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Thomas Paine

To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.

Sunday, December 10, 2017

9 December - Blogs I'm Following 2 of 2

11:48 pm MST

U.S. Military Issues Threat To Russia That They Will Shoot Down Their Aircraft If Seen As A Threat To U.S. Forces In Syria

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 13 hours ago
*CNN:* *US concerned Russian aircraft behavior could spark clash over Syria * Amid what it sees as an increase in unsafe behavior by the Russian military, the US military is concerned it might have to shoot down a Russian aircraft over Syria if the Russian plane is seen as a threat to US or coalition forces fighting ISIS. "The greatest concern is that we could shoot down a Russian aircraft because its actions are seen as a threat to our air or ground forces," said Lt. Col. Damien Pickart, the spokesman for US Air Forces Central Command. "As coalition leaders have repeatedly said, ... more »

Sexual harassment is much worse in the Third World

Peter at Bayou Renaissance Man - 13 hours ago
Amid all the brouhaha about sexual harassment in the United States, don't forget that it's much, much worse in the Third World. A recent article in the Los Angeles Times, about women in Lesotho (where I lived for most of a year), highlights the problem. The epidemic of sexual violence against women in Lesotho, a nation of 2.2 million people, is arguably the worst in the world. But it is rarely reported. I spent three weeks in the country, dodging unwanted advances and hearing stories of frequent, unpunished sexual assaults. It was the most threatening environment for women that I... more »

Earlier this year FBI officials sat down with Hope Hicks to warn her that Russian operatives were trying to make contact with her.

Gryphen at The Immoral Minority - 13 hours ago
Courtesy of the New York Times: *F.B.I. officials warned one of President Trump’s top advisers, Hope Hicks, earlier this year about repeated attempts by Russian operatives to make contact with her during the presidential transition, according to people familiar with the events. * *The Russian outreach efforts show that, even after American intelligence agencies publicly accused Moscow of trying to influence the outcome of last year’s presidential election, Russian operatives were undaunted in their efforts to establish contacts with Mr. Trump’s advisers.* *After he took office, ... more »

The Guardian Tries To Summarize The Current State Of Where Are We In The 'Russia-Gate' Probe

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 13 hours ago
*The Guardian:* *Trump-Russia investigation* *The key questions answered* Everything you need to know about the inquiry into Russian hacking, alleged collusion and Donald Trump, plus the latest news. Bigger than Watergate? Or a transparent sham? Whatever else it may be, the story of Donald Trump and Russia comes down to this: a sitting president or his campaign is suspected of having coordinated with a foreign country behind the scenes of the election that put him in office. Trump strongly denies all wrongdoing and calls the inquiry a “witch-hunt”. But prosecutors see red flags ev... more »

Musical Interlude: 2002, "Starwalkers"

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 13 hours ago
2002, "Starwalkers" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SovcBYRFIxw

"How It Really Is"

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 13 hours ago

"What You Know For Sure...

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 13 hours ago
"Consider a turkey that is fed every day. Every single feeding will firm up the bird's belief that it is the general rule of life to be fed every day by friendly members of the human race 'looking out for its best interests,' as a politician would say. On the afternoon of the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, something unexpected will happen to the turkey. It will incur a revision of belief." - Nassim Taleb *"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. * *It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." * - Mark Twain

X22 Report, “The Physical Economy Is Deteriorating At An Accelerated Pace, It Will Not End Well"

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 13 hours ago
X22 Report, “The Physical Economy Is Deteriorating At An Accelerated Pace, It Will Not End Well" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXeZZi_FLs0

"America Is 'Walking Into Armageddon'"

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 13 hours ago
*"America Is 'Walking Into Armageddon'"* by Paul Craig Roberts "The orchestrated hostility toward Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea protects the $1,000 billion annual budget of the military/security complex by convincing the American public that the US is threatened by enemies. It also keeps alive Democratic Party hopes that Trump can be removed from office, and it has prevented President Trump from normalizing relations with Russia. I have emphasized for some time that Washington’s gratuitous and aggressive actions against Russia and the constant barrage of false accusations ag... more »

Julian Assange Calls Out CBS Lies, Offers The ‘Oligarchs’ $100K if They Can Prove Their Claim

The Free Thought Project at The Free Thought Project - 13 hours ago
[image: assange]Showing how big of a lie CBS News was pushing, Julian Assange has offered them $100,000 to show any evidence of their alleged WikiLeaks aided Trump.

Teen Accuses X-Men Director of Luring Him with Movie Role, Making Him a Sex Slave

Rachel Blevins at The Free Thought Project - 13 hours ago
[image: x-men]A man is accusing X-Men franchise director Bryan Singer of forcing him to be a sex slave while promising him a movie role, when he was a teenager.

Natural Blood Thinner Nattokinase

thedrswolfson at The Drs. Wolfson - 13 hours ago
Nattokinase is a powerful enzyme that has fibrinolytic health benefits. That’s right. It is a clot-bluster! Back in the 1980’s if you were suffering from a heart attack, the only option to open the blocked vessel was the clot-buster, streptokinase. Angioplasty and stents weren’t available. Streptokinase intravenous worked well. Sometimes too well, leading to severe […] The post Natural Blood Thinner Nattokinase appeared first on The Drs. Wolfson.

listening to joni: footnote #2

laura k at wmtc - 14 hours ago
I decided to solve the problem of over-interpretation of lyrics in *Reckless Daughter* (described here) by putting down the book. I'll go back to it in the future. For now the listening project is more interesting and absorbing to me than reading the biography. This means I'll review the two books on the nonfiction book group blog without having finished the second book. Don't tell anyone. Then I'll write new reviews for wmtc. Next up: *Ladies of the Canyon*.

Cop Road Rages on Amputee Vet for Honking At Him, Steals His Car, Leaves Him Stranded on Road

Matt Agorist at The Free Thought Project - 14 hours ago
[image: raod]After he honked at a police officer, the cop pulled him over, impounded his truck and left this veteran amputee stranded on the side of the road.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller's 'Right-Hand Man' Appears To Have Deep Ties To The Democratic Party

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 14 hours ago
*Photo: *Aaron Zebley (WilmerHale) *PJ Media*: *Mueller's 'Right-Hand Man' on Russia Probe Represented Clinton IT Aide Who Set Up Unsecure Server* Yet another key member of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe appears to have deep ties to the Democratic Party. Aaron Zebley served previously as Mueller’s chief of staff at the FBI and as a senior counselor in the National Security Division at the Department of Justice. He also served as an assistant U.S. attorney in the National Security and Terrorism Unit in Alexandria, Virginia. He is often referred to in the media as Mue... more »

CONFIRMED: US will have no future role in Peace Process – Palestinian Foreign Minister

Adam Garrie at The Duran - 14 hours ago
Palestine is pivoting away from the US. More The post CONFIRMED: US will have no future role in Peace Process – Palestinian Foreign Minister appeared first on The Duran.

My Al Franken Mind-Split

Karen Garcia at Sardonicky - 14 hours ago
I am uncomfortably on the fence regarding the Al Franken resignation. The feminist part of me applauds his forcing-out at the hands of female senators. Maybe he posed for that dumb picture with a fellow entertainer for what he sincerely thought were harmless entertainment reasons. Nonetheless, the image did send a harmful message to immature males everywhere. That message is that women are objects of harmless fun, particularly women who are unconscious and helpless. So perhaps Franken's forced ouster will send its own message to immature men of all ages: Better think twice before pl... more »

"All Is Not Lost..."

