11:39 pm MDT
Life in fossil-fuel-free utopia
CFACT Senior Policy Analyst Paul Driessen explains how life without fossil fuels will not be the utopian adventure that advocates for banning them claim. For starters, there would be no more wind turbines or solar arrays because fossil fuels are needed to construct, transport, and install them. Worse, the rest of the world will laugh as we turn backwards to the dark ages.
Mother of man who plowed into protesters in Charlottesville, killing one and injuring others, thought he was going to a Donald Trump rally.
James Alex Fields JrCourtesy of ABC News: *In an interview Saturday night in Toledo, Ohio, with The Associated Press, Samantha Bloom said of her son James Alex Fields Jr., "I just knew he was going to a rally. I mean, I try to stay out of his political views. You know, we don't, you know, I don't really get too involved, I moved him out to his own apartment, so we -- I'm watching his cat." * *Bloom was informed by The AP reporter that the rally was indeed organized by white nationalists. "I thought it had something to do with Trump. Trump's not a white supremacist," she said. * *... more »
Leadership 2017 Candidate Rankings - August 13
As I noted here, there have been a number of key developments in the NDP's leadership campaign since last week's rankings. And two in particular have changed my impression as to the relative likelihood of success for the top two candidates, I'll assemble a new set of rankings for this week - while noting that the membership numbers available after Thursday's deadline will likely give us a far better idea where the campaign is headed. *1. Charlie Angus (2)* Angus takes the lead this week for two reasons. First, the latest Mainstreet poll shows him breaking away from the pack among a... more »
Thought Cleansing Project Being Orchestrated by Google
*Internet Censorship - **Google is cleansing* *the Internet **of Alternative* *sources of **information and news* According to this article in the UNZ review, Google has been orchestrating a massive "thought cleansing" censorship program over the past several months. This Blogger has noticed, along with many of my colleagues, a dramatic variation in the number of "hits" on our blogs. Checking my *Greencrow As The Crow Flies* [GATCF] stats regularly and reviewing, particularly, my all time stats of readership since 2013, when I began to blog full time, I see this: *Now what did G... more »
Musings On Iraq In The News
I was cited in “Bataille De Mossoul: Le Recit Des Derniers Combats Pour Reprendre La Ville A L’Etat Islamique” in France Soir. I was interviewd for "What's the significance of Hashd participation in Hawija, Tal Afar operations?" and "Assessing Sadr and Sistani's opposition to the Hashd al-Shaabi," by Paul Iddon both for Rudaw. I was mentioned by Patrick Cockburn in "Endtimes for in Mosul" in the London Review of Books.
Post Mosul Liberation Day 32-33 Aug 11-12 2017
Mosul continued to face sporadic violence. On August 11, three Islamic State fighters were discoveredin a tunnel and killedby Federal Police in Hawi Kanisa in the northwest. The next day, August 12, a suicide bomber was shot at a checkpoint in west Yarmouk, while men in military uniform robbeda house in the northeast. The Chief of Staff of the 5th Federal Police Division General Hafez al-Tami toldthe press 80% of west Mosul had been cleared. On July 25, the police gave the same figure. Unfortunately, the Iraqi forces often exaggerate such matters. What is not open for debate is th... more »
This Day In Iraqi History - Aug 13
1974 Iran and Iraq met in Turkey to negotiate border dispute 1986 US State Dept said Iraq was trying to negotiate peace but Iran-Iraq War continuing because of Iran 2003 US forces pulled down a Shiite banner from a building in Sadr City leading to protests 2003 DepSecState Armitage said Iraq had WMD 2003 US gave up on attempt to get UN peace keeping force for Iraq 2004 Allawi govt announced 2nd ceasefire with Mahdi Army to hold talks with Sadr to end 2nd Battle for Najaf 2004 Militia kidnapped a British journalist and demanded US withdraw from Najaf durin... more »
Editor's Note
I have family from the U.S. and Russia visiting me right now. I will be back to blogging this evening.
KKK Member Treated by Black Hospital Staff?
A photograph showing a KKK member being treated by an all-black emergency room staff was part of an advertising series, not a genuine historical image.
Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. - Jerry Dias writes that corporate greed is the common thread in numerous stories about Canadian workers being left without jobs or support. And Yves Engler points out that trade agreements have ultimately served little purpose but to entrench corporate power. - Chris Doucouliagos reminds us that inequality is ultimately bad for everybody - no matter how hard the wealthy fight to preserve it in the false expectation of personal gain. And Denis Campbell discusses how austerity has exacerbated disparities in life expectancy in the UK. - Juan Car... more »
Confirmed: Police Told to Stand Down in Charlottesville—Did Nothing as War Broke Out
[image: charlottesville]The ACLU confirmed late Saturday that police were given stand-down orders in Charlottesville. This invited violence and only fueled the chaos.
