and others to reach all their clients and to send them money. She went out and did this with aid supplying groups. Obviously if it works there it works everywhere and will be copied everywhere simply because it makes fraud impossible. Better yet, as i posted years ago now, it makes the local economy efficient and eliminates petty dealers whose only service it to take advantage of local communication iss... more »
Africa Will Not Rise Until It Trades With Itself
Why is it that history must be repeated over and over again? Trade must be encouraged powerfully in order to jump start backward economies. This is not difficult. Can they not figure out how to talk to their neighbors and to ignore rent seekers who want to use the border to steal from someone? What about the french sector itself? Paris is proud that they still call the shots. If they cannot do the obvious, then why are they still around? An United States of Africa would be an awesome political and economic entity. It needs to be facilitated in order to produce a common cur... more »
Comparison Optical Telescope Primary Mirrors
Comparison optical telescope primary mirrors https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Comparison_optical_telescope_primary_mirrors.svg What i would like to see is a large number of optical scopes set up throughout the Middle East and North Africa at high elevation with some southern scopes as well in South Africa and Patagonia. We can now integrate actual targeting of these scopes to a high level of precision and this could provide multiple baselines thousands of miles long and steadily increasing resolution as more and more scopes are added to the network. It will also provide pl... more »
Changing Utopia - or what Guy Standing learned from the Lady of the Future
Changing Utopia - or what Guy Standing learned from the Lady of the Future from BIT Teatergarasjen on Vimeo.
Arctic heatwave could break records per BBC News
The BBC joyously propagandise http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-38417198 that the Arctic is experiencing a heatwave. This helps them push the lie of man made climate change. They find no space to report that it has snowed in the Sahara desert.
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*The good ol' Green/Left double standard again* Dr. Susan Crockford (email: scrock@uvic.ca) has written a well-informed and approachable book about polar bears. She has no time for the usual Warmist scare about the bears being "endangered". The book has only just been released but the Warmists are already on the case. A review by someone called "Eli" on Amazon reads: "Caveat emptor: the author's vague self-description as "a professional zoologist who has studied polar bear ecology and evolution for more than 20 years" appears intended to mask the facts that her PhD and professio... more »
A Political Fad vs National Security; A US story
*Posted here to show the AGW madness is world-wide.* *John Droz Jr* *says* Get some hot chocolate and a few nutritious cookies. Now sit by the fire in your favorite chair, and mull over this Enchanting tale. The fundamental questions we need accurate answers for are: 1. How does our national energy policy come about? 2. Is the way we’re generating it now, really in our best interest? The answers to those critical questions are: 1) Science is all about assisting us solving technical problems. Since our national energy policy is a highly technical matter, it should be so... more »
Musical Interlude: Placido Domingo, “La Virgen Lava Panales”
Placido Domingo, “La Virgen Lava Panales” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5t6zBVoBV38
Who Remembers When We Were In A Nuclear Arms Race?
Merry Christmas, the crackpot who somehow slipped into the presidency, wants to reverse the trend away from the nuclear arms race. How do we know? He tweeted about it: “The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes.” And no spelling errors… so someone must have been helping him. He and Putin appear to see eye to eye on junking decades of slow but steady reducing nuclear arsenals. Just before the Trump tweet, Putin had publicly told his war chiefs that “We need to strengthen the military ... more »
Musical Interlude: 2002, “Lady of the Moon”
2002, “Lady of the Moon” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lm8safHurM
"A Look to the Heavens"
"Do you see it? This common question frequently precedes the rediscovery of one of the most commonly recognized configurations of stars on the northern sky: the Big Dipper. This grouping of stars is one of the few things that has likely been seen, and will be seen, by every generation. *Click image for larger size.* The Big Dipper is not by itself a constellation. Although part of the constellation of the Great Bear (Ursa Major), the Big Dipper is an asterism that has been known by different names to different societies. Five of the Big Dipper stars are actually near each other in sp... more »
SURELY THERE'S A WAY FOR ALL-POWERFUL CONSERVATIVES TO PLAY THE VICTIM CARD
Expect to see a lot of this sort of thing in the next few years: Anthea Butler thought she’d heard it all before. A religious studies professor at the University of Pennsylvania, a black woman who teaches a class about the religious right in America and has a fiery liberal persona on social media, Butler’s been ridiculed in recent years on primetime TV by the right’s Sean Hannity and called out on AM radio by Rush Limbaugh.... But when a fellow professor contacted her a few weeks ago and told her she’d been placed on a brand new nationwide “professor watch list” intended to help co... more »
"A Truth Deeper Than Experience..."