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 14 hours ago
"If you can't answer a man's arguments, all is not lost; you can still call him vile names." - Elbert Hubbard

Top SDF tribal commander denies defecting to Syrian Army in Deir Ezzor

BEIRUT, LEBANON (5:20 P.M.) – The leader of the Al-Bakara Tribe that is loyal to the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) appeared on a video, Saturday, denying he defected to the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in the Deir Ezzor Governorate. Pro-government pages alleged on Friday that the Al-Bakara tribal commander, Yasser Al-Dayheh, defected to the […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Thousands mourn Palestinian man killed by Israeli forces – video

BEIRUT, LEBANON (5:00 P.M.) – Thousands of mourners gathered to pay their final respects to Mahmoud al-Masri in Khan Younis, Saturday. Footage captured a dramatic procession at which mourners fired weapons into the air as they marched through the city streets carrying aloft the dead body. The 30-year-old Mahmoud al-Masri was killed on Friday by […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

IRGC, Syrian Army take battle to ISIS in west Deir Ezzor

BEIRUT, LEBANON (4:50 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and their allies from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Hashd Al-Sha’abi, and Hezbollah have shifted their attention to the Islamic State’s (ISIS) last major pocket in Syria. With ISIS confined to nearly 7,000 square kilometers of desert terrain, the Syrian Army’s 5th Legion and […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Putin tells Saudi Arabia to buy Russian gas to spare oil – video

BEIRUT, LEBANON (4:40 P.M.) – Russian President Vladimir Putin invited Saudi Arabia’s energy minister Khalid al-Falih to buy Russia’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) in order to “spare” Saudi oil, on Friday. The Russian leader was speaking from the Yamal LNG plant in the Arctic port of Sabetta, Yamalo-Nenets district, where he carried out an inspection […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Iraqi Shiite commander filmed overlooking Israeli border from Lebanon

BEIRUT, LEBANON (4:25 P.M.) – One of the commanders of Hashd Al-Sha’abi’s (Iraqi paramilitary) Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haq was reportedly filmed in southern Lebanon recently, overlooking the Israeli border-towns of Metualla and Kiryat Shemona from a Hezbollah military post. The prominent Shiite paramilitary commander, Qais Al-Khaz’ali, was filmed touring the Lebanese-Israeli border during his visit to […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Breaking: Syrian Army enters Idlib amid massive offensive

BEIRUT, LEBANON (4:15 P.M.) – Forces of the Syrian Arab Army and allied paramilitaries have entered into the province of Idlib in northwest Syria following a powerful offensive sweep that begun earlier today. Moments ago, reports came in that Syrian pro-government forces – led by the Syrian Army and supported by Russian airpower – entered […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Iraq has been fully liberated from ISIS

BEIRUT, LEBANON (4:05 P.M.) – Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-‘Abadi announced on Saturday afternoon that his nation has been freed from the Islamic State (IS). In a swift operation that covered over 13,000 square kilometers, the Iraqi Armed Forces managed to rip through the Islamic State’s last defenses and liberate their entire border with Syria. […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Reports of Saudi FM’s firing appear unfounded

BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:25 P.M.) – Reports began to surface on Friday that ‘Adel Al-Jubeir was removed from his role as Saudi Foreign Minister and replaced by the brother of the Crown Mohammad bin Salman. However, it appears the sources behind the claims were spreading false rumors. The initial report was released by a news site […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Russian MoD slams US claims of Syrian airspace belonging to them

The Russian Defense Ministry has called the presence of the US air force in Syria illegal. “An American F-22 fighter actively prevented the Russian pair of Su-25 attack aircraft from carrying out a combat mission to destroy the Daesh stronghold in the suburbs of the city of Mayadin in the airspace over the western bank […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Large Turkish Army convoy enters northwest Syria, heads to Kurdish frontlines

BEIRUT, LEBANON (2:30 P.M.) – Another large Turkish Army convoy has entered the northwestern countryside of Syria, pro-opposition activists reported this afternoon. According to the reports, the Turkish Army convoy consisted of nearly 20 armored vehicles and dozens of military personnel. The Turkish Army convoy entered the Kafr Losen crossing and was reported to be […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Elite Syrian Army division to officially enter Idlib offensive

BEIRUT, LEBANON (2:10 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army’s elite Tiger Forces division has officially begun leaving the Deir Ezzor Governorate for the northeastern countryside of Hama, a military source told Al-Masdar News this afternoon. According to the source, the Tiger Forces are headed to the Ma’an axis in the Hama Governorate, where they will […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Syrian Army unleashes vicious assault on important hilltop near the Golan Heights

BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:55 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) launched another powerful assault in the West Ghouta region of Damascus, today, targeting the important hilltop of Tal Maqtoul near the town of Mughar Al-Mir. Led by their elite 42nd Brigade of the 4th Mechanized Division, the Syrian Army stormed the northern part of Tal […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Breaking: ISIS forces enter Idlib, Al-Qaeda’s nightmare comes true

BEIRUT, LEBANON (2:11 P.M.) – ISIS forces operating in northwest Syria have broken through rebel lines and advanced swiftly into the province of Idlib. The event marks the first time in almost four years since the self-declared caliphate has had a presence in the region. Following a renewed offensive operation against Ha’yat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

The Real Sharing Economy: Democracy At Work

Activist Post at Activist Post - 15 hours ago
Op-Ed by Neenah Payne “Once upon a time, when Windows were holes in a room and an Application was written on paper. When a Keyboard... more »

"Fukushima Update, 12/9/2017: 15,821.85 Hiroshima Bombs Today, More Tomorrow"

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 15 hours ago
*"Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.”* - Shiva *Updated December 9, 2017: Fukushima Equals 15,821.85 Hiroshima Bombs Today, More Tomorrow; There is No Place On Earth to Escape the Rad: *The 3 melted-through cores of the destroyed reactors, now melted together into a single "corium" totaling over *600 tons*, at Fukushima *daily* release the radioactive equivalent of 6.45 Hiroshima bombs directly into the atmosphere and the Pacific Ocean. As of December 9, 2017 - 2,453 days since the disaster began - this equals the detonation of 15,821.85 Hiroshima atomic bombs and it i... more »

Rare Snow Storm Hits Deep South: Travel Warnings

Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 15 hours ago
*USA Today: Original Headline- Rare Snow Storm Hits Deep South: Travel Warnings* *Must be all that human forced global warming at work? AKA AGW. Because of all that carbon heating things up*? *Or so the official fake news narrative goes?* * Wonder why it is this unusual snowstorm with unusually cold temperatures hasn’t set off a round of global headlines?* * Doesn’t fit the agenda seems the most obvious answer.* *A winter storm shrouded the Deep South in snow and threatened more overnight as it advanced eastward.With temperatures expected to sink below freezing across much ... more »

Deep State Coup Crumbling as Trump’s Top Intelligence Official Caught Spying for George Soros

Jay Syrmopoulos at The Free Thought Project - 15 hours ago
[image: intelligence official]Trump's top intelligence official authorized spying on Steve Bannon and Trump's children—then sent the data to an intel facility owned by globalist George Soros.

WATCH: Sadistic Cop Kicks Handcuffed Man’s Face Like a Football for Having Hypothermia

Matt Agorist at The Free Thought Project - 15 hours ago
[image: kick]A man suffering from hypothermia was handcuffed by police who then threw him to the ground and proceeded to kick him in the face.

Old interview shows Roy Moore favorably comparing himself to Vladimir Putin and suggesting that America might be “the focus of evil in the modern world.”

Gryphen at The Immoral Minority - 15 hours ago
This is courtesy of a Guardian article from August of this year: *Roy Moore, the controversial former judge and a leading contender in Alabama’s Senate race, has said “maybe Putin is right” and “more akin to me than I know” given the Russian leader’s stance on gay marriage. * *Moore, who was propelled to fame in 2001 over his refusal to remove a monument to the Ten Commandments that he’d installed in state courthouse, is a leading contender to fill the vacancy left by Donald Trump’s attorney general, Jeff Sessions. * *Several polls have indicated Moore could have the edge in the R... more »

Worse Things Await

Owen Gray at Northern Reflections - 15 hours ago
Michael Harris' contempt for Justin Trudeau keeps growing. He's particularly ticked at Trudeau's response to the bonfire Trump has set in the Middle East: Issuing timorous platitudes in response to Donald Trump’s disastrous decision to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is not leadership. It’s abdication. Everyone understands the need for expediency, diplomacy and practicality in geopolitics. No government sticks its nose into another country’s affairs on a whim. But for his government to offer nothing more on Trump’s catastrophic political decision than a promise ... more »

Weekend reads: Peer review “ineffective and unworthy;” science a “profiteering enterprise;” Beall’s boss speaks

Ivan Oransky at Retraction Watch - 15 hours ago
The week at Retraction Watch featured a praiseworthy retraction by a Nobel laureate, a finding of research misconduct in a much-watched case involving fish and microplastics, and death threats against a journalist reporting on a politician’s plagiarism. Here’s what was happening elsewhere: Scientific peer review is “an ineffective and unworthy institution,” say Les Hatton and […] The post Weekend reads: Peer review “ineffective and unworthy;” science a “profiteering enterprise;” Beall’s boss speaks appeared first on Retraction Watch.