How the U.S. Military Is Using Augmented Reality to Bolster Troop Readiness
*Task and Purpose* *Security, Americas* Technology is making troops ever more effective. Imagine the first time you’re dropped in a hot zone is the first time your boots have really hit the ground. Your pulse is racing, there’s gunfire coming from in every direction, and you have seconds decide what to do and where to go. Sure, you’ve done some time in pre-deployment training, but most of your time was spent in the barracks, conceptualizing war using two-dimensional models. Nothing has really prepared you for this — but the Army is going to change that. That’s the impetus behind... more »
What If Britain Had Been Defeated at Dunkirk?
*Michael Peck* *Security, * A totally different outcome to World War II? *From radios across Nazi-occupied Europe comes the triumphal blare of martial music followed by the news: the Third Reich has won a glorious victory at Dunkirk. In cinemas around the world flicker the newsreels of glum, haggard British prisoners streaming into German prison camps.* Thankfully, this didn't happen. During nine fateful days, from May 26 to June 4, 1940, the British managed to evacuate more than 200,000 men of the British Expeditionary Force from the beaches of *Dunkirk*. From what seemed like ... more »
Charlottesville Like Ukraine: America's 2nd Civil War?
*Ultra-nationalist Klan and neo-Nazi's march through the University of Virginia Friday evening. Chanting “You will not replace us!” they surrounded and attacked a small group of Black Lives Matter protesters. * Can you tell much difference from the photo above in Charlottesville, Virginia and the one below of the Nazi's in Ukraine that played a key role in the 2014 US orchestrated coup d'etat in Kiev? *Western Ukrainians carry the image of their fascist hero Stepan Bandera who rallied his supporters during WW II to join Hitler's attack on the Soviet Union as the Nazi Army swept th... more »
Interview With Tom Secker: Exposing Influence Of Military, Security Agencies On Hollywood
On this week’s “Unauthorized Disclosure” podcast, host Kevin Gosztola interviews Tom Secker, the co-author of “National Security Cinema: The Shocking New Evidence of Government Control in Hollywood.” He also regularly publishes his work to SpyCulture.com. Secker obtained government records indicating the Pentagon provided “support” or influenced 814 films from 1911 The post Interview With Tom Secker: Exposing Influence Of Military, Security Agencies On Hollywood appeared first on Shadowproof.
Sunday Sermonette
A friend of my high school days was very, very religious. He belonged to the Pentecostal church and, after getting a degree he entered the Penecostal clergy to become a missionary in Congo where he would bring the savages to God. Congo. That's the subject of a novel by Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness. It's not considered one of the hundred best novels in the English language. Conrad spent some time there in the late 19th century after the European powers that had been conquering Africa generously gave Congo to the King of Belgium. And Conrad wrote of what he saw. Congo was and is a... more »
Graphic Video Shows Cops Beat Man for Several Minutes Over Traffic Violation
[image: traffic stop]A disturbing video was uploaded to Facebook this week showing an insanely violent police response to a man over a simple traffic violation.
Robert Mueller's Russia probe is causing financial hardship for those being targeted. My heart bleeds.
Courtesy of the Daily Beast: *“Paul Manafort’s resolve is limitless, but his resources are not,” said a person close to Manafort. * *Manafort isn’t the only person facing financial challenges because of the legal costs of responding to Mueller’s probe. Michael Flynn, the retired general and deposed National Security Adviser, is struggling mightily with his mounting legal bills, according to a source familiar with his situation. The expenses has put his family’s finances under significant duress, the source said, and it’s expected he will soon create a legal defense fund to keep ... more »
Worldwide Droughts, Storms & Floods–In 1929!
By Paul Homewood http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/138537700?searchTerm=world%20droughts&searchLimits= Al Gore says droughts, storms and floods are due to global warming. Perhaps he should take a look at what happened in 1929. The following account is from the Lockhart Review and Oaklands Advertiser: In fact, by the time this article was written, the drought in Britain had already […]
YouTube is Now Purging Evidence of War Crimes—Labeling it as ‘Extremist’ Content
[image: youtube]YouTube is now labelling videos that show the United States conducting airstrikes and committing war crimes in the Middle East as "extremist" content.
Man Records Cop Stealing From His Farm, Reports It To The Dept—No Charges Filed
[image: stealing]A Valencia, NM Sheriff's deputy was caught on camera stealing from a local farmer. The farmer reported him and nothing has happened.
