11:30 pm MDT
Please don't make me talk about the NFL...
*pleeeeaase!* Not a sports fan. If the NFL wants to commit suicide, let them. No intervention. Meantime, Trump has cleverly changed the topic from the probable demise of the newest health insurance reform bill to the NFL. Good work, Donald. I have many other "serious" things lined up that I want to talk about, but first I must be alone with my thoughts. There's no better place to do that then in the garden clipping, weeding, mulching, and making giant piles of stuff to haul off. This is not my pile pictured, but I assure you I will duplicate that pile at least 10 times over t... more »
U.S. Government Announces 21 States Had Hackers Target Their System – Leaves Out DHS Hackers
By Aaron Kesel The federal government just announced on Friday that election officials in 21 states had hackers target their systems before last year’s presidential election according to... more »
Russia Reveals Footage of US Forces Embedded with ISIS
*This report cannot possibly come as a surprise to anyone!* *Sputnik:* *The Russian Defense Ministry released aerial footage of the Daesh positions north of Syria's city of Deir ez-Zor that showed the US equipment deployed in the area.* *The photos posted on Russia's Defense Ministry's Facebook page on Sunday show equipment that is being used by the US special forces.* *"The aerial photographs, taken on September 8-12, 2017 in the areas of Daesh troops' deployment, detected a big number of US Hummer armored vehicles, used by the US Army's special forces,"* the ministry wrote on Fac... more »
It's Sunday so why wouldn't Donald Trump attack NFL players? Update!
If NFL fans refuse to go to games until players stop disrespecting our Flag & Country, you will see change take place fast. Fire or suspend! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 24, 2017 ...NFL attendance and ratings are WAY DOWN. Boring games yes, but many stay away because they love our country. League should back U.S. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 24, 2017 These two tweets are from just this morning as Trump apparently decided to triple down on his infantile attacks directed at football players who exercise their First Amendment rights. (This of cours... more »
Follow Live Tickers of Germany’s national election results, expected just after 6 pm local time
You can follow various live tickers and live streams to the German federal election results thi evening. The first projection is expected shortly after the polls close at 6 pm local time. http://www.focus.de/politik/praxistipps/bundestagswahl-im-live-stream-so-sehen-sie-die-bundestagswahl-2017-live-im-internet_id_7629907.html http://www.focus.de/politik/praxistipps/erste-hochrechnungen-die-aktuelle-prognose-zum-ergebnis-der-bundestagswahl-2017_id_7631195.html https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/ I am busy preparing the evidence that my own blog was hacked and blocked on December 4th 2016 ... more »
Syrian Army fully liberates southeast Raqqa, northwest Deir Ezzor: map
BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:35 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) achieved a major victory in eastern Syria, Saturday, following the liberation of the Islamic State’s (ISIL) last stronghold in the southeastern countryside of the Al-Raqqa Governorate. Led by the elite Tiger Forces, the Syrian Arab Army steadily worked their way up from the northwestern countryside […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
VIDEO: Iranian armed drones strike ISIS near Syria-Iraq borders
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (6:15 P.M.) – Armed drones of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps conducted several deadly attacks against positions and equipment of the Islamic State in the Syrian Desert near the borders with Iraq. The precise drone strikes destroyed two command centers, 1 tank and 1 gas station for the terror group, in addition to […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Rare footage of massive North Korean demonstration against Trump
BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:05 P.M.) – Tens of thousands of North Koreans gathered in the capital Pyongyang on Kim Il-Sung Square to show their support for their leader Kim Jong-un, Sunday. Demonstrators chanted slogans, marched with flags, and raised their fists in the air. Tensions between Washington, D.C. and Pyongyang have steadily heightened over the last […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Russians launch airstrikes in Aleppo for the first time in 5 months
BEIRUT, LEBANON (5:30 P.M.) – For the first in five months, the Russian Air Force has launched airstrikes over the Aleppo Governorate, a military source told Al-Masdar News this afternoon. According to a military report, the Russian Air Force targeted Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham’s positions in the western countryside of Aleppo. In particular, the Russian Air […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Combat footage of SAA operations in western countryside of Deir Ezzor
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (4:35 P.M.) – A series of fierce battles were fought by the Syrian Army against the Islamic State before it could impose full control over the entire territories stretching alongside the western bank of the Euphrates. Scores of villages, towns and hilltops fell to the government troops as part of a wider campaign […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Elite pro-government forces head to northern Hama for upcoming offensive: video
BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:55 p.m.) – The pro-government “Homeland Shield Forces” (Dara’ Al-Watan) made their way from southern Syria to the northern countryside of the Hama Governorate, Saturday, in order to aid in the upcoming offensive along the Idlib-Hama Highway. According to a military report, the Homeland Shield Forces were sent to the northern countryside of […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Curse of Oak Island: The Fifth Season
I was cruising the net, looking for something interesting to read and came across a story entitled, “Michigan Man Unearths 220-Year-Old Hidden Treasure.” Quite naturally I clicked on the story and came to another headline that said, “Have Two Oak IslandBrothers Cracked the 220-Year-Old Oak Island Mystery?” Well, looking at the calendar, I could see that winter was coming (thought in Westros, winter has come) and the treasure hunting season in Nova Scotia would be winding down. I hadn’t heard anything, but maybe this was telling me that the Lagina brothers had finally succeeded in pe... more »
Iraqi Kurds Get Ready For Their Independence Referendum
*New York Times*: *Recalling a Tortured Past, Iraqi Kurds to Vote on Independence* MALA OMER, Iraq — The Kurdish soldier, wounded in battle last year, rose in pain from his wheelchair. As his reedy legs wobbled, his 13-year-old son thrust a cane into his hand. The soldier, Dana Salah Hama, was undergoing physical therapy at his home last week to become strong enough to hobble to a polling station on Monday, when Iraqi Kurds plan to vote on independence from Iraq. For Mr. Hama, and for several million fellow Kurds in the autonomous enclave of Kurdistan, the vote is a down payment ... more »
Germany Goes To The Polls
*New York Times:* *Germans Vote on Whether to Give Merkel a 4th Term* BERLIN — Warned about the dangers of complacency in parlous times by their president, Germans voted on Sunday in an election that is expected to return Angela Merkel to power for a fourth term as chancellor but also to bring a far-right party into Parliament for the first time in more than 60 years. German voters were urged to take their civic responsibilities to heart and not sit out the vote in the face of opinion polls showing Ms. Merkel and her center-right Christian Democrats and their Bavarian allies, the ... more »
CONFIRMED: ISIS, the United States and SDF unite on the battle field against Syria and Russia
The Russian Defense Minsitry has released photos showing ISIS, the SDF and US special forces working side-by-side on the battlefield in Dier ez-Zor, Syria. More The post CONFIRMED: ISIS, the United States and SDF unite on the battle field against Syria and Russia appeared first on The Duran.
Venezuela’s Maduro to visit Russia in October
Embattled Venezuelan leader looks to Moscow for continued support More The post Venezuela’s Maduro to visit Russia in October appeared first on The Duran.
BREAKING: Russia Releases Photos Claiming to Show US Spec Ops Equipment in ISIS Positions in Syria
[image: photos]Aerial images were recently released that appear to show U.S. Special Operations Forces and their equipment embedded in ISIS positions in Syria.
DHS is Giving Colleges Millions to Stoke a Nation of Fear and Grow the Police State
[image: homeland security]The Department of Homeland Security is paying millions of dollars to universities across the country to create "anti-extremist" tactics and content.