NOAA Still Falsifying Icelandic Climate History

Paul Homewood at NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT - 15 hours ago
By Paul Homewood You would be forgiven for thinking that the Iceland Met Office are probably the best people for understanding the history of their own climate. In 2008, their leading climatologist, Trausti Jonsson, wrote this article: http://en.vedur.is/climatology/articles/nr/1213 Temperature in Stykkishólmur Stykkishólmur is a village in western Iceland. The temperature (figure 1) has […]

Tell the truth....

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 15 hours ago

In Case Anyone Did Not Notice. Three Major Media Stories On Russia-Gate Crashed And Burned This Week

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 15 hours ago
We should have a contest as to which of the Networks, plus CNN and not including Fox, is the most dishonest, corrupt and/or distorted in its political coverage of your favorite President (me). They are all bad. Winner to receive the FAKE NEWS TROPHY! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2017 *Axios: **The media's Russia probe meltdown: 3 screw-ups in one week * The media is having a rough week when it comes to reporting on the federal government's multiple ongoing Russia investigations. Three stories in the past seven days have crumbled under greater scrutiny. Why it... more »

More Pentagon Reforms?

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 16 hours ago
The Pentagon is shown in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., September 11, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts *Reuters:* *Pentagon wants 12 month procurement time for major weapons programs, official* (Reuters) - The Pentagon’s acquisition chief said on Wednesday she wants to cut the time for major procurements to 12 months from an average of 2.5 years, speaking during a congressional hearing on the reorganization of the Defense Department’s procurement system. The Pentagon typically takes months and often years to make procurement decisions, especially for major weapons programs. A more rapid ... more »

Untitled

Jenna Orkin at From the Wilderness' Peak Oil Blog - 16 hours ago
From Jenna Orkin UN warns of drug-resistant germ risk brewing in nature The UN warned Tuesday of a ticking time bomb of drug-resistant germs brewing in the natural environment, aided by humans dumping antibiotics and chemicals into the water and soil. Tensions Escalate As Indian Drone Crashes In China De-Dollarization Continues: China, Iran To Eliminate Greenback From Bilateral Trade Blackwater Founder Erik Prince: Obama Put Me Under "Illegal" Surveillance and Leaked It To WaPo San Diego Continues Desperate Attempt To Control Hepatitis A Outbreak IMF Stress Tests Find $280 Billio... more »

Venezuela's Health-Care System Is Suffering Shortages Of Around 85 Percent Of Needed Drugs

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 16 hours ago
A woman walks past a fruit and vegetables stall selling medicines at a market in Rubio, Venezuela December 5, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Eduardo Ramirez *Reuters:* *Venezuela's chronic shortages give rise to 'medical flea markets'* SAN CRISTOBAL/MARACAIBO, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuela's critical medicine shortage has spurred "medical flea markets," where peddlers offer everything from antibiotics to contraceptives laid out among the traditional fruits and vegetables. The crisis-wrought Latin American nation is heaving under worsening scarcity of drugs, as well as basic foods, due to ... more »

The Unanswered Question

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 16 hours ago
First the tweet: Then the reply: And then the silence.

Donald Trump now has a war of his own

Adam Garrie at The Duran - 16 hours ago
Donald Trump used to complain about having "inherited" wars from his predecessors. Now though, he has started a war of his own. More The post Donald Trump now has a war of his own appeared first on The Duran.

KIEV: Poroshenko regime jails Saakashvili (again) as power struggle intensifies

Adam Garrie at The Duran - 16 hours ago
The neocons and neoliberals must now decide which one of their darlings to support. More The post KIEV: Poroshenko regime jails Saakashvili (again) as power struggle intensifies appeared first on The Duran.

Is The U.S. About To Target Hezbollah's Presence In Latin America?

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 16 hours ago
The aftermath of the 1994 AMIA bombing in Buenos Aires (Newspaper La Nación (Argentina/Wikipedia Commons) *Politico:* *How Trump Is Going After Hezbollah in America’s Backyard* *The pro-Iranian militant group is up to no good in Latin America—and U.S. officials are pushing back.* The Trump administration is pushing back aggressively against what the intelligence community often refers to as the “Iran Threat Network” or ITN, and as part of that campaign it is especially keen to focus on the activities of Hezbollah, the pro-Iranian Lebanese militia, in Latin America. Now, new revela... more »

This World War II Rescue in the Pacific Was One of America's Finest Hours

Warfare History Network at The National Interest - 16 hours ago
*Warfare History Network* *History, Asia* “Please express my admiration to that saga writing Cat crew. This rescue was truly one of the most remarkable feats of the war.” In the predawn darkness of Dobodura, New Guinea, 2nd Lt. William J. Smith of the U.S. Army Air Corps was roughly awakened by a noncom announcing that it was time to get dressed and get to the mess tent for breakfast. Smith had not slept well, having spent most of the night fighting mosquitoes that had managed to get inside his cot’s netting. The nervous anticipation of flying another combat mission in the mornin... more »

Russia's Handguns Are Only Built for One Thing: Tough and Bloody Wars

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 16 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, Europe* Russia’s service handguns are simple, rugged and reliable, made to be built—and used—in wartime. As the successor to the Soviet Army, the Russian Ground Forces inherited vast stocks of small arms to arm and equip a much smaller ground force. Stored in arsenals across eleven time zones were large number of sidearms for officers, vehicle crews and political commissars alike. These pistols, as well as new designs, arm today’s Russian army providing both a weapon for self-defense and a badge of authority for those wielding them. One of the earliest... more »

The American Who Paid for Israel's Nuclear Bomb

Zachary Keck at The National Interest - 16 hours ago
*Zachary Keck* *History, Middle East* A history you may not know. Although Israel doesn’t officially acknowledge it, it is well understood that the country possesses a nuclear weapon arsenal (although the exact number of warheads are in dispute). It is similarly well understood that the United States opposed Israel’s nuclear weapons program during the John F. Kennedy and, to a lesser extent, Lyndon B. Johnson administrations. One part of the history that is less well known is that much of the funding for Israel’s nuclear weapons program came from private Americans in an effort ... more »

The Tu-22M3: The Russian Bomber the World Truly Fears

Charlie Gao at The National Interest - 16 hours ago
*Charlie Gao* *Security, Europe* It seems to be everywhere. Recently, the Tu-22M3 bomber has been the face of the Russian air force all over the world. Between dropping bombs over Syria to patrolling airspace over Japan, the Tu-22M3 has also been receiving a series of upgrades. These upgrades allow for greater bombing accuracy with conventional weapons, as well as the capability to fire new Air-Launched Cruise Missiles (ALCM). One of these upgrades may change how the Tu-22M3 is controlled under the New START treaty. It may finally be considered a strategic “heavy” bomber. The s... more »

Beware, North Korea: Japan Wants New Cruise Missiles For Its F-35s and F-15s

Dave Majumdar at The National Interest - 16 hours ago
*Dave Majumdar* *Security, Asia* The addition of the new medium range air launched cruise missiles is a break with Japan’s traditional post-World War II defense policy. Japan is responding to North Korea’s ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs by adding air-launched cruise missiles to its arsenal. The country–which operates under a pacifist constitution since the end of the Second World War—is looking at buying Lockheed Martin’s stealthy 600+ nautical mile range AGM-158B Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range (JASSM-ER) and the Norwegian-developed Kongsber... more »

How The Trump Admiinstration Turned The Pentagon Loose On The Islamic State

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 16 hours ago
Lt. Col. Seth Folsom credits the cooperation between Iraqi Security Forces and the U.S-led coalition for the military defeat of ISIS in Iraq. (Courtesy U.S Army) *FOX News:* *Trump, Mattis turn military loose on ISIS, leaving terror caliphate in tatters* BAGHDAD – Hundreds of ISIS fighters had just been chased out of a northern Syrian city and were fleeing through the desert in long convoys, presenting an easy target to U.S. A-10 "warthogs." But the orders to bomb the black-clad jihadists never came, and the terrorists melted into their caliphate -- living to fight another day. Th... more »

Hysteria

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 16 hours ago
Catching up with things, I really did enjoy this week's *Start the Week*. Andrew Marr & Co. talked all things Russian, and the range of views wasn't as predictable as you might have expected... ...except perhaps for Andrew's own views! Passing by this remarkable statement... Can we start, Dominic, by talking a little bit about another aspect of Russia, which is its powerful Muslim identity? We don't often think of Russia as a Muslim country but, of course, Moscow is one of the great Muslim cities of Europe. (Dominic himself talked, more realistically, of Muslims as having a per... more »

MIT researchers have designed a “living tattoo” using genetically programmed bacteria

zedie at Someone Somewhere - 16 hours ago
MIT researchers have designed a “living tattoo” using genetically programmed bacteria http://www.sciencealert.com/3d-printed-living-tattoo-live-bacteria-stimuli-responsive-material Advertisements

Highest Levels of Aluminum in Human Brain Ever Recorded Found in Autistic Patients

zedie at Someone Somewhere - 16 hours ago
Highest Levels of Aluminum in Human Brain Ever Recorded Found in Autistic Patients http://ewao.com/2017/12/06/highest-levels-of-aluminum-in-human-brain-ever-recorded-found-in-autistic-patients/

Will The Ryan-Trump Tax Scam Determine The 2020 Election Results?