Multiple High-Level U.S. Officials Publicly Warn of Govt Plot to Assassinate Trump
[image: assassinate]Within the past few weeks, multiple statements have been made by prominent individuals exposing potential plans to assassinate Trump.
Continuity of Agenda: Trump's "Fire and Fury" Brewed Under Bush, Obama
*August 12, 2017* (Tony Cartalucci - NEO) - The United States has issued a provocative threat to North Korea of "fire and fury." Following it up, the Guardian would report in its article, "Trump on North Korea: maybe 'fire and fury' wasn't tough enough threat," further threats being made: *Donald Trump has issued another provocative warning to North Korea, suggesting that his threat to unleash “fire and fury” on the country was not “tough enough”. * *The US president told reporters that North Korea “better get their act together or they’re going to be in trouble like few nations eve... more »
Unique footage of Russian jets destroying ISIL oil facilities in central Syria
BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:10 P.M.) – The Russian Air Force has played an integral role in the ongoing destruction of the so-called Islamic State (ISIL) in Syria. Using their mighty aerial arsenal, the Russian Air Force has relentlessly targeted the Islamic State’s positions in central Syria, destroying several installations belonging to the terrorist group in both […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Turkish Army renews offensive on Kurdish-held villages in northern Aleppo
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (4:20 P.M.) – Overnight, fresh clashes erupted between the Turkish Armed Forces, backed by Ahrar Al-Sham and Free Syrian Army (FSA) factions, and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the northern countryside of Aleppo. According to a Kurdish source close to Al-Masdar News, Turkish troops and aligned Syrian rebels launched a brief […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
ISIL terrorists storm strategic city in southern Hasakah
BEIRUT, LEBANON (2:15 P.M.) – The Islamic State (ISIL) launched a desperate offensive on the strategic city of Al-Shaddadi, Sunday, targeting the defenses of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the area. ISIL began the assault by pushing north from the Deir Ezzor provincial border, striking the SDF’s positions just south of Al-Shaddadi in […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Syrian Army bulls through ISIL’s defenses in east Hama, liberates several points
BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:55 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) wasted no time after the announcement of Al-Sukhnah’s liberation yesterday, liberating new areas from the remaining Islamic State (ISIL) terrorists clinging onto the eastern countryside of Hama. Backed by heavy Russian airstrikes, the Syrian Arab Army’s Qalamoun Shield unit of the 3rd Division attacked the […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Breaking: Militants begin leaving Arsal after being forced to accept bus transport
BEIRUT, LEBANON (12:55 P.M.) – The militants of Saraya Ahl Sham have begun leaving the ‘Arsal Barrens after a turbulent 48 hours, which included their leadership stalling the evacuation. According to the National News Agency of Lebanon, some 400 fighters began leaving the Wadi Hmeid area of ‘Arsal for the eastern slopes of the Qalamoun […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Yemen’s cholera outbreak: From bombed trucks to breeding bacteria in dirty water
360,000 suspected cholera cases in just three months An ongoing cholera epidemic which has swept war-ravaged Yemen is the “largest ever recorded” in a single year, with more than 360,000 suspected cases in the three months since the outbreak started, the charity Oxfam said. Since cholera began to spread in April, the epidemic has killed […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Israeli forces storm Hebron, Ramallah, Bethlehem
The Israeli occupation forces have just finished the raiding of several properties in the city of Hebron (al-Khalil). The Israeli vechiles could be heard throughout the surrounding neighbourhoods late at night as the occupation forces targeted several properties for raids. Raids were also conducted in Bethlehem and Ramallah, destroying homes, arresting several Palestinians, this included […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Turkey stopped aiding opposition forces in order to repair relations with Damascus: analyst
Turkey has stopped supporting the Syrian coalition of opposition forces. According to analyst and journalist Musa Özuğurlu, this decision is likely to contribute to normalization between Ankara and Damascus. Turkey has decided to end its support for the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces (aka the Syrian National Coalition), which encompasses various opposition […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
ISIS pocket the size of Lebanon forming as Tiger Forces push to Sukhnah [VIDEO]
BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:30 A.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army’s (SAA) elite Tiger Forces continue to push into northeastern Homs Governorate following a stunning paratrooper operation yesterday that caught ISIS militants in the region completely off-guard. The goal of the Tiger Forces on this front is to link up with troops of the 5th Assault Corps […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Footage: 3-min of Russian, Syrian airstrikes against ISIS in Raqqa
BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:00 A.M.) – A compilation video showing three minutes of airstrikes being carried out by the Russian Aerospace Forces (RuAF) and the Syrian Arab Air Force (SyAAF) against ISIS in Raqqa Governorate has been released on social media. The footage shows countless pin-point airstrikes being conducted with what appears to be mostly precision […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