This Day In Iraqi History - Sep 24
1978 In Iran-Iraq deal Iraqi troops surround Imam Khomeini’s house in Najaf Told he could only stay in Iraq if abandoned politics 1979 Iraq warned Iran to not to interfere in Bahrain after Ayatollah Rohani called on Shiites to rise up against their Sunni rulers 1980 Iranian Navy attacked Basra and Fao Peninsula Destroyed 2 oil terminals limited Iraq’s exports 1980 Iran started naval blockade of Shatt al-Arab, Basra 1990 Kurd, Shiite and Communist opposition parties claimed united front against Saddam 1991 UN Inspectors found over 53,000 documen... more »
President Trump Urges Fans To Boycott NFL Over 'Take A Knee' Protests
Jaguars players linked arms and took the knee while the the Star Spangled Banner played at Wembley Stadium *Daily Mail*: *BREAKING NEWS: American football stars drop to their knees during national anthem at Wembley in protest defying Donald Trump after he said sportsman who 'disrespect America' should be SACKED* * Players from Jacksonville Jaguars and the Baltimore Ravens dropped to their knees as national anthem played * No players were kneeling during the playing of 'God Save The Queen', which followed the US national anthem * President Trump had stoked tensions by saying NFL pl... more »
Cops Now Hiding Behind Kids on School Buses to Bust People Texting While Driving
[image: texting]In a new revenue generation scheme, police across the country are now using school buses as a vantage point to catch drivers who are texting while driving.
Upcoming Execution Of Keith Leroy Tharpe Illustrates Legacy Of Lynching In US
Court filings from juror interviews reveal that one juror voted for Tharpe’s death because he was black. The post Upcoming Execution Of Keith Leroy Tharpe Illustrates Legacy Of Lynching In US appeared first on Shadowproof.
Ivanka Trump Has To Ask Chief Of Staff John Kelly Permission To Talk To Her Father About Government Matters
President Trump with Ivanka Trump. Reuters *Business Insider:* *Ivanka Trump has to ask John Kelly for permission to talk to Trump about White House matters* John Kelly, President Donald Trump's new chief of staff, has garnered a reputation for running a tighter ship in a typically freewheeling White House since his arrival, and that reportedly extends to Trump's daughter and closest confidant, Ivanka Trump. Ivanka has long been a trusted adviser to her father. She initially joined the administration in a voluntary capacity, but later became an official government employee and unp... more »
President Trump Will Be Making A State Visit To China In November
*Straits Times/Bloomberg*: *Trump said to visit China in November amid North Korea spat* WASHINGTON (BLOOMBERG) - United States President Donald Trump will visit China in November, a person familiar with his plans said, as tensions flare on the Korean peninsula due to Pyongyang's nuclear and missile tests. White House officials declined to comment. Trump is expected to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and Association of South-east Asian Nations summits in Vietnam and the Philippines in November. Chinese President Xi Jinping invited Trump to pay a state visit to China ... more »
Top Quarks Observed In Proton-Nucleus Collisions For The First Time
The top quark is the heaviest known matter corpuscle we consider elementary. Elementary is an overloaded word in English, so I need to explain what it means in the context of subatomic particles. If we grab a dictionary we get several possibilities, like e.g.- elementary: pertanining to or dealing with elements, rudiments, or first principles - elementary: of the nature of an ultimate constituent; uncompounded - elementary: not decomposable into elements or other primary constituents - elementary: simple read more
Leadership 2017 Links
The latest from the federal NDP's leadership campaign as the first voting window remains open. - Power & Politics and the Toronto Star have each posted new summaries of the candidates and their plans. Gloria Galloway reports on Charlie Angus' campaign as focusing on taking the NDP back to its roots. And Maura Forrest interviews Niki Ashton about her efforts to pull the NDP to the left. - Stephen Tweedale examines how Jagmeet Singh's platform addresses both poverty and inequality - including both direct redistribution and protections for vulnerable workers. Dan Donovan offers his en... more »
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From Jenna Orkin British people are second only to China in how much they want the government to control the internet, according to this surveyEarth's oceans are warming 13% faster than thought, and accelerating Newly engineered antibody could kill off 99% of HIV strains 5.7 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Off North California Coast California Residents Stunned As Ominous "End-Of-World Prediction" Takes Over TV BroadcastsWJAR forced to run pro-Trump programsScientists edit embryos' genes to study early human development San Francisco sues Big Oil for billions over climate change claiming... more »
Is This Better Than Hillary? 6 Ways Trump Has Become Exactly Like Hillary Clinton
[image: Hillary]Trump is proving that he is intent on carrying out the exact same policy of his predecessors—just like Hillary Clinton would've done.
Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. - Rachel Bunker writes that Equifax represents the worst of an out-of-control capitalist system, as a poorly-regulated and unreliable credit reporting operation is making profits for itself by reinforcing existing discrimination among other businesses. - Naomi Klein discusses this summer's spate of wildfires and widespread smoke as showing how climate change is literally causing key parts of our planet to burn. - Mario Canseco argues that confusion as to the meaning of a child care program shouldn't serve as an obstacle to implementing a sy... more »
White House aides scrambling for the exits.
At least four people in this photo are already gone. Courtesy of Politico: *A fast-growing number of White House staffers are starting to look for the exits, even though the one-year mark of President Donald Trump’s first term is still months away. * *Many who joined the administration in January did so with the explicit idea that they’d stay for at least a year, enough to credibly say they’d served. But in the aftermath of a wave of abrupt, high-profile departures over the summer that culminated with former chief strategist Steve Bannon’s ouster in August, aides up and down the ... more »
TRUMP'S SPORTS ATTACKS: RACIST, AND ALSO EASIER THAN HEALTHCARE AND NORTH KOREA
Obviously, President Trump is attacking anti-racist pro athletes because he's a bigoted white guy. But there's more going on than that. There's also this: 2. White rage is not a side show. This is the only thing he knows how to do. He couldn’t be bothered to learn basic facts on healthcare — Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) September 24, 2017 Healthcare is hard -- unless you're going to go to single payer, which won't happen under Republicans, you're going to have a complicated system with many moving parts, and if you alter one of those parts, others will function very differently, probab... more »
Conversion Means Survival for Future Generations
Maine Peace Walk October 13-21. Come for a day or more. This year the walk will largely be centered in Bath and concentrate on the serious need to convert Bath Iron Works (BIW) to peaceful and sustainable production. Accepting our present condition of endless war for fossil fuels is a dead-end street that if not reversed will lead to our collective demise. We must have a conversion that begins with our hearts and extends to the timely task of totally reorienting our national production system. Maine Peace Walk is sponsored by: Citizens Opposing Active Sonar Threats (COAST); Globa... more »
Russia's Foreign Minister Lays Out The Kremlin View On Key Issues
*CBS:* *Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov lays out Kremlin's view* UNITED NATIONS -- Russia is looking to work with the U.S. on some of the dangerous issues in world affairs, Russian President Vladimir Putin's top diplomat, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. "We have to calm down the hotheads," he said, offering the Kremlin's view of North Korea, Iran, the Middle East, Syria, Cuba, Venezuela and the Facebook-Russia ads controversy. Here's a look at what Lavrov said on a range of hot-button issues. *Read more* .... *N... more »
Russia On President Trump And North Korean Leader Kim Jong-Un: ‘We Have to Calm Down the Hotheads’
*Foreign Policy:* *Lavrov on Trump, North Korea: ‘We Have to Calm Down the Hotheads’* When it comes to the escalating, personal war of words between the tetchy leaders of nuclear-armed states, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov thinks there’s been inappropriate rhetoric on both sides. Speaking at a press briefing at the U.N. General Assembly on Friday, Lavrov likened the war of words between President Donald Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un to “a kindergarten fight between children. And no one can stop them.” Trump threatened to “totally destroy” Kim’s country thi... more »