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 16 hours ago
The Pew Center's new poll came out Thursday. Top line was all about Russia-- primarily how most Americans-- though not Republicans-- now believe the Trump campaign was a den of collusion. But there was more. Trump's job approval ratings has sunk to it's lowest level yet. Having ticked down 2 points since October, "[c]rrently, 32% of the public approves of the way Trump is handling his job as president, while 63% disapprove... Currently, 76% of Republicans and Republican leaners approve of Trump’s job performance, compared with 84% who did so in February. Trump’s job approval among... more »

Hardliners

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 17 hours ago
I've heard the term "hardliners" on the lips of BBC reporters over the past couple of days or so. It has been applied to two groups of people: those Iranians who are dead against Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe and those Brexiteers who want 'a hard Brexit'. Frank Gardner is one example of a BBC reporter who has been using the term about those Iranians, and Mark Urban is one example of a BBC reporter who has been using the term about those Brexiteers. Oddly, I've never considered *either* of those to be *particularly* hardline BBC reporters themselves.

Doofus Of The Day #990

Peter at Bayou Renaissance Man - 17 hours ago
Today's award goes to a woman from Long Island, NY. Authorities say a woman arriving at a Long Island court to answer a marijuana possession summons was smoking pot when she parked her vehicle in the local police chief's spot ... [She had] been ticketed in May for unlawful possession of marijuana. Police say she was arriving for her court appearance in Northport on Monday night when she cut off an unmarked police car in the parking lot while talking on her cellphone ... she then pulled into the parking spot clearly marked as reserved for the village's police chief ... when the offi... more »

CBC Chairman Statement on White House Criticism of US Congressmen Lewis, Thompson

““It’s laughable that the White House is criticizing John Lewis and Bennie Thompson for not attending the opening of a … Continue reading →

Who cares?

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 17 hours ago
Among the plethora of BBC reports about President Trump's decision to move the US embassy to Jerusalem there's a video report headlined *Why British Jews care about Jerusalem*. Now, of course, that's not actually true (fake news!), but there* is* a video report from the BBC headlined *Why British Muslims care about Jerusalem*.

One man and his dog

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 17 hours ago
Also on last night's *BBC News at Ten*, Jeremy Bowen metaphorically wagged his finger and then, after beginning his report by saying that that US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital has led to bloodshed as predicted, ended it by saying that things were actually "quieter...than many expected". He looked somewhat deflated. Look out for poor old Saleh, standing amidst the rubble of his demolished home. A Jeremy Bowen report wouldn't be complete without someone like poor old Saleh, nor without a bit of pointed anti-Israel framing from the BBC's Middle East editor: *Newsread... more »

Fergal Keane on the DRC

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 17 hours ago
Fergal Keane Something from an earlier ITBB post It's good to see that the BBC is placing more emphasis on Africa and that Fergal Keane, their new Africa editor, is making good on his pledge to report goings-on there more fully. He's just been to the Democratic Republic of the Congo - site of the worst war (or wars) since World War Two. The BBC (though far from alone in this) never gave that conflict the coverage it deserved, preferring to focus on much less deadly conflicts instead like that between Israel and the Palestinians. Hopefully then, the BBC is now trying to get its p... more »

Trump's "fake news" meme is also popular with another group of folks, authoritarian despots.

Gryphen at The Immoral Minority - 17 hours ago
Courtesy of Politico: *Authoritarian rulers across the globe are adopting President Donald Trump’s favorite phrase to limit free speech, with prominent leaders or state media in at least 15 countries using his “fake news” line to denounce their critics, according to a POLITICO review. * *By aligning themselves with Trump’s words, despots have been able to use the U.S. president as a shield for their attacks on press freedom and human rights, said Joel Simon, executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists. * *“I’m seeing it more and more,” he said. Trump, he added, “is ... more »

Untitled

jonjayray at EDUCATION WATCH INTERNATIONAL - 18 hours ago
*Ivy League Billions: Sponsored by the American Taxpayer* *Despite cumulative endowments of $119 billion, we're still paying big for these eight elite universities* Open the Books, an organization dedicated to transparency of government spending, tracks and publishes government spending online and serves as one of the largest private databases of government spending in the world. Their motto, “Every dime. Online. In Real Time,” reflects their mission of making government spending transparent and accessible to the public. Open the Books publishes a report every quarter, focusing on... more »

Untitled

JR at GREENIE WATCH - 18 hours ago
*Vicious Greenies get respected IPCC scientist charged because he mapped glaciers as is standard, not as they wanted* A prominent geoscientist in Argentina is facing criminal charges over accusations that he manipulated a government survey of glaciers at the behest of mining interests. On 27 November, a federal judge in Buenos Aires charged Ricardo Villalba, the former director of the Argentinian Institute of Snow, Ice and Environmental Research (IANIGLA) in Mendoza, with abusing his authority and violating his duty as a civil servant. Villalba appealed against his indictment on ... more »

The US military/security complex has immobilized President Trump

Alex Christoforou at The Duran - 18 hours ago
The United States government and its powerful mainstream media networks do nothing but lie 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Forget Russian election meddling, America’s democracy is under assault from an internal enemy much more powerful and much more entrenched. Walking Into Armageddon by Paul Craig Roberts. The orchestrated hostility toward Russia, China, […] More The post The US military/security complex has immobilized President Trump appeared first on The Duran.

Reports of Saudi Foreign Minister’s purge denied by diplomatic sources – still no word from Riyadh

Adam Garrie at The Duran - 18 hours ago
Unconfirmed reports suggest that Adel al-Jubeir has been replaced as Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister by Muhammad bin Salman's younger brother. More The post Reports of Saudi Foreign Minister’s purge denied by diplomatic sources – still no word from Riyadh appeared first on The Duran.

CNN screws up “bombshell” Trump collusion story, as it misreads Wikileaks email dates

Alex Christoforou at The Duran - 18 hours ago
More CNN fake news. More The post CNN screws up “bombshell” Trump collusion story, as it misreads Wikileaks email dates appeared first on The Duran.

Washington Post confirms, Democrat push to remove Al Franken a “political calculation”

Alex Christoforou at The Duran - 18 hours ago
Democrat party decided to cut Al Franken loose, so as to target Trump. More The post Washington Post confirms, Democrat push to remove Al Franken a “political calculation” appeared first on The Duran.

Responsible TRF readers recommended to sell most crypto-stuff today

LuboÅ¡ Motl at The Reference Frame - 18 hours ago
*Futures are keys unlocking cages with horny, hungry Bitcoin grizzlies, tigers that will devour clueless Millennial Bitcoin calves, vegetarian gazelles in their safe spaces* The unbacked cryptocurrencies – led by the Bitcoin as of now – have almost certainly become the most dramatic financial bubble in the world's history. It was possible because the relatively speedy (but not too speedy) financial transactions helped by the computers were combined with the speedy communication between the Millennials – also aided by electronics – that has grown the fanaticism more effectively than ... more »

Eco-Ferry That Needs Fuel Shipped In From Middle East

Paul Homewood at NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT - 18 hours ago
By Paul Homewood From the Scottish Daily Mail on Nov 27th: IT was announced with great fanfare as a new dawn in eco-friendly transport to and from Scotland’s islands. But it has emerged the ‘cleaner’ fuel which will power the passenger ferries will have to be shipped in from a refinery thousands of miles […]

Syrian-Iraqi border is completely ISIS free for first time in years – map

BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:35 P.M.) – The Iraqi Armed Forces have liberated the entire border with Syria, today, after conducting a swift operation between the Al-Anbar and Nineveh governorates. Led by the army and Hashd Al-Sha’abi, the Iraqi Armed Forces pushed their way north from the border-city of Al-Qa’im towards the Nineveh Governorate town of Tal […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