ISIL terrorists nearly trapped in central Syria as main supply line is cut by Syrian Army
BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:00 A.M.) – The Islamic State (ISIL) is having a rough time this weekend as they continue to lose large swathes of territory to the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) across the country. In particular, the Islamic State has found themselves in serious trouble in the central part of the country, thanks in large […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Iraq highlights role of Iranian military advisors in fighting terrorism
Iraqi interior minister highlighted Iranian military advisors’ role in fight against terrorism in the war-torn region. Beheading of an Iranian military advisor, known in Iran as ‘Defenders of Shrines’ by Daesh, had widespread reaction in Iran, Iraq, Syria and the world. Tehran and Baghdad relations are strategic, Qasim al-Araji told IRNA at the airport before […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
A word from Anne Marie Waters's would-be stylist
The BBC is making a fuss about Anne Marie Waters being selected as a potential UKIP leader. To be fair, so are several other channels. In case you haven’t heard of her, she’s the Islamophobic Irish lesbian who once said Islam is evil. How very dare she say such an audacious thing. Anne Marie joins Tommy Robinson as one of the MSM’s pantomime hate-figures and just as Robinson is forever tied to the discredited EDL, AMW will always be inextricably linked to the one particular ‘stranded soundbite’ of a millstone. There is of course much more than that to AMW’s opposition to Islam, an... more »
"NUKEMAP"
*Click image for larger size.* *"NUKEMAP"* by Alex Wellerstein "We live in a world where nuclear weapons issues are on the front pages of our newspapers on a regular basis, yet most people still have a very bad sense of what an exploding nuclear weapon can actually do. Some people think they destroy everything in the world all that once, some people think they are not very different from conventional bombs. The reality is somewhere in between: nuclear weapons can cause immense destruction and huge losses of life, but the effects are still comprehendible on a human scale. The NUK... more »
What Kind Of People Would Join The Trumpanzee Regime? Joe Manchin, The Democrats' Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
When Pelosi and Ben Gay Luján cluck to the media that they're proudly, defiantly recruiting and financing Blue Dogs, anti-Choice fanatics and "ex"-Republicans to run as congressional candidates, they're talking about political opportunists like Jim Justice and Joe Manchin, two arch-conservatives from West Virginia. As well as right-wing fake Dems from the Republican wing of the Democratic Party like Charlie Crist (Blue Dog-FL), Tom O'Halleran (Blue Dog-AZ), Kyrsten Sinema, Josh Gottheimer (Blue Dog-NJ), Henry Cuellar (Blue Dog-TX), Jim Costa (Blue Dog-CA), and candidates like Gil... more »
Al Gore Versus Irena Sendler
Irena Sendler, 1942The global temperatures are cooler now than in 2007 when Al Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize based on warning of an imminent apocalypse due to anthropogenic global warming, but the “inconvenient truth” is that the global temperatures are not rising. It is worth looking at the accomplishments of Irena Sendler who Al Gore beat out in the race for the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. Irena Sendler is the Polish woman who, along with her underground network, rescued 2,500 Jewish children in Poland during World War II. I think, unlike Gore, ... more »
Bigotry And Fake History
What happened in Charlottesville, Virginia this weekend provides a vivid reminder of who and what propelled Donald Trump into the White House. Michael Eric Dyson writes: In attendance was white separatist David Duke, who declared that the alt-right unity fiasco “fulfills the promises of Donald Trump.” In the meantime, Mr. Trump responded by offering false equivalencies between white bigots and their protesters. His soft denunciations of hate ring hollow when he has white nationalist advisers like Steve Bannon and Stephen Miller whispering in his ear. Their anger at the removal o... more »
Untitled
*Why School Choice is Good for All Children * Anti-school choice activists often argue that charter school expansion hurts existing schools, but a new study of New York City schools found that new charter schools are increasing the performance of schools around them. The peer-reviewed statistical analysis, conducted by Temple University professor Sarah Cordes, indicates charter schools are not only helping the students enrolled, but also students at schools that feel pressured to increase performance due to their close proximity to a new charter school. The study found that schoo... more »
Untitled
From Jenna Orkin Pursuance Project - Organized resistance Look Out Manhattan - Chinese Foreign Real-Estate Spending Plunges 82% Social Security Requires A Bailout That's 60x Greater Than The 2008 Emergency Bank Handout India Deploys More Troops Along China Border, Raises "Caution" Level Saudi Arabia's Orwellian "Development Plans" For The Shia Town It Just Flattened Baltimore School With Zero Students Proficient In Math Has Highest Graduation Rate Warnings: Finding Cassandras to Stop Catastrophes - Richard Clarke When to Listen to Dire Warnings - Interview with Richard Clarke '... more »
Orwellian Google censors news based YouTube videos
Google's extremist agenda is censoring reportage under the guise that it is 'extreme'. The globalist corporation is beyond question, a dangerous fifth column which endangers democratic discussions and intellectual exchange. The post Orwellian Google censors news based YouTube videos appeared first on The Duran.