"There's a truth deeper than experience. It's beyond what we see, or even what we feel. It's an order of truth that separates the profound from the merely clever, and the reality from the perception. We're helpless, usually, in the face of it; and the cost of knowing it, like the cost of knowing love, is sometimes greater than any heart would willingly pay. It doesn't always help us to love the world, but it does prevent us from hating the world. And the only way to know that truth is to share it, from heart to heart, just as Prabhakar told it to me, just as I'm telling it to you n...more »
“Tiahuanaco: Gateway to the Gods?”
“Tiahuanaco: Gateway to the Gods?” by Dan Eden . "Ask most people who are the oldest civilization or where the oldest civilization lived and you'll hear answers like Mesopotamia (Iraq), Egypt or Iran. While these cultures can be traced back to 4000 B.C., the mysterious ruins of Tiahuanaco, in Bolivia, could be 14,000 years old! If you think the Great Pyramid in Egypt is a technological marvel, wait until you see what artists and engineers were doing in Tiahuanaco. This culture thrived at the breathless, oxygen deprived elevation of 13,000 feet. They managed to somehow move stones wei... more »
"A Blessing"
*"A Blessing"* “May you awaken to the mystery of being here and enter the quiet immensity of your own presence. May you have joy and peace in the temple of your senses. May you receive great encouragement when new frontiers beckon. May you respond to the call of your gift and find the courage to follow its path. May the flame of anger free you from falsity. May warmth of heart keep your presence aflame and may anxiety never linger about you. May your outer dignity mirror an inner dignity of soul. May you take time to celebrate the quiet miracles that seek no attention. May you be conso... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Nuremberg, Bayern, Germany. Thanks for stopping by!
A Cherokee Proverb: "The Two Wolves"
"One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, “My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all. One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, generosity, empathy, truth, compassion and faith.” The grandson thought about this for a minute and then asked the grandfather, “Which wolf wins?” The old Cherokee simply replied, ... more »
"Humans Crave Violence Like They Do Sex, Food Or Drugs"
*"Humans Crave Violence Like They Do Sex, Food Or Drugs"* by LiveScience "Research on mice shows the brain processes aggressive behavior as it does other rewards. Mice sought violence, in fact, picking fights for no apparent reason other than the rewarding feeling. The mouse brain is thought to be analogous to the human brain in this study, which could shed light on our fascination with brutal sports as well as our own penchant for the classic bar brawl. In fact, the researcher say, humans seem to crave violence just like they do sex, food or drugs. Scientists have known that mice ... more »
Profiles In Cowardice: The Electoral College
*2016 In Review: America Off The Rails, Part 1* [*Click to enlarge*] *by Noah* America has always been very resilient. Its success and ability to persevere in the face of adversity has been secured by a spirited belief in American ideals and by the political infrastructure laid out by the Founding Fathers and the Constitution that was meant to encourage those ideals. The eternal question in American political history is: Do we have the smarts and the courage to stick with the principles laid out for us? Some of us do, and now, apparently, some of us do not. When building the infr... more »
Where Are The Socialists From?
A Supermassive Black HoleMen are from Mars. Women are from Venus. Socialists are from a Black Hole from which not even a ray of light can escape.