VIDEO: ISIS unleashes nasty car bomb attack on US-backed forces killing scores

BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:35 P.M.) – US-backed forces endured a horrific blow to their ranks in southern Deir Ezzor province yesterday after an ISIS car bomb managed to breach their defenses around a key settlement. On Friday, an ISIS suicide unit operating on the eastern shore of the Euphrates River launched a car bomb attack against […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

ISIS expands control over key highway to Aleppo amid threatening offensive

BEIRUT, LEBANON (12:10 P.M.) – A series of renewed attacks by ISIS against Ha’yat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra; the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda) in northwest Syria has seen forces of the self-declared caliphate make major gains up the length of a key highway that runs between the cities of Hama to Aleppo. After nearly […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

19 injured and 2 more killed in Israeli bombing of civilian sites in Gaza

DAMASCUS, SYRIA (10:09 A.M)- The death toll has risin to four so far in the Gaza Strip, as the Israeli airforce bombed civilian infrastructure, early in the morning. According to the ‘Gazan ministry of health’, 19 people are currently being treated in hospital as a result of injuries, sustained from the latest series of Israeli […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

Khali Raymond: Author and Blogger Talks About His Asperger's.

Age of Autism at AGE OF AUTISM - 19 hours ago
Note: We're sometimes called to the carpet for not featuring the voices of people with autism on AofA. "Nothing about us without us" is a phrase used within the self-advocacy community. We do not exclude on purpose. I think many,...

Atheists have adopted Donald Trump's favorite catch phrase, but I do not think he will appreciate how they put it to use.

Gryphen at The Immoral Minority - 19 hours ago
Courtesy of NBC News: *Nick Fish, a spokesman for American Atheists, claimed the signs aren’t meant to offend, but to spark a dialogue by adding a topical tag line.* *“It’s a way of starting a conversation not just with this organization but within a community,” Fish told NBC News on Wednesday. “The choice is often between being provocative or not being heard at all. If we can start that initial conversation, then we’re doing our jobs to get the ball rolling and get our foot in the door.” * *Since the signs were put up on Nov. 30, many atheists in the affected areas have come for... more »

BBC lies about the historical US position on Jerusalem

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 19 hours ago
'Israeli-Palestinian tensions have risen since President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Wednesday's decision reversed decades of US neutrality on the matter.' So stated the BBC this morning. This video shows the truth, and it's at odds with the BBC. https://youtu.be/mm42_08Uv5g I'd complain to the BBC but, when you're dealing with an organisation as institutionally anti Israel as the BBC is, there's really no point. By the way has anyone got a copy of the Balen Report to hand?

Sugar Doesn’t Just Feed Cancer Cells, It Produces Them

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 20 hours ago
Best analysis i have seen yet and very important to the consumer. Clearly switch out of sugar but do use fruits and likely honey as well for any real sugar needs. Even Stevia got a mention here. I am much more comfortable that i am getting it right. . *Sugar Doesn’t Just Feed Cancer Cells, It Produces Them* *By Erin Elizabeth -* *November 10, 2016 * *https://www.healthnutnews.com/sugar-doesnt-just-feed-cancer-cells-it-produces-them/* *Halloween and the holiday season are approaching. That means lots of candy for some, a lot of desserts, chocolate, and sweets for others. Thou... more »

Adviser Tells Behind-the-Scenes Story of Trump’s Approach to Environment

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 20 hours ago
This is an important lesson for everyone. Trump habitually turns problems into solutions. Every other developer would have got into a pissing match and likely done one failed golf course. That is a natural human instinct. Ask any lawyer. Instead he recruited the problem and had him do the whole build out. Them he leveraged that expertise into 16 projects or likely 16 billion in real estate sales while selling bona fide environmentally enhanced projects. All his competitors could have done exactly the same thing. Recall that when it comes to managing investment, your worst...more »

That Interstellar Asteroid is Pretty Strange. Could It Be…?

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 20 hours ago
The serious question begged is just how does one go about making an object shaped like this using natural process? We certainly know how to make this and we certainly understand that making it this way is a good plan. Spin it up along its axis and i can construct a space wheel holding millions using cable stay suspension. We really need to catch it and have a good look at it. An ion propulsion satellite will do well enough. Continuous thrust will take us up to a converging geodesic. All Good . *That Interstellar Asteroid is Pretty Strange. Could It Be…?* *By Corey S. Powe... more »

Why SE Native Heritage is Much More than DNA from Siberia With Richard Thornton

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 20 hours ago
This is excellent confirmation of the impact of the Atlantean Bronze Age and the North Atlantic Great circle route that operated continously from at least 2500 BC through first contact and well after under the Norse and the Templars until the rise of the English in the early seventeenth century. It is one of those circumstances in which i knew that the DNA data had to tell me this story and we had to wait until someone actually looked closely. The bigger shock is just how slight Siberian DNA is on the SE coast. Add in that the real cause of population collapse here was Spanish... more »

LIVING IN A MINDFUL UNIVERSE - NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE

Anon at Aangirfan - 20 hours ago
Dr E's marriage had been struggling for years. Dr E. settled five malpractice suits in Virginia within a period of ten years.[10] Dr E. became seriously ill and was in a coma. Dr E. had a near-death experience. Dr E. writes: "I was in a coma for a week... "After a week, my doctors gravely told my family that it was time to let me die. *"Hearing this, my ten-year-old son ran into the room, pulled open my eyelids and started pleading with me.* "'Daddy,' he cried, over and over again, 'you’re gonna be OK.' "Across the vast reaches of the spiritual realm, I felt his presence ver... more »

Personal Observations

LL at Virtual Mirage - 20 hours ago
*BUILD THAT WALL* My company, Consulting Services, has recently been retained by USGOV as to the matter of the US Mexico Border. There are some things that I can say at this juncture and some things that I can't. However, despite what nay sayers will tell you, construction of "the Big Beautiful Wall" is critical to national security. The current situation is so degraded and there are so many tunnels that the high value aliens take who pay $20K per head to cross through a tunnel, that it must be stopped for everyone's wellbeing. Who are those high-value aliens? Middle Easterners wit... more »

Putting In

Willis Eschenbach at Skating Under The Ice - 21 hours ago
It’s morning here on Liapari Island. I’m waiting for the time to put the ICE back into the water. She’s looking all happy with new bottom paint … we got lucky. Of the four days that we needed for painting, it only rained one morning. Here’s the ICE ready to roll … It’s curious to…

Star Citizen - #WeHateMobiGlas - design an immersive gaming interface, not this thing.

Mike Philbin at Mike Philbin's free planet blog - 21 hours ago
#wehatemobiglas I suspect the original function of Star Citizen's *MobiGlas* was to *'give the player a one-stop solution to all the info he need;, his stats, his missions, his place in the verse...'* non-quote. I'm sure that would have been the original aim. But (like the clunky ship-manifest screens) it's shit... Star Citizen isn't supposed to be a MobiGlas game, it's supposed to be about *Star Citizen'ing*. And CIG don't tell me, "We can improve the glowing semi-transparent interface so that it works with all lighting conditions and backgrounds," I don't mean that. I mean, "Ge...more »

BBC News ignore inconvenient facts about the USA recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Are they really so blinded by their hatred of Israel and President Donald Trump that they'll spread lies?

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 21 hours ago
'Israeli-Palestinian tensions have risen since President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Wednesday's decision reversed decades of US neutrality on the matter.' Those two sentences are from this BBC report http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-42291071 Are you sure BBC? I'll give you one hour to correct your untruth.

Russia’s Delicate Dance With The Syrian Kurds

Andrew KORYBKO at OrientalReview.org - 21 hours ago
Russia might be devising a unique workaround solution whereby it enters into a deal with the YPG to allow Moscow to ensure that the region doesn’t ever get any serious separatist notions. The post Russia’s Delicate Dance With The Syrian Kurds appeared first on OrientalReview.org.