Syrian Al-Sukhnah town freed from ISIS opening way to Deir ez-Zor – Russian Defense Ministry
Further confirmation of the collapse of ISIS. The post Syrian Al-Sukhnah town freed from ISIS opening way to Deir ez-Zor – Russian Defense Ministry appeared first on The Duran.
CONFIRMED: Turkey to end support for anti-government terrorists in Syria
The move is a diplomatic victory for Russian President Vladimir Putin and a big snub to the United States. The post CONFIRMED: Turkey to end support for anti-government terrorists in Syria appeared first on The Duran.
Untitled
*Environmental Aspects of Oil and Gas Production* *This is big news: A textbook that’s quite in line with the material presented in "Slaying the Sky Dragon", notably by co-authors professor Claes Johnson and Charles Anderson, PhD. Yet it will be ignored by most AGW “skeptics.” I wonder why that is?* Abstract: Environmental Aspects of Oil and Gas Production John O. Robertson, George V. Chilingar Oil and gas still power the bulk of our world, from automobiles and the power plants that supply electricity to our homes and businesses, to jet fuel, plastics, and many other products th... more »
Donald Trump's new DC hotel turns a profit in excess of 2 million dollars. Who says crime doesn't pay?
Courtesy of WaPo: *Donald Trump’s company turned a $1.97 million profit at its opulent Trump International Hotel so far in 2017, dramatically beating its expectations and giving the first hard numbers to critics who charge that Trump is profiting from his presidency. * *The Trump Organization had projected that it would lose $2.1 million during the first four months of 2017 as it established a new hotel and convention business in the nation’s capital, according to newly released federal documents. * *Instead the hotel, with its namesake in the White House down the street, is alr... more »
Met Office Covers Up Old Record Temperatures
By Paul Homewood http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/climate-extremes/#?tab=climateExtremes According to the Met Office, the highest officially recorded temperature in the UK was set at Faversham (Kent) back in 2003. Faversham certainly appears to be in a hot spot, as it has regularly appeared in “hottest” lists since then. The same can be said of […]
“Are People Really Stupid?”
*“Are People Really Stupid?”* by Fred Russell “On the face of things – judging from the general level of knowledge and understanding, not to mention the intellectual pursuits, of most of the human race – one is tempted to say that the overwhelming majority of mankind lacks the intellectual capacity, the intelligence, to contribute to human progress. And it is in fact a very small elite that has carried us beyond Neanderthal Man, without whom, if the truth be told, we might still be living in caves. It is, in a word, appalling to contemplate the level at which ordinary people use th... more »
"We Are Doomed And Challenged..."
"The apple cannot be stuck back on the Tree of Knowledge; once we begin to see, we are doomed and challenged to seek the strength to see more, not less." - Arthur Miller
"North Korea Versus the United States: Who are the Demons?"
*"North Korea Versus the United States: Who are the Demons?" * North Korea Lost 30% of Its Population as a Result of US Bombings in the 1950s (This article was first published in December 2011. The historical facts remain unchanged.) By Prof Michel Chossudovsky "The American people should, in the words of Vietnam War Veteran Brian Willson “place themselves in the position of people living in targeted countries. That North Korea, a nation of 24 million people, i.e., one-twentieth the population of the U.S., many of them poor, a land slightly larger in area than the U.S. state of Pen... more »
Bill Clinton destroyed on Twitter over his Charlottesville comments
Bill Clinton gets roasted on Twitter for his selective outrage over violence in Charlottesville. The post Bill Clinton destroyed on Twitter over his Charlottesville comments appeared first on The Duran.
The brutality of the Korean War made General MacArthur “vomit” (Video)
US Defense Department brags about killing 1 million Koreans. The post The brutality of the Korean War made General MacArthur “vomit” (Video) appeared first on The Duran.
The Utility companies have known since the 60's that carbon dioxide emissions were destroying the environment, they just didn't care.
Courtesy of HuffPo: *Just a few days ago, an exhaustive report by the Energy and Policy Institute revealed that public utilities have been aware of the dangers of carbon dioxide emissions and the use of coal as an energy fuel since the 1960s. * *According to the study, in the 1970s, members of the Electric Power Research Institute, a group financed by the utility industry, testified before Congress that their own investigations have led them to believe that “the fossil fuels combustion will be essentially unacceptable, an important justification for expanding (...) solar energy o... more »
Step-by-Step
By Cathy Jameson I had a meeting last week with some of Ronan’s people who help coordinate some of his services. When we coordinated a time to go over everything, one of the gals made sure to mention that it...
