11:00 pm MDT
Musical Interlude: Afshin, "Prayer of Change"
Afshin, "Prayer of Change" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75SGQ65QhaU We can hope...
"How It Really Is"
Please click image for larger size! LOL Brilliant!
Why We Can't Have Nice Things.....
James Carville famously once said of Paula Jones,"If you drag a hundred dollar bill through a trailer park, you never know what you'll find." Well, we know now what you get if you drag an invitation to speak at the White House Correspondents Dinner through the alley behind the Comedy Central....an unattractive, unhinged and shamelessly vulgar leftist with a voice that will peel paint named Michelle Wolf. *#*Keep It Classy Dems
South Korean Governent: North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un Is Willing To Hold Talks With Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe receives a petition from Shigeo Iizuka (center), who is the leader of a group of families of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea.Toru Hanai / Reuters file *Japan Times: **Kim Jong Un ready to talk with Abe at ‘any time,’ Blue House reveals after North-South summit* North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is willing to hold talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, South Korea’s presidential Blue House said Sunday, just days after a historic North-South summit. Kim told South Korean President Moon Jae-in during Friday’s talks that he is ready to hold a ... more »
Here is Michelle Wolf's entire White House Correspondents Dinner performance, because I think it deserves to be seen. Update!
I have to confess that I turned this off part way through last night because it just wasn't working for me. However yesterday when I returned from the movies I discovered that my furnace was broken, and $247.00 later I just was not in the mood for comedy. So I watched it all the way through this morning, and it was actually not bad. Not all of the jokes landed, but then they never do. Also if you dislike Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Michelle Wolf is your spirit animal. Besides this performance pissed the conservatives off BIG TIME, which to me is really the only endorsement this perfo... more »
WATCH: Cop Punch Innocent Man in the Head 12 Times & Joke About It with Fellow Cops
[image: joke] Infuriating video shows police beat up, kidnap, and charge an innocent man and then laugh and joke about it after. The post WATCH: Cop Punch Innocent Man in the Head 12 Times & Joke About It with Fellow Cops appeared first on The Free Thought Project.
After Using His Son to Beg for Socialized Medicine, Jimmy Kimmel Silent as It Kills Baby Alfie
[image: baby] The system of state-run health care, which is championed by many in Hollywood, is responsible for the death of a baby and now its champions are silent. The post After Using His Son to Beg for Socialized Medicine, Jimmy Kimmel Silent as It Kills Baby Alfie appeared first on The Free Thought Project.
U.S. Secretary Of State Pompeo Comments On His Meeting With North Korean Leader Kim Jong-Un Earlier This Month
Mike Pompeo and Kim Jong Un on April 26. Source: The White House *Bloomberg*: *Pompeo Says Left Kim Meeting Thinking Nuclear Deal Possible* * Says exiting Iran deal wouldn’t chill North Korea talks * Trump says summit with Kim may come in three to four weeks Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he assessed North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during their meeting ahead of a planned summit with President Donald Trump, and concluded that there’s at least a chance for the U.S. to strike a denuclearization deal. “My goal was to try and identify if there was a real opportunity there,” Pompeo ... more »
South Korea: Kim Jong-un Promises To Close North Korea's Nuclear Test Site In May
*ABC News Online*: *Kim Jong-un promises to close North Korea's nuclear test site in May in front of the world* North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has vowed to shut down the country's nuclear test site in May and open the process to experts and journalists from South Korea and the United States, Seoul's presidential office has said. Mr Kim made the comments during his summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Friday (local time), where he also expressed optimism about his anticipated meeting with Donald Trump. The North Korean leader said the US President would learn he is "... more »
Group Think and Enforced Concensus Isn’t Progressive, it is Tyranny
via Blanco Hits The Mark Regarding The Democrat Party Plantation – DCWhispers.com Advertisements
Who Keeps Trying To Burn Down Trump Tower, Baku? As Trump Said, The Mob Takes The Fifth
Yesterday's fire at Trump Tower Azerbaijan isn't being covered correctly by the media. The real story is that Trump and his Mafia buddies have been trying to burn the building down-- for insurance purposes-- for a couple of years. I'll get to that in a moment. First, though, let's look at what's being so shoddily reported this weekend. A skyscraper that was slated to become a Trump International Hotel in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku has caught fire. The *Azadliq* newspaper reported that the blaze broke out on the middle floors of the 33-storey building, which is locally known... more »
Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. - Martin Wolf reviews Mariana Mazzucato's *The Value of Everything*, including its distinction between value creation and value extraction. And Yvonne Roberts points out how millenial workers are being left with little but large debts as a result of inequality between classes and generations. - Matthew Yglesias discusses the significance of a jobs guarantee as a matter of values, while noting that its goals may best be met indirectly. But Ian Welsh argues that we should instead work on ensuring a more fair allocation of resources by challengin... more »
Oil Industry Rules to be Rolled-Back as Regulatory Capture Retrenches
Yesterday the Wall Street Journal reported that federal regulators are going to propose rolling back the "well-control rule" adopted after the BP oil spill: Mann, Ted & Puko, T. (2018, April 28-29). Rule tied to oil spills is set to be changed. The Wall Street Journal, A5. This rule was implemented under Obama and addresses a range of practices including use of blowout-preventers and drill pressure. The article says that among the changes are "elimination of a requirement that the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement vet the third-party vendors who inspect offshore oil e... more »
"I Am Here- I Am Here..."