Your Brain on Music: How Your Favorite Songs May Regenerate Your Brain and Act as the Ultimate Adaptogen by Ali Le Vere

Stranger in a Strange Land at Stranger in a Strange Land - 22 hours ago
Your Brain on Music: How Your Favorite Songs May Regenerate Your Brain and Act as the Ultimate Adaptogen by Ali Le Vere Green Med Info. 30 November 2017 *Music, which may be the most ancient human language, has the potential to improve neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders by creating new brain cells and neural connectivity. Not only that, but music restores hormonal and immunological balance in a way mirroring adaptogenic herbs.* *The Evolution of Music* Music, the universal language, has been woven into the fabric of human culture since time immemorial. Ra... more »

Walking Into Armageddon

mosesman at Socio-Economics History Blog - 22 hours ago
Walking Into Armageddon by https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/ The orchestrated hostility toward Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea protects the $1,000 billion annual budget of the military/security complex by convincing the American public that the US is threatened by enemies. It also keeps alive Democratic Party hopes that Trump can be removed from office, and it has prevented […]

Israeli Air Strike, Artillery Shells Hit Gaza, 25 Injured

mosesman at Socio-Economics History Blog - 22 hours ago
PressTV News Videos Published on Dec 8, 2017 Fresh Israeli airstrikes on the besieged Gaza Strip have wounded at least 25 Palestinians. Six children are among the wounded in the attacks which targeted areas in the north of the coastal enclave. The regime says its raids came in response to earlier rockets fired at Israel from […]

Another Fake News Fail By CNN

mosesman at Socio-Economics History Blog - 22 hours ago
The Alex Jones Channel Published on Dec 8, 2017 CNN Botched another “bombshell” by misreporting the facts that could have been remedied by actually viewing the documents rather than taking the word of “anonymous sources”. end

US Decision is a Threat to International Safety’ – Bolivian UN Ambassador

mosesman at Socio-Economics History Blog - 22 hours ago
RT Published on Dec 8, 2017 More than 100 Palestinians have been injured after protests across the West Bank and Gaza turned violent. The tensions spiked after US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize the capital of Israel as Jerusalem, which is also claimed by Palestinians. An international response against America’s unilateral recognition of Jerusalem is […]

‘It May Send Us to Darker Times’: World Leaders Rebuke Trump’s Jerusalem Decision

mosesman at Socio-Economics History Blog - 22 hours ago
RT Published on Dec 7, 2017 European leaders, and the UN, were quick to voice their concerns over Trump’s Jerusalem decision, calling Washington’s step ‘radical’. READ MORE: https://on.rt.com/8u6o end

Israeli Soldiers Filmed Harassing School Children in Occupied Hebron (VIDEO)

mosesman at Socio-Economics History Blog - 22 hours ago
Israeli Soldiers Filmed Harassing School Children in Occupied Hebron (VIDEO) by https://www.rt.com/ Footage shot in Hebron in occupied Palestinian territory shows Israeli soldiers routinely harassing teachers and schoolchildren on a number of occasions. Rights activists say it is part of a state policy aimed at forcing Palestinians to leave the city. – The incidents shown in […]

Hillary Emails Reveal NATO Killed Gaddafi to Stop Libyan Creation of Gold-Backed Currency

mosesman at Socio-Economics History Blog - 22 hours ago
Hillary Emails Reveal NATO Killed Gaddafi to Stop Libyan Creation of Gold-Backed Currency by Sheep Media Global Research, via http://themillenniumreport.com/ Hillary’s emails truly are the gifts that keep on giving. While France led the proponents of the UN Security Council Resolution that would create a no-fly zone in Libya, it claimed that its primary concern was the […]

Let’s Create a ‘United States of Europe’, Says German Leader

mosesman at Socio-Economics History Blog - 22 hours ago
Let’s Create a ‘United States of Europe’, Says German Leader by Nick Miller, http://www.smh.com.au/ A new, take-it-or-leave-it “United States of Europe” is the best answer to the political and economic woes facing the continent, Martin Schulz, the head of Germany’s Social Democrats said on Thursday. – Schulz, chancellor Angela Merkel’s last best hope for forming a stable German […]

US Declaration Has Instigated Tension Among Arabs & Muslims All Over Middle East’ – Analyst

mosesman at Socio-Economics History Blog - 22 hours ago
RT Published on Dec 8, 2017 Meanwhile the US is boosting security in the region, and has issued a travel alert for Americans there. That’s after Friday was declared a Day of Rage, with pro-Palestinian groups vowing that US President Donald Trump will pay dearly for his decision. RT talked to political science Professor Mkhaimer Abuseda […]

Would Anyone Profit From a New War in the Middle East?

mosesman at Socio-Economics History Blog - 22 hours ago
Would Anyone Profit From a New War in the Middle East? by https://southfront.org/ The world today, is on the brink of seeing a new conflict over Lebanon. While the chances for escalation are high, the essential pre-conditions for a new, large-scale war in the region, are still in the works. – On November 22, Lebanon’s Prime […]

Daniel Ellsberg: U.S. Military Planned First Strike On Every City In Russia and China … and Gave Many Low-Level Field Commanders the Power to Push the Button

mosesman at Socio-Economics History Blog - 22 hours ago
Daniel Ellsberg: U.S. Military Planned First Strike On Every City In Russia and China … and Gave Many Low-Level Field Commanders the Power to Push the Button by WashingtonsBlog Daniel Ellsberg – America’s most famous whistleblower, the former military analyst who leaked the Pentagon Papers which helped end the Vietnam war – has just published a […]

Lynette Zang: Global Currency Reset, Revaluation of Gold …. Q&A

mosesman at Socio-Economics History Blog - 22 hours ago
ITM Trading Streamed live on Dec 5, 2017 Eric Griffin takes your top questions to ITM Trading’s Chief Market Analyst Lynette Zang. https://www.itmtrading.com/blog/qa-ly… end

Midnight Meme Of The Day!

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 22 hours ago
*-Noah* Dateline Washington: The Republican Party proudly announced today that they have made some changes to their traditional elephant symbol. A statement issued by National Republican Party Chairman Reince Mengele read as follows: It was hard for us to break with our traditional symbol, but we feel strongly that the new symbol reflects the values and attitudes of today's Republican Party. In addition, we will be stepping up our youth outreach programs. To that effect, we are starting up our "Make Playgrounds Great Again" effort. The effort will be lead by Alabama Governor Kath... more »

Humpty Dumpty Moments

A Kibbutz is a collective and as socialistic as one could imagine. Self identifying as Israeli is as nationalistic as one could be. So members of an Israeli Kibbutz are what? National socialists? Which leads to the use of the defense … Continue reading →

Narwhals freeze? Really?

Hifast at Climate Collections - 23 hours ago
Originally posted on Watts Up With That?: Guest essay by Mike Jonas The UK’s public broadcaster, the BBC, reported on 7 December 2017 that: Narwhal escape: Whales freeze and flee when frightened Scientists who fitted heart rate-monitoring tags to Arctic narwhals have discovered a strange paradox in how the animals respond to threats. When these…

Maybe NASA should Not Squander Its Budget on AGW

Hifast at Climate Collections - 23 hours ago
Originally posted on sunshine hours: Oh oh.

750 Palestinians injured, 3 dead in clashes and Israeli bombings

DAMASCUS, SYRIA (6:50 A.M)- More than 750 Palestinians have been injured and two killed, during clashes in the West Bank and Gaza. Protests throughout the West Bank, Jerusalem and Gaza have been met by brutal Israeli suppression resulting in the serious injury of Many. Israel also bombed various sites through the Gaza Strip, injuring 25, […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

BREAKING: Israel bomb Southern, Central, North and West Gaza

DAMASCUS, SYRIA (5:47 A.M)- The Israeli airforce have reportedly just struck several positions all over the Gaza Strip. East Jabaliya, Khan Yunis were amongst the sites hit. No confirmation on the amount injured/dead although it is expected that the Gazan Ministry of Health will announce updates soon. Israel claims that all strikes were in response […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

State Department, Meet the New Boss, Same/Worse as the Old Boss?