Learn the true meaning of the political “F-Word”
Ethical Technology - 19 hours ago
Put aside distractions: Spicer, Priebus, the Mooch…. It’s Steve Bannon who has drawn concerned attention lately from those seeking signs and portents. For example, Donald Trump’s Chief Strategist reads a lot and styles himself a supreme intellect. In this exploration of Bannon’s favorite books, you’ll find plenty to worry about, such as his cult-obsession with a coming apocalypse-like crisis foretold by inevitable “cycles of history.” (I’ll append more about his favorite authors, below.)
Syrian airborne forces conduct rare mission behind enemy lines: video
BEIRUT, LEBANON (2:05 A.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) carried out a special mission on Friday night that required the use of their airborne forces for the first time this year. The airborne unit of the Tiger Forces was transported behind enemy lines by four Russian choppers in the northeastern countryside of the Homs […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Militants delay departure in Arsal because they don’t want to leave on green buses
BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:50 A.M.) – The militants of Saraya Ahl Sham has delayed their departure from east Lebanon this week after they refused to leave the area on government provided green buses. According to Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA), the militants demanded that their fighters be transported in cars, rather than the government provided buses. […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Syrian Army steamrolls through ISIL’s heartland, new territory liberated
BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:30 A.M.) – Not long after the Syrian Ministry of Defense announced the full liberation of Al-Sukhnah, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) resumed their field operations east of the city, liberating several sites from the Islamic State (ISIL) terrorists. Led by their elite 5th Corps, the Syrian Arab Army plowed through the enemy […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
No sleep last night for Islamist rebels as the Syrian military unleashes vicious assault in east Damascus
BEIRUT, LEBANON (2:30 A.M.) – The Islamist rebels of Faylaq Al-Rahman have not had much sleep in east Damascus over the last few days, as the Syrian military keeps them awake each night with nonstop missile and artillery strikes. Saturday night would prove no different for Faylaq Al-Rahman, as the Syrian Arab Army’s 42nd Brigade […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Kuwaiti regime arrests 12 over ties to Iran, Hezbollah
Kuwaiti authorities on Saturday said they arrested 12 members of a “terrorist cell” with alleged “ties to Iran and Hezbollah” after a weeks-long manhunt. The interior ministry said the 12 had been captured in different areas across Kuwait. They had been on the run since their sentencing last month, while two other convicted Kuwaitis remained […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Warm periods in the 20th century are not unprecedented during the last 2,000 years
SourceA paper by Prof. Quansheng Ge published in *Advances in Atmospheric Sciences *shows that the warm period in the twentieth century is not unprecedented. From Eurekalert: A great deal of evidence relating to ancient climate variation is preserved in proxy data such as tree rings, lake sediments, ice cores, stalagmites, corals and historical documents, and these sources carry great significance in evaluating the 20th-century warming in the context of the last two millennia. Prof. Quansheng Ge and his group from the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research... more »
From India to Copenhagen, Humanity and Sludge
It would be easy to say, “fuck India.” It is easy to say, “fuck India.” Fuck the whole squalid scene of humanity crawling through its own sludge. From Theni, across the southern belt with its searing heat, with its endless advertisements for cement across to Madurai and beyond. Yes, the multi-billion-rupee cement industry hellbent on continuing the ever-expanding unfinished building site of concrete sprawl and ugliness that is becoming India. Reaching out towards the dusty roadside shacks and concrete box dwellings and huts with their roofs of vegetation. The endless (undeserved) v... more »
Not Just Another Rant About TSA
No, this is a *theoretically based *rant about TSA. My students can get credit for reading it! read more
This Is How Seoul Will Defend Itself Against A North Korean Attack
*Wall Street Journal*:* How Seoul Would Defend Itself Against a North Korean Attack* South Korea and the U.S. likely would overwhelm Pyongyang’s army, but at a devastating cost SEOUL—South Korea’s capital sits so close to North Korea—35 miles away—that Kim Jong Un wouldn’t need ballistic or cruise missiles to damage the city: Shelling it with the artillery that Pyongyang has amassed near the border would suffice. If North Korea were to attack Seoul, either in a pre-emptive strike or in response to a U.S. assault on its soil, the 25 million citizens in the metropolitan area would ... more »
This Is Why The U.S. Will Not Launch A Military Strike Against North Korea Anytime Soon