the strange case of the barney miller rape episode
Watching Barney Miller as my comedy-before-bed sleep aid, I was stunned and amazed by an episode called "Rape" -- Season 4, Episode 15. A woman comes to the station house, agitated and distressed. Captain Miller, with his usual calm and professional demeanour, leads her to sit down. When he hears "rape," Barney says, "Oh boy" -- as in, oh my, this is serious. He says, "Do you think you can give us a description of the man?" She pulls from her bag a photograph. There's a brief sight-gag, as the photograph is in a small frame. She says about the photo, "That man is an animal. A degen... more »
The Last Assessment
Robyn Sears offers an assessment of three of the contenders for the NDP's leadership: Charlie Angus has impeccable New Dem credentials: northern, working class, long-term Indigenous activist; informal but smart, folksy but policy sharp, self-deprecating, well-known to local party leaders from coast to coast. As comfortable as an old shoe for a wide swathe of traditional party members. Singh is a mirror opposite: openly ambitious personally and for the party, cool under pressure but happy to be seen to wield a knife, proud and flaunting his cultural and personal difference. Willi... more »
Iran's New Missile Looks Like North Korea's
*The Warzone/The Drive*: *Iran's New Ballistic Missile Looks a Lot Like a Modified North Korean One* *The Iranians showed off the new missile after fiery rhetoric from President Trump and threats to scrap the Iran Deal.* Shortly after revealing the new Khorramshahr medium range ballistic missile to the public for the first time, Iran released a never before seen video showing a successful test of the weapon, but did not give a date or place for the footage. The new development will undoubtedly have an impact on whether U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration decide to s... more »
This Marine Shares His High Intensity Tactical Training Program
*James Clark, Task & Purpose:* *The Marine Corps’ Ultimate Tactical Athlete Shares His Grueling Workout Routine * As part of the Marine Corps’ fitness overhaul, the service created the High Intensity Tactical Training program, a brutal workout regimen designed to build Marines’ combat fitness while minimizing injury. And with it, the Corps rolled out the Ultimate Tactical Athlete competition in 2015, which brings together top-tier male and female Marine athletes from across the Corps for a multi-day endurance and strength competition. Think of it like Ninja Warrior, but with more ... more »
The Pentagon's Development And Procurement Practices Is Keeping The Head Of U.S. Strategic Command Up At Night
*The Drive*: *You Have To Hear What Keeps The Head Of U.S. Strategic Command Up At Night* *It's not Kim Jong Un or Vladimir Putin. * Out of all the presentations and panels at this year's Air Force Association convention, one speaker in particular had a most important, brave, and sobering message. A message that goes against the "company man" attitude we seem to find in many of the military's top brass, and one that deals with something we here at The War Zone have been talking about for a long, long time. Instead of worrying about Kim Jong Un's missiles or Putin's huge nuclear a... more »
Innocent Man Get $1.6M After Surveillance Video Proved Cops Beat and Framed Him
[image: innocent]An innocent man was beaten, framed for felony assault against cops, and thrown in jail and the only thing that saved him was his video.
Turkish Parliament approves one year extension of troop mandate in Syria and Iraq
The move comes as Erdogan threatens harsh measures against Kurdish separatism in Iraq. More The post Turkish Parliament approves one year extension of troop mandate in Syria and Iraq appeared first on The Duran.
Iraq seeks to develop nuclear power – the US war against Iran just got more difficult
Iraq is today, little more than an aspiring Islamic Republic on the Iranian model. The only reason for this is the US war on Iraq in 2003. More The post Iraq seeks to develop nuclear power – the US war against Iran just got more difficult appeared first on The Duran.
After He's Humiliated Tuesday, Trump Will Never Want To Set Foot In Alabama Again
The Women For Trump PAC is just the latest MAGA group to split from Señor Trumpanzee and embrace Roy Moore's overt fascism. Bretibart reported that "Women Vote Trump, the largest female-run PAC to support Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, announced their endorsement of Judge Roy Moore for U.S. Senate on Friday, describing him as the “only candidate” who will stand up to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell... 'At a time when Mitch McConnell and the DC swamp have been obstructionists to the President’s agenda, this election is about who is going to stand up to Mitch McConnel... more »
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*The campus rape panic is destroying due process and ruining lives* US education secretary Betsy DeVos has hit the headlines again for speaking out on Title IX, the controversial federal law that ensures gender equity in education. Last week, she promised to ‘replace the current approach with a workable, effective, and fair system’. She is getting a lot of flak, especially from feminists, but her comments should be welcomed: it is common knowledge now that Title IX has become, at best, unworkable, and at worst subject to serious abuse. When it was first passed, Title IX of the E... more »
VIDEO: Russia deploys new ferries to Syria’s Deir Ezzor
DAMSCUS, SYRIA (3:20 P.M.) – As the Syrian forces readies mass crossing of the Euphrates River, the Russian military has sent new self-propelled ferries to the oil-rich province of Deir Ezzor. Footage filmed a couple of days ago shows PMM-2M ferries unloading at the coastal Khmeimim airbase in Syria and eventually transported to the country’s […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
In pictures: Syrian Army showcases newly liberated towns in east Homs
BEIRUT, LEBANON (2:35 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army scored a big advance in the eastern countryside of the Homs Governorate week, liberating several areas from the so-called Islamic State (ISIL) terror organization. Led by the 5th Legion and 18th Tank Division, the Syrian Arab Army liberated the towns of Mazyan Al-Baqar and Abu Jurays […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Russian helicopters support Syrian Army in north Hama offensive [+Photos]
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (2:25 P.M.) – Battles in the northern countryside of Hama continue with the Syrian forces carry on its assault after foiling a massive jihadi attack last week. With heavy support from the Russian combat choppers, the Syrian Army managed – yesterday – to recapture Um Hartin and Qubibat Abu al-Huda villages after fierce […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Israeli forces invade farm land in southern Gaza
This morning Israeli military jeeps crossed the border into southern Gaza accompanying several bulldozers, according to witnesses. The Israeli regime forces reportedly levelled farm land destroying farms close to Khan Yunis. No gunfire was confirmed, although many farmers are fired at from behind the Israeli border on a regular basis, even outside of the “security […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Syrian forces assault ISIS from every direction in central Syria liberating 4 towns in several hours
BEIRUT, LEBANON (2:05 P.M.) – Amid the refusal of some besieged ISIS fighters in central Syria to surrender their positions and accept transfer to Deir Ezzor Governorate, the Syrian Arab Army and allied paramilitaries have resumed their offensive in northern Hama, attacking jihadist forces from every direction. On the Jib al-Jarrah front in north-central Homs, […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
VIDEO: Russian troops, rebel fighters cross paths once again in north Homs
BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:45 P.M.) – Russian troops and rebel fighters have once again met up in northern Homs Governorate to discuss terms and conditions surrounding a planned ceasefire agreement that will see a major de-escalation of the militant-held Rastan region (also commonly referred to as the Rastan pocket). Yesterday, the SMAART news agency released video […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
ISIL’s attempt to break out of east Hama ends in complete disaster – graphic
BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:05 P.M.) – The Islamic State (ISIL) launched a desperate attack on Saturday that was geared to help their besieged fighters break out of the eastern Hama pocket in central Syria. Despite their best efforts, the Islamic State ultimately failed on Saturday to create a large enough crease between the ‘Uqayribat pocket and […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Scores of jihadists killed, wounded by big Russian airstrike on Al-Qaeda base in Idlib
BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:10 P.M.) – Amid ongoing airstrikes in Idlib and Hama Governorates by the Russian Aerospace Forces, another high-value militant target has been destroyed, killing and wounding many jihadist fighters in the process. Last night, Russian airpower targeted a command base belonging to Ha’yat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda), […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Breaking: Satellite images reveal US forces operating freely in ISIS areas
BEIRUT, LEBANON (12:40 P.M.) – The Russian Ministry of Defense just released several satellite images of the U.S. military and their allies from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) freely traveling in the Islamic State (ISIS) held areas of the Deir Ezzor Governorate. “Without resistance from ISIS militants the SDF troops are moving along the left […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
BREAKING: Militants indiscriminately shell civilians in Latakia
BEIRUT, LEBANON (12:20 P.M.) – Militant artillery forces have indiscriminately shelled civilians living in Latakia Governorate today with long-range rocket fire. Early this morning, militants shelled the Latakia town of Qardaha (the birthplace of former Syrian president Hafez al-Assad) with eight Grad rockets which hit the farms area outside the town. According to reports, one […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
[Graphic 18+] Jihadist corpses litter northern Hama battlefield – video
BEIRUT, LEBANON (11:55 A.M.) – The jihadist rebels of Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham launched a large offensive earlier this week that targeted the Syrian Arab Army’s (SAA) positions near the strategic town of Ma’an in the northern countryside of Hama. Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham’s offensive was initially successful in the northern countryside of Hama, as they seized […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Sakr Island virtually liberated as Syrian Army drives ISIS in rout from Deir Ezzor
BEIRUT, LEBANON (11:55 A.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army has broken through ISIS lines on the embattled Euphrates island of Sakr, managing to liberate the rump of it in the wake of a advance rapid advance undertaken since this morning. Today, vanguard units of the Syrian Army renewed their offensive on Sakr Island, striking at […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
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*Is the sun responsible for El Nino?* *The authors below find a correlation with solar activity but have no firm explanation for it* Modulations of solar activity on El Niño Modoki and possible mechanisms Abstract This paper uses the sunspot number (SSN) index and the El Niño modoki index (EMI) to examine the possible modulation of El Niño Modoki events by variations in solar activity. A significant positive correlation was found between SSN and EMI with a lag of two years, and both SSN and EMI have an obvious period of about 11–12 years. The evolution of El Niño Modoki events ... more »
5 Reasons America's Nuclear Powered Aircraft Carriers are No Better than Old Battleships
*Robert Farley* *Security, * And obsolete *Aircraft carriers already consist of a terrifyingly complex system of systems, from the ship itself to the air group to the escort task force. The Ford-class CVs will expand this even farther, operating as part of a system of weapons and sensors that can span across hundreds, even thousands, of miles. The digital linkages of this network will be well protected, but hardly impermeable; it is likely that any foe will take steps to attempt to disrupt and compromise the computer systems that allow the Fords to have the greatest effect.* W...more »
The U.S. Air Force Has Declared War—on Mosquitos
*Task and Purpose, Sarah Sicard* *Security, North America* Rain from Hurricane Harvey has created a monstrous problem in Texas. The historic rainfall and devastating floods of Hurricane Harvey are still wreaking havoc on residents of Texas, but not in the way you’d expect. Residual standing water has turned communities across the Gulf Coast into swampy cesspools of liquid waste, perfect for breeding mosquitoes. Don’t worry, though: the Air Force is on it. When the Texas Department of State Health Services realized that mosquitoes would begin breeding like wildfire, it called in t... more »
FACT: There Is a Private Fortress on the Hudson River (That Once Stored 30 Million Bullets)
*Warfare History Network* *History, North America* Scottish-American arms dealer Francis Bannerman had a massive stockpile of weapons in his castle. In central New York, 50 miles north of New York City on the Hudson River, is a small spit of land known as Bannerman Island. Originally called Pollepel Island, the tiny island was noted for tales of ghosts, and the local Native Americans would dare to visit it only during daylight. Early Dutch settlers used the island as a signpost marking the end of a rough passage through the Hudson highlands, and it also served as a strategic def... more »
Every Part of the U.S. Military That Could Get Dragged Into a War with North Korea
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, Asia* And it would be bloody. The United States has substantial air, land, and sea forces stationed in South Korea, as well as several units based in Japan and the western Pacific earmarked for a Korean contingency. Together, these forces far exceed the firepower of North Korea’s armed forces and represent a powerful deterrent not just against Pyongyang but any potential adversary in the region. The first U.S. forces that would be involved in a North-South Korean conflict are those currently based in South Korea. On the ground, the U.S. Army rotates a... more »
Lincolnshire Green!
By Paul Homewood h/t stewgreen The latest electric car technology is being trialled in Lincolnshire as part of a drive by the police and crime commissioner to create the “greenest” police force in the UK. PCC Marc Jones has already instigated a project to change lighting at Lincolnshire Police headquarters to […]
Trump's EPA may be working to find a way to green light the Pebble Mine. Have I told you how much I dislike the people in this administration?
Courtesy of CNN: *Within hours of meeting with a mining company CEO, the new head of the US Environmental Protection Agency directed his staff to withdraw a plan to protect the watershed of Bristol Bay, Alaska, one of the most valuable wild salmon fisheries on Earth, according to interviews and government emails obtained by CNN. * *The meeting between EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt and Tom Collier, CEO of Pebble Limited Partnership, took place on May 1, Collier and his staff confirmed in an interview with CNN. At 10:36 a.m. that same day, the EPA's acting general counsel, Kevin M... more »
Rooted
By Cathy Jameson Ronan chipped a tooth a few months ago. Thankfully, it didn’t cause him any pain that I could see. But because he can’t tell me verbally if it bothered him, I called the dentist to see if...
All world's Bitcoins belong to the government of China
*Nationalized Chinese miners will turn the government into the sole decision maker* In recent days, lots of adult men commented on the stupidity of the "Bitcoin economy" – JP Morgan boss Jamie Damon, biggest hedge fund founder Ray Dalio, ECB vice-president Vitor Constancio, and many other big shots. They pointed out it's a bubble, a tulip mania, a pure speculation, the actual value of the Bitcoins is zero – and independent of the intellectual worth of the blockchain ideas, and it's not a currency because you can't buy anything for it (especially tomorrow or later for prices you coul... more »
Sunday morning music
Let's have another classical interlude. How about Vivaldi's Concerto for Flute in G Minor, RV 435? It's a short work, part of a set of six flute concertos, Opus 10, published in about 1728. James Galway is the soloist. Baroque music always relaxes me. It's usually less flamboyant than later developments, designed to fill in the background rather than reach out and grab one by the throat and demand attention. This is a good example. Peter
The Obligatory Mind Uploading Blockchain Crossover
In 2017, the world lost its collective bananas over Bitcoin and its supporting technology, blockchains, aka distributed hashed transaction ledgers (a mouthful that simply means a history of transactions that can’t be altered, thus enabling verification of any historical inquiries). As blockchain mania swept the summer headlines, briefly eclipsed by an actual bonafide eclipse (one of the seminal spiritual moments of the author’s life), everyone started connecting blockchains to everything. In addition to Bitcoin’s application of blockchains to digital currency, blockchains have r... more »
BREAKING: Russia calls Trump’s bluff – Lavrov says US afraid of attacking North Korea
Lavrov cited the model of mutually assured destruction, which ultimately prevented nuclear conflict during the Cold War era. More The post BREAKING: Russia calls Trump’s bluff – Lavrov says US afraid of attacking North Korea appeared first on The Duran.