"2016 Year In Review: A Clockwork Orange"
*"2016 Year In Review: A Clockwork Orange"* "And then things really got weird..." by David Collum "Every year, friend-of-the-site David Collum writes a detailed “Year in Review” synopsis full of keen perspective and plenty of wit. This year’s is no exception. As with past years, he has graciously selected PeakProsperity.com as the site where it will be published in full. It’s quite longer than our usual posts, but worth the time to read in full. A downloadable pdf of the full article is available *here*, for those who prefer to do their power-reading offline." — cheers, Adam" I" ne...more »
"How It Really Is"
"We learn from history that we learn nothing from history." - George Bernard Shaw
"The Dream of a Ridiculous Man"
*"The Dream of a Ridiculous Man"* by Fyodor Dostoevsky "For I have seen the truth; I have seen and I know that people can be beautiful and happy without losing the power of living on earth. I will not and cannot believe that evil is the normal condition of mankind. And it is just this faith of mine that they laugh at. But how can I help believing it? I have seen the truth- it is not as though I had invented it with my mind, I have seen it, seen it, and the living image of it has filled my soul for ever. I have seen it in such full perfection that I cannot believe that it is impos... more »
The Poet: Amelia Peart Macdonald, "Upward Reaching"
*"Upward Reaching"* "The soul of man, to what end is it striving? What is the destiny, what is the goal? This constant upward reaching of the soul– What force behind it does the ceaseless driving? Upward reaching but implies a quest Unending, for the things we deem the best, For that which goes to make the perfect whole– Insatiable striving for a better role. With what speed, then, is man’s success arriving? Endowed with instincts meant to goad him on Toward the infinite, from dawn to dawn, From his struggle, how much good deriving? Man’s speed, or progress, toward that holier sphere, Is ... more »
Lack of wild fish in 2100 would be like lack of wild cows and buffalo today since fish farming will replace wild catch
The world’s fishing fleet will catch an estimated 25 billion fewer fish a year by the end of the century if global warming continues on its current path, scientists have said. If countries live up to their current pledges to reduce greenhouse gases, the planet’s average temperature is set to rise by about 3.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by 2100 – well beyond the point at which climate change produces significantly more dangerous weather conditions. After considering the effects on 892 different species eaten by humans, they concluded that each degree of warming cou... more »
Mosul Campaign Day 67, Dec 22, 2016
Almost all the combat news on December 22 from the Mosul campaign originated with the Islamic State. Three suicide car bombs hit a market in Gogjali, an east Mosul suburb, which left 30 dead and 60 wounded. Mortarfire also killed 11 in east Mosul, including four aid workers. The Golden Division was involved in heavy clashes in the Tamimneighborhood, which has been cleared twice before. The Federal Police continued its shelling of the Ghazlani camp in south Mosul. Finally, the insurgents attemptedto break the encirclement of Tal Afar to the west, but the Hashd turned it back. The M... more »
"The Hell Of It Is..."; "For This Is What We do..."
“You go up to a man, and you say, "How are things going, Joe?" and he says, "Oh fine, fine- couldn't be better." And you look into his eyes, and you see things really couldn't be much worse. When you get right down to it, everybody's having a perfectly lousy time of it, and I mean everybody. And the hell of it is, nothing seems to help much.” - Kurt Vonnegut “For this is what we do. Put one foot forward and then the other. Lift our eyes to the snarl and smile of the world once more. Think. Act. Feel. Add our little consequence to the tides of good and evil that flood and drain the... more »
Nine month old article from Nextbigfuture is basis of Futurism article that tops Reddit Futurology today
Nextbigfuture article from March 31, 2016 is the basis of a futurism article that is now the number one article on Reddit Futurology. The Futurism article is here China is proposing a $50+ trillion global energy grid. Global Energy Interconnection (GEI), a vision of a world power grid, was outlined by the State Grid Corporation of China ("State Grid") It would be based upon a global network of Ultra High Voltage power lines connecting global power generation including massive wind farm at the North Pole and solar power from equatorial areas to energy users around the world. If re... more »
NATO Auditor Investigating Terrorism Funding Found Dead, Family Disputes It Was Suicide
[image: NATO]The NATO Auditor General was found dead of a gunshot to the head, which authorities are calling suicide — but the man's family bitterly disputes the claim.
Star Wars Princess Leia actress Carrie Fisher in critical condition after major heart attack
Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher was in critical condition Friday after suffering a “cardiac episode” during a flight from London to Los Angeles, according to airline and emergency officials. Fisher, 60, was rushed to UCLA Medical Center by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics shortly after noon, after her 11-hour flight touched down at LAX. Fisher, who rose to stardom as Princess Leia, recently published an autobiography titled the “Princess Diarist,” her eighth book. She is the daughter of famous Hollywood couple Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher. Carrie Fisher, who has written... more »
Man Gives Starving Dog Some Food, She Brings Food Back to Her Babies
*This is the adorable moment a kindhearted stranger gave some food to a hungry dog - only for her to run off and feed it to her puppies instead.* The ravenous dog was given some meat on a stick by a caring animal-lover in Bangkok, Thailand, who expected her to wolf it down for herself. But the dog scurried away with the food between her teeth - and was later seen handing it to her four children. In the cute footage, the dog is seen happily taking the meat and running off through a market. The kind stranger follows the dog as it scampers along, before eventually reaching a garage... more »
The ultimate answer to “government is useless”
The following ran as a special report in the January 2016 newsletter of Mark Anderson’s Strategic News Service. I post it now, as the right's hate-all-government narrative hits hysteric-histrionic levels. *Rep. Mick Mulvaney, recently selected as Trump's director of the Office of Management and Budget, posted “Do we really need government-funded research at all?” Which makes this an existential threat to your lives, and mine. * *Does government-funded science play a role in stimulating innovation?* By David Brin The hypnotic incantation that *all-government-is-evil-all-the-time*wou... more »
Explaining the Obvious in the Age of Trump
The President-Elect has called for expanding the US nuclear arsenal, not just modernizing it (old warheads may not be good warheads). And when asked about whether this might lead to an arms race, he said woot! Who wins arms races? Arms manufacturers and their stockholders Maybe Ken Waltz (who is already dead) Yeah, that’s about […]
Chairman of Standing Rock Sioux Calls on Obama to Free Leonard Peltier
Chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe urges President Obama to grant clemency to Leonard Peltier David Archambault, the chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, has become the latest high-profile figure to urge President Obama to grant clemency for Native American activist Leonard Peltier who has been imprisoned for 40 years. “You have appreciated, more than any other President in recent memory, the tumultuous history of Native Americans, and the tragic events derived from that history,” Archambault wrote to Obama. Leonard Peltier is a former member of the American Indian ... more »
Cannabinoids Heal the Body
*Wes Annac* - Cannabis appears to have been created for the purpose of healing the human body. The post Cannabinoids Heal the Body appeared first on Waking Times.