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un watches the test of a new-type anti-aircraft guided weapon system. © KCNA *USA Today:* *What war? U.S. military not mobilizing despite North Korea threats* For all the war-like rhetoric between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, neither country is taking action on the ground that matches the scary talk. The Pentagon said it has not deployed additional ships, aircraft or troops in response to North Korea’s announcement this week that it plans to launch four missiles into the waters off the coast of Guam, which has a large U.S. mili... more »
Candidate Tips From Andy Millard: How To Use Green Screen Videos To Expand Your Reach
So many candidates told me that they found Andy Millard's advice to candidates column useful in July that I figured I'd share his latest as well. July was very general. This one is very specific-- the use of green screens in video-making. The video above gives you seven tips for using the green screen technique effectively. Andy shared 4 more below: *•* Illuminating the green screen behind you with video lights might help produce a cleaner key. The main goal is to have an even hue across the entire green screen so that the editing software doesn't have to guess which parts to k... more »
China's Navy Holds A Live Fire Exercise Near The Korean Peninsula
*FIRE AWAY* Type 054A frigates, including the "515" Binzhou, fire off C-803 anti-ship missiles during the exercises Aug. 4-8. CCTV13 *Popular Science:* *As a drill and potential warning, China's navy just fired dozens of missiles near North Korea* *China held a massive live fire exercise near the Korean Peninsula.* Over the weekend, China's army, navy, and air force conducted a wide range of naval exercises in the Yellow Sea, close to North Korea. These drills, which happened Aug. 4 through Aug. 8, took place only days after North Korea launched a missile reportedly capable of h... more »
Help China Labor Watch Continue Ivanka Trump Factory Investigations (With Your Online Vote Until August 31st)
From China Labor Watch: “Help CLW Continue Ivanka Trump Factory Investigations Tuesday, August 1, 2017 The Huajian factory in Jiangxi … Continue reading →
TPPF statement on initial House passage of property tax reform
Content Multimedia - 1 day ago
By James Quintero The Texas House of Representatives gave preliminary approval to Senate Bill 1, a bill to reform Texas’ local property tax system in some important ways. Specifically, this bill, if enacted, would require certain taxing jurisdictions to lower their rollback tax rates and require an automatic election to ratify any rate adopted above the reduced rollback rate.
TPPF statement on initial House passage of property tax reform
Content Multimedia - 1 day ago
By James Quintero The Texas House of Representatives gave preliminary approval to Senate Bill 1, a bill to reform Texas’ local property tax system in some important ways. Specifically, this bill, if enacted, would require certain taxing jurisdictions to lower their rollback tax rates and require an automatic election to ratify any rate adopted above the reduced rollback rate.
Musical Interlude: 2CELLOS, “Live at Exit Festival 2014”, Full Concert
2CELLOS, “Live at Exit Festival 2014”, Full Concert - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGU2BBeKaXM Things really pick up at 7:21 ;-) Amazing, lol
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Big, beautiful, barred spiral galaxy NGC 1300 lies some 70 million light-years away on the banks of the constellation Eridanus. This Hubble Space Telescope composite view of the gorgeous island universe is one of the largest Hubble images ever made of a complete galaxy. *Click image for larger size.* NGC 1300 spans over 100,000 light-years and the Hubble image reveals striking details of the galaxy's dominant central bar and majestic spiral arms. In fact, on close inspection the nucleus of this classic barred spiral itself shows a remarkable region of spiral structure about 3,000 l... more »
"The True Dream..."
"Maybe we accept the dream has become a nightmare. We tell ourselves that reality is better. We convince ourselves it's better that we never dream at all. But, the strongest of us, the most determined of us, holds on to the dream or we find ourselves faced with a fresh dream we never considered. We wake to find ourselves, against all odds... feeling hopeful. And, if we're lucky, we realize in the face of everything, in the face of life - the true dream is being able to dream at all." - "Dr. Meredith Grey", "Grey's Anatomy"
"The Human Condition"
*"The Human Condition"* by Meanings of Life "Man remains largely unknown of himself. What are we, in our innermost recesses, behind our names and our conventional opinions? What are we behind the things we do in our lives, behind what we see in others and what others see in us, or even behind things science says we are? Is man the crazy being about whom Carl Gustav Jung spoke ironically, when he demanded a man to treat? Is man the Dr. Jerkyll that contains in himself a criminal Mister Hyde, and more than a personality, and contradictory feelings? Are we the result of our dreams, as... more »
Chet Raymo, “Examination of Conscience”
*“Examination of Conscience”* by Chet Raymo "I have been reading Stephanie Smallwood's “Saltwater Slavery,” a close examination of the trade in human beings between the coast of West Africa and the Americas in the 17th and 18th centuries. It is a sobering read, but if there is one thing I came away with, it was this: We have an enormous capacity to rationalize the most horrendous crimes. Everyone involved in the slave trade - the European owners of the ships, the masters of the trading companies, the ship captains and crews, the plantation owners in the West Indies and the Chesapea... more »
"Lemons..."