Nathaniel Branden: Why I Am A Neo-Objectivist
Nathaniel Branden, in his *Power of Self Esteem* lecture, suggests that he prefers to call himself a Neo-Objectivist because his past experience with Objectivism has made him aware of the flaws in Objectivist ethics. He remarks (in a dismissive manner) that the general Objectivist environment has always been plagued with moral problems, and therefore a Neo-Objectivist ethics is needed to inspire rational, moral and life-serving behavior. Here’s an excerpt from his lecture (*Power of Self Esteem*, Episode I): I prefer to call myself a Neo-Objectivist, “because having had considerabl... more »
rotd: thank you celina caesar-chavannes for speaking out on body-shaming
Today's Revolutionary Thought of the Day is very unusual, in that it belongs to a member of government. This thought should not be revolutionary. It should not even need to be uttered. Nevertheless, it is and it does. It has come to my attention that there are young girls here in Canada and other parts of the world who are removed from school or shamed because of their hairstyle. Mr. Speaker, body-shaming of any woman in any form from the top of her head to the soles of her feet is wrong. Irrespective of her hairstyle, the size of her thighs, the size of her hips, the size of her ... more »
Gryphen posts a somewhat negative article about autonomous cars.
Courtesy of The Guardian: *Driverless vehicles could build a “gold mine” of personal data for private companies and would make it easier for them to target people as consumers, an Australian law professor has warned. * *Des Butler, of the Queensland University of Technology, said the privacy risks involved in driverless vehicles were a “sleeper issue” that regulators were yet to fully consider, even though car manufacturers say the technology could be on roads in Australia by 2020. * *“These vehicles will know where you like to frequent, which businesses, and may very well build a... more »
Doom and Gloom (Sunday Sermonette)
*The World Should Have Ended* Religious scholars predicted the end of the world yesterday. Since you're reading this blog, they were wrong. However, 'your' world can end at ANY TIME. *Repent now*. (how's that for a sermonette?) Even under the Sword of Damocles it's difficult to get through life. *Hep A* There are two epidemics of hepatitis A in Southern California that I'm aware of. One exists in the hobo jungle on the borders of the Cities of Orange and Anaheim, near Angel Stadium. This is a place where the city fathers handed out tents to vagrants and suggested that they set up... more »
"Three Nights in Philly"
*"Three Nights in Philly"* By Joe Bageant "A fellow expatriate told me recently when I left Belize, Central America, which I now consider my home: "America is a sticky place, Joe, hard to get out of again, even from a short visit. The everyday money and business stuff alone will trap you like flypaper." And that keeps ringing in my head during this current return to sell my house and fulfill my promotional obligations for the book I just published here. Which could take months. But it's sticky in other ways too, some of them rooted in the hearts of its working class people. Last we...more »
"What's the Significance of Life? Who Are We?"
*"What's the Significance of Life? Who Are We?" * by Meanings of Life "Is human life just a dream, from which we never really awake, as some great thinkers claim? Are we submerged by our feelings, by our loves and hates, by our ideas of good, bad, beautiful, awful? Are we incapable of knowing beyond those ideas and feelings? Listen to Shakespeare and Joseph Conrad: ‧ *"We are such stuffAs dreams are made on, and our little lifeIs rounded with a sleep…"* William Shakespeare, "The Tempest" *"A man that is born falls into a dream like a man who falls into the sea."* Joseph Conrad, ... more »
"Meanwhile, On Mars..."
*Click image for larger size.* “This is image of the Red Planet, snapped by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows blue sand dunes covering part of the Rabe crater, a 100-kilometre-diameter impact site in the planet's southern highlands. The dunes are an accumulation of basalt sands from the crater's floor, sculpted by Martian winds. This granular image reveals the thumbprint-like texture of the ridges, troughs and ripples formed there.” - http://www.dailygalaxy.com/ Blue sand dunes? Looks like water to me... what do you see?
First French soldier killed in Syria
BEIRUT, LEBANON (9:20 A.M.) – The French regime admitted this weekend that their forces suffered their first casualty in the Iraqi-Syrian theater, despite claiming they have no official units on the ground. In a statement issued by Élysée Palace on Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron said that that an “adjutant of the 13th Parachute Dragoon […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Turkish troops will remain in Syria, Iraq for another year
The Turkish parliament on Saturday approved a motion to extend a mandate, authorizing military operations in Syria and Iraq for one year, in the light of a scheduled referendum on the independence of Iraqi Kurdistan, which Ankara strongly opposes, according to the voting results. The parliament held an extraordinary session to decide on the mandate, […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
NYT writes about Silicon Valley's anti-feminists
Nellie Bowles is a reporter located in San Francisco who covers the Silicon Valley's culture for the New York Times. It seems to me that she has displayed not just some journalistic integrity but also courage when she wrote an insightful article Push for Gender Equality in Tech? Some Men Say It’s Gone Too Far (NYT) on Saturday. James Damore became the mascot for that article. Some comments make it clear why it could have been important for the anti-feminists to finally get a soft-spoken, in some sense delicate, boy as a representative who may collect soulmates. When someone like Lar... more »
German Government Raided and Shutdown Independent Media Site Indymedia Linksunten
Putin and German Chancellor Merkel, CC-BY Sebastian Zwez Putin and Merkel two peas in a pod? Putin was a KGB … Continue reading →
Midnight Meme Of The Day!
*-by Noah* Señor Trumpanzee takes timeout from visiting his properties and watching porn with Ted Cruz to pose for the sculptor who will make a statue of him for the Donald J. Trump Library Of Historic Tweets.
Trump tweets, Iran is “working with North Korea” in ballistic missile development
POTUS Trump claims that Iran and North Korea cooperate on ballistic missile test-fire. More The post Trump tweets, Iran is “working with North Korea” in ballistic missile development appeared first on The Duran.
NBA stars declare war on Trump. Trump fires back at NBA stars.
Millionaire NBA athletes infected with the identity politics virus. More The post NBA stars declare war on Trump. Trump fires back at NBA stars. appeared first on The Duran.
Trump lashes out at NFL player-protestors. NFL lashes out at Trump.
Trump trashes NFL player protests: Owners should say "get that son of a bitch off the field" More The post Trump lashes out at NFL player-protestors. NFL lashes out at Trump. appeared first on The Duran.
Tweets For Today
KOREA: U.S. to send aircraft carrier strike group to the peninsula next month: ministry - @YonhapNews https://t.co/jAyP5JAVeW — Conflict News (@Conflicts) September 18, 2017 U.S. bombers fly over waters east of North Korea in show of force https://t.co/ve8UZgDFgb pic.twitter.com/YwKolpdwrT — CBS News (@CBSNews) September 24, 2017 Oakland’s Bruce Maxwell first MLB player to kneel during anthem. https://t.co/Olgsd9jpRK pic.twitter.com/l794Lt9OPn — AP Sports (@AP_Sports) September 24, 2017 Only one thing to do. Break out the pool table. pic.twitter.com/mqGjklG9NW — Only In Russia (@... more »
LeBron James calls US President Trump a “bum”
Golden State Warriors reject White House invitation. More The post LeBron James calls US President Trump a “bum” appeared first on The Duran.