Peter Van Buren at 23 hours ago
[image: undefined] The rumors of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s demise may finally not be greatly exaggerated. A marked man, it was only about a month ago the media speculated on how soon United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley would replace Tillerson. Two weeks ago a trial balloon floated up with Mike Pompeo’s name in trail. But a burst of nearly-identical stories over the last few days,spearheaded by the New York Times, signals the end for Tillerson and names Pompeo, currently Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, as his successor. What lies ahead? The unique interplay ... more »

Tweets For Today

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
Clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces leave one person dead after calls for a "day of rage" at US President Donald Trump's declaration of Jerusalem as Israel's capital pic.twitter.com/fmWjKuDHfq — AFP news agency (@AFP) December 9, 2017 Honduras opposition party asks for disputed election to be annulled https://t.co/uhFtVZLlm9 — Reuters Top News (@Reuters) December 9, 2017 Crisis-wracked Venezuela fails to make a $183 million coupon payment https://t.co/GIjQj53jPE — AFP news agency (@AFP) December 8, 2017 WATCH: Russian Su-30 jet pulls up to Il-76 transport in... more »

Iraqi Blogger 'Mosul Eye' Reveals His Identity

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
*Vanity Fair:* *“Mosul Eye,” the Stealth Historian of ISIS Atrocities, Steps Out of the Shadows* Omar Mohammed risked death in anonymity—until now. Omar Mohammed was a stealth historian risking death with virtually every keystroke. His is a tale of the anonymity of heroism—until now. Mohammed, 31, revealed to the Associated Press that he indeed “is the man behind the legendary and widely read Mosul Eye, the pseudonym under which he wrote the catalog of horrors that was life under Islamic State fanatics.” Reporters Lori Hinnan and Maggie Michael broke a tale fit for a Hollywood t... more »

Picture Of The Day

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
Motorway and railway arches of the Crimea Bridge constructed over the central navigational channel in the Kerch Strait, Crimea, Russia, on December 3, 2017. © Sputnik/ Alexey Kudenko *WNU Editor:* The above picture is from this photo-gallery .... *This Week in Pictures (December 2-8)* (Sputnik).

Pentagon Announces The First-Ever Audit Of The Department Of Defense

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
© Jason Reed / Reuters *The Hill*: *Pentagon starting first-ever financial audit* Department of Defense (DOD) officials announced Friday that the agency would undergo the first full-scale audit in its history. Defense Department Comptroller David Norquist said at a press conference that the audit would begin this month. "It is important that the Congress and the American people have confidence in DOD's management of every taxpayer dollar," Norquist said. The massive undertaking will examine every aspect of the Defense Department, from personnel and supplies to bases and weapons. ... more »

Do You Love It When Right-Wing Perverts Get Into Sex Trouble? Most Recent Victims: Trent Franks (R) And Harold Ford (Blue Dog)

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 1 day ago
Note from one of my neighbors-- a prominent movie director-- when the Trent Franks news started breaking yesterday: *"Your old buddy must’ve got caught in the men's room with a pecker in his hair lip. The world is going nuts…"* In Sacramento, when Democratic state legislators are too conservative-- like as bad as the worsts Republicans-- Democrats and their union allies conspire to send them to Washington as congressmen. Two really horrible state legislators-- corrupt beyond normal bounds and as right-wing as a bad Republican-- Juan Vargas and later Lou Correa-- ran for Congress ... more »

U.S. Sen. John McCain Wants To Now Fire Those Responsible For Weapons Cost Overruns

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
*DoD Buzz/Military.com*: *McCain Wants to Fire Those Responsible for Weapons Cost Overruns* The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee is playing hardball with the Pentagon when it comes to acquisition programs that end up billions of dollars over budget or deliver years late. In a hearing before the committee Thursday, Sen. John McCain took to task Ellen Lord, the new under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, for recent examples of acquisition malpractice, including the Army's Future Combat Systems and the USS Gerald S. Ford, the first of the... more »

More Alarmist Unga-Dunga.

Geoff Brown at The Australian Climate Sceptics Blog - 1 day ago
A politician visited a primitive tribe and addressed them. Pollie: I am here to help you. Tribe: Unga-Dunga. Pollie: I am here to raise your standard of living. Tribe: Unga-Dunga. Pollie: I am here to help you get more food and supplies. Tribe: Unga-Dunga. And so it went on for twenty-five minutes. After the address, the chief asked the pollie would he like to inspect their magnificent bulls. The politicians said: Yes, Of course! As the chief led him into the bull paddock, there was a large cowpat just inside the gate. He turned to the politician and said: Watch out for the U... more »

Why I'd kill Site C

paul at Paying attention - 1 day ago
I have no idea what the government will do about Site C. (I do know that anyone who claims it’s an easy choice to kill the project or go ahead is not to be taken seriously.) But if it was up to me, I’d opt for cancellation. The people pushing for completion rely heavily on three flawed arguments. First, that BC Hydro has already spent $2 billion, so despite the certainty of delays and cost overruns, the government might as well keep spending. That’s silly. Economists call it the sunk cost fallacy. The money already spent is gone. The question is whether the money still to be spent ... more »

Musical interlude

Greg Fingas at Accidental Deliberations - 1 day ago
The Stills - Being Here

Do Americans Support U.S. Troops Staying In Syria Indefinitely?

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
Rodi Said / Reuters *Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic:* *Do Americans Really Want Troops in Syria Indefinitely?* *The Trump administration is spending tax dollars and risking American lives on an open-ended mission that hasn’t been defined or approved.* The vote that Congress took before the United States invaded Iraq proved very important in American democracy. Barack Obama was able to beat Hillary Clinton in the 2008 primaries in large part because she had supported the Iraq War. And Donald Trump triumphed over the establishments of both the Republican and Democratic parties par... more »

Syrian airbase bombed out of existence by Russian warplanes

BEIRUT, LEBANON (4:30 A.M.) – Yesterday the Russian Aerospace Forces grouping in Syria carried out an unprecedented number of airstrikes against militant targets in the country’s northwest, bombing among many things a key jihadist-occupied airbase. According to reports, one of the prime targets for Russian airpower yesterday was the Abu Duhur airbase which straddles the […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز

End the ‘war on coal’

CFACT at CFACT - 1 day ago
New Zealander Bryan Leyland and Canadian Tom Harris, both of the International Climate Science Coalition, argue that the United States is setting a bad example and harming its own people -- and those in developing nations -- by continuing the EPA's war on coal, nuclear energy, and natural gas. Wind and solar have major problems with reliability, cost, and adverse health and environmental impacts that their proponents gloss over, whereas emissions from modern, highly efficient coal-fired power plants with stack gas cleanup consist almost entirely of water, CO2, and nitrogen.

US Made Secret Deal With ISIS to Let Thousands of Fighters Flee Raqqa to Battle Assad in Syria, Former Ally Says

Tom O'Connor at 1 day ago
[image: undefined] The US military allowed thousands of Islamic State militant group (ISIS) fighters to flee from their de facto capital of Raqqa, Syria, in a secret deal that boosted the US fight against the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, according to a Pentagon-backed Kurdish commander, who has since switched his allegiance to Turkey and who spoke to Reuters. As the spokesperson for the Syrian Democratic Forces, a mostly Kurdish coalition of Arabs and ethnic minorities, Brigadier General Talal Silo acted as the face and the voice of the US’ leading partner against ISI... more »

PPsH-41 Submachinegun: The Weapon Russia, China and North Korea All Loved

Sebastien Roblin at The National Interest - 1 day ago
*Sebastien Roblin* *Security, Europe* And made lots of. The PPsH-41 submachinegun undoubtedly reigns as an icon of the Soviet war machine in World War II, immortalized in combat photographs and in films such as *Cross of Iron *and *The Tin Drum. *Like the T-34 tank and the Il-2 Shturmovik attack plane, the “Pepsha” or “Papasha” (“Daddy”) was not only a rugged marvel of mass production, but performed well compared to more expensive contemporaries. Both the Red Army and later the Chinese and North Korean armies would employ the “burp gun” on an unprecedent scale. Submachineguns b... more »

Nazi Germany Seemed Destined to Conquer Russia (until This Happened)

Warfare History Network at The National Interest - 1 day ago
*Warfare History Network* *History, Europe* Weeks of heavy fighting produced the first Red Army victory of the war. The smell of victory was in the air as the forces of Field Marshal Fedor von Bock’s Army Group Center continued to drive deep into the Ukraine during the final week of June 1941. To most of the young soldiers of the army group it seemed that this would be another unstoppable blitzkrieg. Their commander, however, saw things differently. Von Bock was one of several higher commanders who were against the entire notion of invading the Soviet Union. His contemporaries de... more »

The U.S. Army Wants 'Bullets' That Can Chase a Tank or a Fighter Jet

Michael Peck at The National Interest - 1 day ago
*Michael Peck* *Security, North America* Is this even possible? The U.S. Army wants bullets and mortar shells that do more than hit a target. It wants projectiles that can hit a moving tank or even an aircraft in flight. It's a worthy idea, except there is a problem. Building small projectiles with actuators—the mechanical parts and control surfaces that would adjust the projectile's trajectory—that can survive being shot out of a gun is a challenge. It's not that guided projectiles don't exist. The problem is that they're only for artillery. About a decade ago came guided she...more »