David Swanson: How Will Trump Wield Obama’s Modernized Nukes?
with David Swanson Writer, Dandelion Salad December 23, 2016 TheRealNews on Dec 23, 2016 The President-elect’s off-the-cuff, ignorant and inconsistent remarks suggests he’s either a cynical war profiteer or a true believer in the American myth that more militarism leads to fewer wars, says Noble Prize nominee David Swanson. David Swanson is an author, activist, […]
Lunar Xprize landings are targeted for 2017
The Google Lunar XPrize challenges privately funded teams to be the first to land on the moon, travel 500 meters, and send back pictures, for a $20 million jackpot. Although science was never the primary driver for the prize, the organizers encourage it through a number of bonus prizes. But some of the teams in contention are planning to do some science on their own initiative—or by carrying a paid-for payload. As the prize reaches a major milestone this month—narrowing down from 16 contenders to the handful that have booked a launch before the end of 2017 Read more »
Chips for Deep learning continue to leapfrog in capabilities and efficiency
Deep learning has continued to drive the computing industry’s agenda in 2016. But come 2017, experts say the Artificial Intelligence community will intensify its demand for higher performance and more power efficient “inference” engines for deep neural networks. The current deep learning system leverages advances in large computation power to define network, big data sets for training, and access to the large computing system to accomplish its goal. Unfortunately, the efficient execution of this learning is not so easy on embedded systems (i.e. cars, drones and Internet of Things de... more »
How The Two Dutch Mainstream Parties Set The Table For Holland's Trump
One of the earliest and predictably most enthusiastic foreign Trump supporters was Dutch Islamaphobe and neo-fascist leader Geert Wilders, whose assault on the Dutch political system we've been covering for years. Less than 2 weeks ago, we warned that Wilders is certainly another destructive right-wing nationalist being helped into power by Putin, who sees the end of NATO and the EU dangling before his eyes now. I asked an old friend and journalist, David de Jong-- who you may remember from his writing for Bloomberg and his guest posts here at *DWT*-- to give us a quick assessment... more »
Editor's Note
Blogging is going to be light for this Christmas weekend. Regular blogging will return on Monday, December 26, 2016.
Abby Martin: 2016: LGBTQ Rights, Police Brutality, Sanders, Trump, Standing Rock and More
Dandelion Salad with Abby Martin TheRealNews on Dec 21, 2016 Paul Jay and Abby Martin discuss the critical events of the year, including Trump’s victory, the Sanders breakthrough, and the worsening prospects for federal action on climate change. Transcript From the archives: It’s The End of the World, But … Rapacious Consumerism is the Life-blood of […]
U.S. Refuses To Veto U.N. Security Council Vote That Condemns Israeli Settlements
*New York Times*: *U.S. Abstains as U.N. Security Council Votes to Condemn Israeli Settlements* UNITED NATIONS — Defying extraordinary pressure from President-elect Donald J. Trump and furious lobbying by Israel, the Obama administration on Friday allowed the United Nations Security Council to adopt a resolution that condemned Israeli settlement construction. The administration’s decision not to veto the measure broke a longstanding American policy of serving as Israel’s sturdiest diplomatic shield at the United Nations. While the measure will have no practical impact on the grou... more »
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