China Embraces 'Black Technology'
© REUTERS/ Damir Sagolj SupChina: *China’s military-industrial complex builds ‘black technology’* *The rise of China’s military-industrial complex* “Military reform” has been one of President Xi Jinping’s key messaging themes since he took the top job as general secretary of the Party in November 2012. “Reform” was one of the top 20 terms in Xi’s hour-long speech to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the founding of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on August 1 this year. We’re starting to see exactly what “reform” means: *Read more* .... *WNU Editor: *The Chinese want a DA... more »
Picture Of The Day
U.S. President Donald Trump participates in a session on reforming the United Nations. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque *WNU Editor: *The above picture is from this photo-gallery .... *Inside the U.N. General Assembly* (Reuters)
Unacceptable that the US Dept. of “Homeland Security” Waited Over a Year to Notify Election Officials in 21 States that Russian Hackers Tried to Breach Systems
On September 22, California Secretary of State Padilla wrote that “Today, my office was informed for the first time by … Continue reading →
Video footage of the Syrian Army liberating a town in east Homs
BEIRUT, LEBANON (5:55 A.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) scored another major advance in the eastern countryside of the Homs Governorate this week, as their forces liberated the town of Mushayrifah Al-Shamaliyah in the Jubb Al-Jarrah District. Units from the Syrian Army’s 5th Legion began their operation to liberate Mushayrifah Al-Shamaliyah on Thursday, following […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
In picture: US-backed forces take strategic gas plant in Deir Ezzor
BEIRUT, LEBANON (12:20 A.M.) – The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) seized the Conoco Gas Plant in the Deir Ezzor countryside this week, following a short battle with the so-called Islamic State (ISIL). Units from the SDF were able to take control of the Conoco Gas Plant, Tuesday, after an airborne operation by the US […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
CIA Acknowledges The Spy Who Saved Hamid Karzai’s Life
*Photo*: As the CIA celebrated its 70th anniversary on Monday, it gave out the Trailblazer award to Greg Vogle, a recently retired CIA officer who reportedly saved the life of Hamid Karzai in 2001. (CIA) *Washington Post:* *The CIA acknowledges the legendary spy who saved Hamid Karzai’s life — and honors him by name* Up until Monday, the CIA had never publicly released the full name of its legendary spy. Even former director George Tenet couldn’t completely identify him for his 2007 best-selling memoir, “At the Center of the Storm,” which reveals only his first name and last initia... more »
Lay Down With Trump-- Get Up With Cooties... A Less Fancy Way Of Explaining Reputational Risk
Friday evening, Eric Ebron, Detroit Lions tight end, tweeted a question: "Does anyone tell Trump to stick to politics, like they tell us to stick to sports?" Trump had been busy attacking Stephen Curry and Colin Kaepernick and the NFL. NFL Players Association’s executive director, DeMaurice Smith responded that "This union will never back down when it comes to protecting the constitutional rights of our players as well as their safety as men who compete in a game that exposes them to great risks" and this morning, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell released a statement that rebuked Señ... more »
Can America Convince China to Subdue a Nuclear North Korea?
*Amitai Etzioni* *Security, Asia* [image: U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the 72nd United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 19, 2017. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson] America should find a way to incentivize China to act, rather than try to shame or sanction it. Dealing with China is preferable to dealing with the nuclear threat of North Korea. This conclusion follows quite logically from the following points: • North Korea poses a serious threat. Michael Morrell, former acting director of the Central Intelligence Agency, stated: “I believe t... more »
Can Trump Achieve His Energy Goals?
*Tim Boersma, Henry Bartelet* *Global Governance, Americas* [image: A U.S. 100 dollar banknote and Russian 10 roubles coins are seen in this picture illustration taken in St. Petersburg, October 22, 2014. Russian stocks fell on Wednesday and the rouble resumed its decline, a day after Russia and Ukraine failed to finalize a deal on gas supplies, and ahead of a sovereign rating review by Standard and Poor's on Friday. Russian indexes had opened higher, reflecting reviving global risk appetite after Wall Street saw its largest one-day gain of the year on Tuesday. But the gain] An en... more »
The Legendary AK-47 Just Received the Tribute It Deserves
*Task and Purpose, Jared Keller* *Security, Europe* A thirty-foot tall statue of Mikhail Kalashnikov will now grace the streets of Central Moscow. Before his death in 2013, Mikhail Kalashnikov was a Russian lieutenant general and the military engineer behind the legendary AK-47. But as of Sept. 19, Kalashnikov is now a 30-foot bronze statue, brandishing a shiny replica of his ubiquitous assault rifle over the streets of central Moscow. The looming effigy is less a tribute to Kalashnikov than to the uniquely reliable killing machine he developed, according to a *Guardian* dispatch... more »
India's Navy Just Inducted Its First Conventional Submarine (In 17 Years)
*Zachary Keck* *Security, Asia* Why such a long wait? On Thursday, the* Times of India* reported that the INS* Kalvari *had been delivered to India’s Navy. The boat is the first of six in a variant on the Scorpène class of submarines that India is buying from France under an agreement reached back in 2005. That deal was reportedly for $3.75 billion and included technology transfer, with the submarines being built in Mumbai by Mazagon Dock Ltd. (MDL). Following the delivery of the submarine, MDL released a statement saying, “History was written at MDL on September 21, 2017 with t... more »
The One World War II Battle Where America Crushed Japan (and They Never Recovered)
*Warfare History Network* *History, Asia* During the Battle of Midway four Japanese aircraft carriers were destroyed, shifting the balance in the Pacific. Rarely in the history of warfare had one nation absorbed such numbing losses in so rapid a time as did the United States in the Pacific War’s first five months. The surprise Japanese assault against Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, which dragged the United States into World War II, stunned American military and political leaders. In a few short hours Japanese dive-bombers had transformed America’s leading Pacific naval bastio... more »
In 1983, North Korea Tried to Wipe Out South Korea's Government
*Sebastien Roblin* *Security, Asia* It was almost war. It is 10 AM October 9, 1983. South Korea’s President Chun Doo-hwan is in the capital of Burma on a state visit. It is no secret his military government is struggling. The Republic of Korea may be growing more prosperous year after year, but its citizens grow ever more impatient with the repression used to hold it together. Chun is known as the Butcher of Gwangju for dispatching the army in 1980 to kill hundreds of democracy activists immediately prior to his assuming office. There is tragedy to contend with as well; the mont... more »
The U.S. And NATO Assess Russia's Latest Military Exercises
President Vladimir Putin seen while surveying the Russia and Belarus Union State armed forces activities at the main stage of the joint strategic exercises "Zapad-2017" on the Luzhsky range, September 18, 2017. © Sputnik *Washington Post:* *Russia held a big military exercise this week. Here’s why the U.S. is paying attention.* VILNIUS, Lithuania — The vast Russian military exercises that ended this week showed off a muscular fighting force practicing state-on-state warfare, NATO’s deputy military commander said, in one of the first assessments of a large-scale operation that put ... more »
President Trump: Iran 'Working With North Korea'
Iran just test-fired a Ballistic Missile capable of reaching Israel.They are also working with North Korea.Not much of an agreement we have! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23, 2017 *FOX News:** Trump says Iran 'working with North Korea' after ballistic missile test* President Trump accused Iran of collaborating with North Korea to strengthen their missile technology Saturday evening in a Twitter post criticizing the 2015 nuclear agreement between the U.S., Iran and five other nations. "Iran just test-fired a Ballistic Missile capable of reaching Israel," Trump wr... more »
Big Mountain -- Elders Now Silent as Drilling Begins
Big Mountain - Elders Now Silent as Drilling Begins Big Mountain Dineh Kept Land Pristine an Extra 40 Years, Now the End Written by Bahe Y. Katenay, September 2017 Sheep Dog Nation Rocks "Seven new drill sites for water, at the heart of Big Mountain, might now set the stage for what is to come, the final phase of the energy wars, the Four Corners National Sacrifice Area, and the
UW-Madison Student Video Depicts Black Students Beheading “Pig” Cops
[image: uw-madison-student-video-depicts-black-students-beheading-pig-cops] A video produced by a University of Wisconsin-Madison student showing black students beheading police officers wearing pig masks is a prime example of the double standards and hypocrisy of the Left. While the video has drawn fire, neither the university nor the university police have demanded that it be taken down and no disciplinary action has been taken against the students involved.