India's First Homegrown Aircraft Carrier Will Join the Navy by the End of 2020

Zachary Keck at The National Interest - 1 day ago
*Zachary Keck* *Security, Asia* Get ready, Pakistan and China. India’s first homegrown aircraft carrier will join the navy by the end of 2020, according to the country’s top naval officer. At his annual press conference ahead of India’s Navy Day on December 4, navy chief Adm. Sunil Lanba revealed: “Work on Indigenous Aircraft Carrier, IAC 1, is progressing well and I am hopeful that the ship would join the Navy by 2020.” India’s homegrown aircraft carrier, which is called the INS* Vikrant*, has been a long time in the making. Construction of the ship first began around the tur... more »

The U.S. Army Had a Special 'Suicide Squad' Ready to Strike Russian Forces

Michael Peck at The National Interest - 1 day ago
*Michael Peck* *History, Europe* What could have happenned if the Cold War turned hot and Berlin fell. Had the Cold War turned hot, there would have been no escape for the U.S. garrison in West Berlin. Marooned in a city more than 100 miles inside Communist East Germany, the U.S. Berlin Brigade—and the British and French garrisons as well—would certainly have been overwhelmed by Soviet and East German troops. Their presence helped keep half of Berlin free from Communist rule. But it was no secret that theirs was a suicide mission. Yet there was a unique American unit with an eve... more »

Crossroads: Why the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty Could Become Obsolete

Tom Sauer at The National Interest - 1 day ago
*Tom Sauer* *Security, Europe* [image: A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer bomber sits on the runway at Anderson Air Force Base, Guam] The odds are that the next Nonproliferation Treaty Review Conference will be a complete failure, just like in 2005 and in 2015. On December 10, 2017, the International Coalition to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) will be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. However, it would have been better if the nuclear-weapon states had won the prize. That would have meant that the last nuclear weapon would have been eliminated. Instead, let us aim for 2045, one hundred ye... more »

Yemen After Saleh’s Death

Mohamed Mahad D. Darar at The National Interest - 1 day ago
*Mohamed Mahad D. Darar* *Security, Middle East* [image: Yemen's then President Ali Abdullah Saleh gestures during a gathering of supporters in Sanaa] For Yemen’s millennials, Yemen without Saleh, the man who ruled the country for over thirty years, had never crossed their minds. On November 29, 2017, *Al Arabiya*, a Saudi Arabia sponsored news outlet hailed a clash between Yemen’s former president Ali Abdallah Saleh, and a Zaidi Shia militia, the Houthis as an overdue but rightful uprising of the Yemeni people against the sectarian- and Iranian-backed Houthi militia. The Saudi... more »

Why America Should Beware a Resurgent China

J. Michael Cole at The National Interest - 1 day ago
*J. Michael Cole* *Security, Asia* [image: A Chinese pilgrim waves a flag, as Pope Francis arrives to lead his Wednesday general audience, in Saint Peter's Square, at the Vatican] The world is witnessing a new, more assertive phase in China’s foreign engagement under President Xi Jinping. As it makes its presence felt in every corner of the world and posits an alternative to the Western liberal-democratic order that has underpinned international relations since the end of World War II, China is beginning to experience some of the blowback that other global leaders before it have ... more »

The Peace Treaty of Westphalia (1648) and its Consequences for International Relations

Vladislav B. SOTIROVIĆ at OrientalReview.org - 1 day ago
International relations (IR) from the mid-17th century to the mid-20th century were founded on the decisions by the Peace Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 that ended the Thirty Years War. However, from the beginning of the 21st century, the IR are once again more and more framed by the international […] The post The Peace Treaty of Westphalia (1648) and its Consequences for International Relations appeared first on OrientalReview.org.

REPRISE: How the Stock Market and Economy Really Work

Peter Cresswell at Not PC - 1 day ago
*As the president and his supporters tout the inflating stock market bubble as a sign of prosperity, reprising this myth-busting guest post by **Kel Kelly* *could not be more timely.* [NB: An MP3 audio file of this article, narrated by Keith Hocker, is available for download.] *"A growing economy consists of prices fallin... more »

Judge Kozinski Impeachment Hearings

Gerard N. Magliocca at Balkinization - 1 day ago
The story in today's Washington Post about Judge Alex Kozinski's alleged conduct towards some of his law clerks and other employees in the Ninth Circuit should trigger a formal inquiry by the House Judiciary Committee. I'll reserve judgment on whether Judge Kozinski has committed a high crime and misdemeanor under the Constitution, but the question should be reviewed by the institution with the authority to decide that question. Perhaps, in the end, the answer will be that the most appropriate sanction is some sort of censure or reprimand by the Ninth Circuit.

Pakistan Air Force Chief Issues Orders To Shoot Down U.S. Drones

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
*Photo: *The Chief of Pakistan Air Force Marshal Sohail Aman has said that his force could shoot down any drone which violates the country’s airspace including American *Daily Mail*: *Pakistan Air Force chief orders U.S. drones to be shot down if they enter the country's airspace* * The Pakistan Air Force said it will shoot down any drone in its airspace including those of the United States * Announcement comes weeks after a US drone strike targeted a terrorist compound in the country’s tribal region near the Afghan border * Previous aerial attacks attracted warnings and condemnati... more »

Tonight's Movie Is 'King Of The Khyber Rifles'

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
From *Wikipedia*: King of the Khyber Rifles is a 1953 adventure film directed by Henry King and starring Tyrone Power and Terry Moore. The film shares its title but little else with the novel King of the Khyber Rifles (1916) by Talbot Mundy. This novel was also the basis for John Ford's The Black Watch (1929). The Khyber Pass scenes were shot in Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California. Released by 20th Century Fox, the film was one of the first shot in Technicolor CinemaScope. *Read more* .... more »

What Is Paul Ryan Planning To Do To Americans Next?

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 1 day ago
The Republicans seem to have gotten away with passing Paul Ryan's egregiously class warfare tax scam-- even if the newest polls show most American voters hate it. A Gallup poll released this week shows that a majority of independent voters (56%) oppose the tax bill, as do 87% of Democrats. Only 16% of Republicans disapprove of it. Overall just 29% of American voters approve, the same number the new Quinnipiac poll found. And here's a page from the CBS poll released yesterday: Republican lawmakers, though, are excited about their victory and don't seem to be thinking about voters... more »

Press Release: Kesha Rogers Declares Her Independent Bid for the 9th CD of Texas

Alicia at LaRouchePAC Feed - 1 day ago
New International Economic Order Video of Xyl4APK1bJ0 On December 7, Kesha Rogers announced her candidacy as an Independent for the 9th CD of Texas, the district currently held by Congressman Al Green. In a video statement announcing her campaign, Rogers calls out Representative Green’s recent resolution to impeach President Trump as grandstanding, and doing nothing to address the true needs or interests of the people of the 9th district. In an interview today, Rogers sketched the main planks of her campaign as follows: PDF: [image: PDF icon] 20171208-kdr-press-release.pdf “There ... more »

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Faces Lawsuit Over Biometric Data Collection

Derrick Broze at Activist Post - 1 day ago
By Derrick Broze The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) faces a lawsuit over the use of handheld devices used to gather biometric data during... more »

U.S. House Considers Changes to Law That Protects Identity of Politicians Accused of Sexual Misconduct

Derrick Broze at Activist Post - 1 day ago
By Derrick Broze Several new attempts are being made to reform a controversial law that prevents the public from knowing the identities of politicians accused... more »

Will Artificial Intelligence Become Conscious?

Activist Post at Activist Post - 1 day ago
By Subhash Kak, Oklahoma State University Forget about today’s modest incremental advances in artificial intelligence, such as the increasing abilities of cars to drive themselves.... more »

AI Building AI: Mankind Losing More Control over Artificial Intelligence

Activist Post at Activist Post - 1 day ago
By Makia Freeman AI Building AI is the next phase humanity appears to be going through in its technological evolution. We are at the point... more »

Misunderstanding the Economics of Robotics

Activist Post at Activist Post - 1 day ago
By Charles Hugh Smith Robots are only cost-effective in the narrow niches of commoditized tasks. In the view of Universal Basic Income (UBI) advocates, substituting... more »

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