"When life hands you a lemon, say "Oh yeah, I like lemons. What else you got?" - Henry Rollins
Chinese President Xi Calls President Trump To Discuss North Korea
*L.A. Times:** In phone call with Trump, China's Xi reiterates calls for calm* Chinese leader Xi Jinping urged restraint in a phone call with President Trump on Saturday, following a week of blustery rhetoric between North Korea and the U.S. Xi warned that “concerned parties” should avoid “remarks and actions” that could escalate tensions on the Korean peninsula, according to the state-run New China News Agency. He reiterated China’s desire to work with the U.S., citing “common interests” in preserving stability in the region. Trump understands China’s efforts to resolve the issu... more »
Is India on the Verge of Building a Super Jet Fighter?
*Sebastien Roblin* *Security, Asia* Or is this more of the same? In 2016 the Indian Navy rejected the domestically built Tejas jet fighter—or Light Combat Aircraft—after a troubled thirty-three years of development in which the maritime fighting branch had invested significantly. However, the Indian Navy argued that the Tejas weighed too much, and produced insufficient thrust for takeoff from the ski-jump ramp of its forthcoming aircraft carrier. But the Indian Navy hasn’t given up *entirely *on the Tejas; it is considering a Mark 2 variant under development, which will be power... more »
North Korea Comes Armed, Barricaded and with Hostages
*Wallace C. Gregson* *Security, Asia* [image: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un guides the 3rd Meeting of Activists of the Korean People's Army (KPA) in the Movement for Winning the Title of O Jung Hup-led 7th Regiment in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency] Pyongyang consistently confounds Washington’s estimates of its military capability and resiliency. *“When you have nothing, you have nothing to lose.” — Bob Dylan, **Like a Rolling Stone* North Korea *is a threat*, and has been for some time. The nuclear and missile threats are quite clear n... more »
Will Pakistan Find Stability Following Its Latest Political Shake-up?
*Marvin G. Weinbaum, Touqir Hussain* *Security, Middle East* [image: Soldiers from the Special Security Unit (SSU) hold Pakistan's national flag during a ceremony to celebrate the country's 70th Independence Day at the mausoleum of Muhammad Ali Jinnah in Karachi, Pakistan, August 14, 2016. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro] A decision by Pakistan's justices to leave Nawaz Sharif in office could have set the stage for widespread violent agitation. Pakistan’s supreme court’s unanimous—if disputably reasoned—decision to remove Nawaz Sharif as prime minister, together with the Pakistan Muslim L... more »
The U.S. Army’s New Handgun Is in Big Trouble
*Task and Purpose* *Security, Americas* The pistol apparently fires when dropped. Since winning the U.S. Army’s coveted Modular Handgun System competition back in January, things have been less than smooth sailing for Sig Sauer. First, Sig’s primary MHS rival *Glock lodged a protest with the U.S. Government Accountability Office* in February, which was subsequently thrown out. Then in May, *Steyr launched legal proceedings to sue Sig* for patent infringement. Sig’s problems worsened last week when online rumors broke suggesting that the P320 was prone to accidental discharges wh... more »
How American Air Power Destroyed North Korea
*Zachary Keck* *Security, Asia* What everyone in Pyongyang knows—and fears. As tensions between North Korea and the United States reach a fever pitch, it’s worth remembering the origins of the hostility: the Korean War. The general parameters of the war are well known. The conflict began when Kim Il-sung’s forces invaded South Korea in June 1950 with the tacit (*if reluctant*) support of Joseph Stalin and Mao Zedong. Kim’s forces quickly overran their southern counterparts and were on the brink of unifying the peninsula before U.S. forces intervened under the guise of the United ... more »
Driver in Charlottesville Car Attack Identified as James Alex Fields, Jr.
The 20-year-old is accused of killing one person and injuring several others when he reportedly drove a car into a crowd of peaceful protesters.
President Trump Condemns Today's Racial Violence In Charlottesville, Virginia
*Reuters:* *At least one dead as white nationalists ignite Virginia clashes* CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (Reuters) - At least one person died and 30 were injured in a day of clashes between white nationalists and counter-protesters in Virginia on Saturday, with the state's governor blaming the neo-Nazis for sparking the violence and demanding that they go home. Two people also died when a Virginia State Police helicopter crashed near the violence in Charlottesville, federal officials said. It was not clear if the crash was related to the outbreak of clashes in the Southern college town,... more »
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