Musical Interlude: Deuter, “Black Velvet Flirt”
Deuter, “Black Velvet Flirt” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qWFCocIfXI
"A Look to the Heavens"
“A conjunction of comets is captured in this pretty star field from the morning of September 17. Discovered in July by a robotic sky survey searching for supernovae, comet C/2017 O1 ASASSN is at the lower left. The visible greenish glow of its coma is produced by the fluorescence of diatomic carbon molecules in sunlight. Nearing its closest approach to the Sun, the binocular comet was only about 7.2 light-minutes from Earth. *Click image for larger size.* In the same telescopic field of view is the long-tailed, outbound comet C/2015 ER61 PanSTARRS at the upper right, almost 14 light-... more »
Edward Abbey, "Benedicto"
*"Benedicto"* “May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. May your rivers flow without end, meandering through pastoral valleys tinkling with bells, past temples and castles and poets' towers into a dark primeval forest where tigers belch and monkeys howl, through miasmal and mysterious swamps and down into a desert of red rock, blue mesas, domes and pinnacles and grottos of endless stone, and down again into a deep vast ancient unknown chasm where bars of sunlight blaze on profiled ... more »
The Poet: Matthew Arnold, "Growing Old"
*"Growing Old"* "What is it to grow old? Is it to lose the glory of the form, The lustre of the eye? Is it for beauty to forego her wreath? Yes, but not for this alone. Is it to feel our strength - Not our bloom only, but our strength - decay? Is it to feel each limb Grow stiffer, every function less exact, Each nerve more weakly strung? Yes, this, and more! but not, Ah, 'tis not what in youth we dreamed 'twould be! 'Tis not to have our life Mellowed and softened as with sunset-glow, A golden day's decline! 'Tis not to see the world As from a height, with rapt prophetic eyes, And heart...more »
Chet Raymo, “The Radiance Of What Is”
*“The Radiance Of What Is”* by Chet Raymo “In the summer of 1936, as I nestled snug in my mother's womb, Fortune magazine sent the young writer James Agee and the photographer Walker Evans to rural Alabama to report on how the Great Depression was affecting the poorest of the poor. For eight weeks they lived with three impoverished sharecropper families. (Pictured below is the family of Bud Fields. Click to enlarge.) Their combined work never appeared in Fortune, but it was published as a book- “Let Us Now Praise Famous Men”- in 1941. The book was not an immediate success, but dec... more »
When Pigs Fly
From HIVE at Vanity Fair: Way back in 2009, when fiscal austerity was still in vogue, Congressman Tom Price was among the most hawkish lawmakers on the issue of government spending. “This is just another example of fiscal irresponsibility run amok,” he cried on … Continue reading →
Where Are The World's Nuclear Weapons?
*Sam Petulla, CNN:* *Where are the world's nuclear weapons?* (CNN)Nine nuclear-capable states exist in the world, but only eight of them -- all but North Korea -- are believed by experts to have weapons mature and developed enough to be readily incorporated into the arsenals of their armed forces. That is, of course, a rapidly developing situation. A North Korean official threatened this week that his country would test a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific Ocean after President Donald Trump called North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "rocket man" and the North Korean shot back that Trump ... more »
How The Politics Of Healthcare Have Made Dean Heller Unelectable In Nevada
Dean Heller is a squishy mainstreamish Republican senator from Nevada. He was appointed to the seat by Republican Governor Brian Sandoval in 2011 when corrupt Republican John Ensign was forced to resign. Before getting into politics, Heller was a stock broker. In 2012 he was challenged by a corrupt New Dem, Shelley Berkley and managed to beat her 457,656 (45.87%) to 446,080 (44.71%)-- an 11,576 vote margin (against an incredibly weak and unattractive candidate who many Democrats just couldn't persuade themselves to vote for). This cycle, Heller is a dead dog. He has a Trumpist op... more »
Donald Trump Doesn’t Salute the Flag?
An image of Donald Trump not placing his hand over his heart during the playing of the U.S. national anthem doesn't reflect reality.
James Clapper states publicly that intelligence community assessment of Russian interference serves to cast doubt on the legitimacy of Trump's victory.
Courtesy of Crooks and Liars: *On CNN last night, Erin Burnett questioned former Defense Intelligence Agency director James Clapper about Russian interference in the election. * *She asked him about Trump's reaction to those intelligence briefings. * *"When we briefed him, if you're speak of the briefing on the 6th of January, he was very curious, complimentary and he did listen," Clapper said. * *"And frankly, the evidence that we provided in detail --which of course we couldn't expose publicly-- was pretty overwhelming. It's why we had such a high confidence level in what we sai... more »
Russia Threatens To Fire Back On U.S. Proxies, Special Forces If Fired On Again
By Brandon Turbeville Even after the apparent cooling of tensions between Russia and the United States in Syria, it seems that the potential for direct... more »
To “Help” Residents Repair Homes After Irma, Gov’t Gave Out Code Violations for Damaged Property
By Matt Agorist When all logic and reason is devoid of a decision — as in many decisions made by the State — authorities often... more »
Middle Finger Symphony Theater
** No Tuxedos Required ** *Brought To You By BLUESJUNKY: Honorary Chair of Music - Middle Finger Symphony Music Director*
Politics In American Sports
Roger Goodell of NFL just put out a statement trying to justify the total disrespect certain players show to our country.Tell them to stand! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23, 2017 If a player wants the privilege of making millions of dollars in the NFL,or other leagues, he or she should not be allowed to disrespect.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23, 2017 ...our Great American Flag (or Country) and should stand for the National Anthem. If not, YOU'RE FIRED. Find something else to do! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23, 2017 *CNN:... more »
Palestinians call for the end of Abbas and the Palestinian Authority
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (12:40 A.M)- A recent pole suggests that the Palestinian people across the occupied territories have overwhelmingly decided that the current Palestinian president must step down. The new pole which was conducted by the Palestinian centre for Policy and Survey research (PSR) suggested that 67% of Palestinians across the West Bank and Gaza Strip […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Breaking: Yemeni forces fire missile at King Khaled Airbase in Saudi Arabia
BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:55 P.M.) – Minutes ago, the Yemeni Army’s rocket battalion fired a long range missile towards the King Khaled Military Airport in the southwestern countryside of Saudi Arabia. According to Yemeni media activists, the rocket battalion fired a Qaher-2M ballistic missile at the King Khaled Military Airport, which is located near the Khamis […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Full report of the Syrian Army’s Deir Ezzor operations: September 2017
BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:20 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has made remarkable progress in the Deir Ezzor Governorate over the last three weeks, liberating a large portion of the province from the so-called Islamic State. In particular, the Syrian Arab Army’s field operations between the dates of September 10-23 have yielded the largest gains […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Donald Trump’s speech was the second most insulting at the General Assembly: Here’s the first
India's Minister for External Affairs delivered a plethora of insults against Pakistan that were a textbook example of un-diplomatic language. More The post Donald Trump’s speech was the second most insulting at the General Assembly: Here’s the first appeared first on The Duran.
Pakistan PM Abbasi puts up brave face at UN but will it matter in reality?
Pakistan PM Abbasi puts up brave face at UN but will it matter in the reality? More The post Pakistan PM Abbasi puts up brave face at UN but will it matter in reality? appeared first on The Duran.
NFL, NBA, MLB ordered by Trump to fire all employees who protest, Teams said “NO”
And man is it ever got the WingNuts screaming. tRump told everybody it’s an affront to the soldiers. This from a man who was a Draft Dodger and War Profiteer (what does anybody expect? He’s a thief and the Military Industrial Complex has huge piles of unguarded taxpayer money laying around) and so was his […]
Germany Election So Far Unaffected by ‘Fake News’
Facebook took action against "thousands of fake accounts" and partnered with German authorities in the days leading up to its 2017 federal election.
A North Korean War Would Disrupt A Third Of The World's Seaborne Trade Of Oil
PetroChina’s plant in Dalian, Liaoning province. China is the second largest consumer and importer of crude oil in the world. Photo: Reuters *Edouard Morton, South China Morning Post*: *What happens to Chinese oil if US-North Korea war erupts?* With tensions between Trump and Kim spiralling, analysis finds a third of seaborne oil trade would be jeopardised by conflict – and China has more at stake than either South Korea or Japan. More than half of China’s crude oil production and up to a third of global seaborne trade of the commodity could be thrown into jeopardy if a conflict b... more »
Philippines Secretary of Foreign Affairs delivers philosophical message to United Nations
The speech covered both the approach and effects of true peace, human dignity and human rights. More The post Philippines Secretary of Foreign Affairs delivers philosophical message to United Nations appeared first on The Duran.
Therapy dog mistaken for "wolf" shot to death by cruel hunter
A therapy dog that worked with people with autism and PTSD was shot to death by a hunter who mistakenly believed the pet was a wolf. Valeria Calderoni, founder of Canine Valley rehabilitation centre in Squamish, B.C. says Kaoru was shot at point blank range while she was out with a trainer and nine dogs on their regular Monday morning hike north of the city. They were putting leashes back onto the dogs when she heard a bang so loud that she instinctually crouched down. That's when she saw her four-year-old pup had been hit by a bullet, just three metres away from her. The distraug... more »
Nibiru is Coming
This is the end, beautiful friend. This is the end, my only friend, the end. There are one of two ways you could be reading this. Deciphered and translated from a charred server drifting among splintered asteroids some millions of years after these words were written. Or as per normal via your favoured internet-enabled device. As 23rd September draws to a close there's nary a rogue planet in sight (let alone the earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that would occasion its approach, though I'll grant you the severe weather ...). Yes, Nibiru, the fabled phantom planet be... more »
China Cuts Off North Korea's Oil Supplies
*The Independent*:* China cuts off North Korea's oil supply as sweeping sanctions kick in* *Petrol prices in Pyongyang have increased by around 20 per cent in the last two months* China has unveiled its plans to restrict oil and other energy supplies to North Korea, as part of UN-led efforts to halt Pyongyang's nuclear and missile development. China’s Commerce Ministry announced on Saturday that exports of refined petroleum to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) will be restricted to 2 million barrels per annum, which comes into effect on 1 October. Although... more »
A pep talk from Barack Obama.
Courtesy of CNBC: *When the going gets rough, a pep talk from former president Barack Obama may come in handy.* *A day after president Donald Trump's downcast speech on terrorism and political adversaries during the U.N. General Assembly (UNGA), Obama discussed the power of optimism at the inaugural Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's "Goalkeepers" event.* ....... *"Your response has to be to reject cynicism and reject pessimism and push forward, with a certain infectious and relentless optimism," he says. "Not blind optimism, not one that ignores the scale and scope of our challe... more »
More Threats From North Korea
*Reuters:* *North Korea says rockets to U.S. 'inevitable' as U.S. bombers fly off North Korean coast* UNITED NATIONS/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korea said on Saturday targeting the U.S. mainland with its rockets was inevitable after “Mr. Evil President” Donald Trump called Pyongyang’s leader “rocket man”, further escalating rhetoric over the North’s nuclear weapons and missile programs. North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho’s remarks to the United Nations General Assembly came hours after U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers escorted by fighters flew in international airspace o... more »
North Korea warns “mentally deranged” Trump that rockets will inevitably visit the US mainland (FULL VIDEO)
North Korea and the US continue their war of words which could lead to a military engagement. More The post North Korea warns “mentally deranged” Trump that rockets will inevitably visit the US mainland (FULL VIDEO) appeared first on The Duran.
Why We Must Raise Taxes on Corporations and the Wealthy, Not Lower Them
When Barack Obama was president, congressional Republicans were deficit hawks. They opposed almost... more »
The DCCC Fully Embraced A More Conservative Democratic Party-- Partners With The Blue Dogs
Earlier today we compared the worst of the Republicans to the worst of the Democrats-- and came to the conclusion that the worst Republicans are worse than the worst Democrats. But that doesn't make the worst Democrats-- the New Dems and Blue Dogs from the Republican wing of the Democratic Party-- any less repellent than there records show them to be. A couple of words before about the Republican wing of the Democratic Party first. The Blue Dogs and the New Dems are actual organizations, with members dues, admission processes, charters, officers, etc. They are *not* some words to ... more »
"The Essential Thing..."
"The most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well." - Pierre de Courbertin
The Daily "Near You?"
Longview, Texas, USA. Thanks for stopping by!
"O Brave New World..."
"How many goodly creatures are there here! How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world, That has such people in't." - William Shakespeare, "The Tempest" And then reality sets in...
“The ‘Social Contract’ Is a Fraud”
*“The ‘Social Contract’ Is a Fraud”* by Bill Bonner “There are many theories to explain government. Most are nothing but scams, justifications and puffery. One tries to put something over on the common man, the other claims it was for his own good, and the third pretends that he'd be lost without it. Most are not really "theories" at all but prescriptions, blueprints for creating the kind of government the "theorist" would like to have. Not surprisingly, the blueprints flatter his intellect and engage his imagination. The "social contract," for example, is a fraud. You can't have ... more »
"The Sandcastle"
*"The Sandcastle"* By Jeff Thomas "The decline from democracy to tyranny is both a natural and inevitable one. That’s not a pleasant thought to have to consider, but it’s a fact, nonetheless. In every case, a democracy will deteriorate as the result of the electorate accepting the loss of freedom in trade for largesse from their government. This process may be fascism, socialism, communism or a basket of “isms,” but tyranny is the inevitable endgame of democracy. Like the destruction of a sandcastle by the incoming tide, it requires time to transpire, but in time, the democracy, li... more »
New Magazine Focuses on Research at HBCUs
Developed with the stories of the HBCU community in mind, a new magazine will share the innovative and inspiring work of scientists at historically Black colleges and universities across the nation. Celebrating the launch at the Newseum in the nation’s capital during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s annual conference, HBCU Research magazine made its debut. […]
The First Drone Strike Was In 1944, And It Was Against The Japanese
*Popular Mechanics:* *The Forgotten Drone of WWII* *The TDR-1 was decades ahead of its time.* Conventional wisdom has that the proliferation of American remote-controlled warfare is a product of the post-9/11 era. While it's true that Predator and Reaper drones capable of dropping laser or satellite guided bombs have come into their own in that time, America's first drone bombers took to the skies much earlier than that—in 1944 to be precise. In the early years of World War II, desperate for any technological advantage it could use on the battlefield, the U.S. military funded all ... more »
Syria reserves right to respond any violation to territorial unity of country
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem stated in his address to UN General Assembly that the country reserves the right to respond to any violation of its territorial unity. De-escalation Zones He also underlined that creation of de-escalation zones in Syria is a temporary measure. “Notwithstanding its commitment to the memorandum on the ‘de-escalation zones,’ Syria […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
Russian frigate involved in Deir ez-Zor battle returns home
BEIRUT, LEBANON (9:20 P.M.) – The Russian frigate of the Black Sea Fleet, Admiral Essen, returned home to Sevastopol on Friday after performing combat missions in the battle against the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS, ISIL) in Deir ez-Zor. On September 5, the battleship fired caliber missiles to fall on positions of IS fighters […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
VIDEO: Syrian Army troops in south Raqqa meet up with Deir Ezzor forces
BEIRUT, LEBANON (7:30 P.M.) – Footage was released today showing two contingents of Syrian Arab Army forces – one from southeast Raqqa and another pushing the north from Deir Ezzor – linking up near the administrative border between the two provinces. Today, the Syrian Army, led by the elite Tiger Forces, expelled ISIS completely from […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز
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