*"I Am Here- I Am Here..."* by Victor Frankl "An active life serves the purpose of giving man the opportunity to realize values in creative work, while a passive life of enjoyment affords him the opportunity to obtain fulfillment in experiencing beauty, art, or nature. But there is also purpose in that life which is almost barren of both creation and enjoyment and which admits of but one possibility of high moral behavior: namely, in man's attitude to his existence, an existence restricted by external forces. A creative life and a life of enjoyment are banned to him. But not only c...more »
MICHELLE WOLF, THE MEDIA, AND THE DEMOCRATS' CHANCES IN 2020
Whether or not you liked Michelle Wolf's comedy routine at last night's White House Correspondents' Dinner, give her credit for this: The president held one of his Nuremberg rallies last night, but everyone in the media is talking about Wolf's jokes instead. She upstaged Donald Trump! The press found her more fascinating! Since 2015, how many people have been able to say that? Of course, the attention was mostly negative: Chatter online among journalists ... after the event was full of criticism for comedian Michelle Wolf, who was the evening's headliner.... As the Washington Post'... more »
Since Hiroshima And Nagasaki The World Was At The Brink Of Nuclear War Nine Times
A nuclear missile parades before John F. Kennedy at his inauguration in 1961. Public Domain *Business Insider*: *9 times the world was at the brink of nuclear war — and pulled back* The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August of 1945 marked the end of the World War II, and the beginning of the age of nuclear weapons. During the Cold War, the policy of mutually assured destruction between the US and the Soviet Union — appropriately referred to as "MAD" — meant that if one nation used nuclear weapons on another, then an equal response would have been doled out as soon as... more »
This Day In Iraqi History - Apr 29
1916 Ottomans defeated the British at Battle of Kut after 4 months captured 13,000 prisoners British lost 33,000 casualties One of largest UK defeats in WWI 1941 More British troops from 20th Inf Brigade arrived in Basra Iraq protested 1941 British Ambassador told British women and children to leave Baghdad because of expected war with Iraq 1941 British flew planes from Shaiba base in Basra to Habaniya in Anbar 1941 PM Gaylani sent Iraqi forces to British air base at Habaniya, Anbar to confront them 11thInf Brigade ordered to Baghdad to later be dep... more »
Musings On Iraq In The News
I wrote "What to expect from Iraq's May 2018 elections" for NRT. I was also quoted by Paul Iddon in "Kurdish political division before Iraqi elections weakens Kirkuk claims" for Rudaw.
"What Is Hope?"
*"What Is Hope?"* by Rubin Alves "What is hope? It is the pre-sentiment that imagination is more real and reality is less real than it looks. It is the hunch that the overwhelming brutality of facts that oppress and repress us is not the last word. It is the suspicion that reality is more complex than the realists want us to believe. That the frontiers of the possible are not determined by the limits of the actual; and in a miraculous and unexplained way, life is opening creative events which will light the way to freedom and resurrection. But the two - suffering and hope - must l... more »
Preventing, Not Just Countering, Violent Extremism
Photo Credit: Chet Strange/Getty Images via Bustle *Editor’s Note: Programs to counter (or, if you prefer, prevent) violent extremism are much talked about but rarely implemented. The Obama administration did some initial exploratory efforts, but even these small programs are on the chopping block in the Trump administration. Katerina Papatheodorou contends that this is a mistake: High levels of extremism make these programs necessary, and there are multiple models that offer lessons for the United States.* *** Currently, the United States does not have a comprehensive approach t... more »
Did Donald Trump Jr. Admit to Violating the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act?
Donald Trump, Jr. speaking with Trump campaign supporters at a rally in October 2016 (Flickr/Gage Skidmore) The recently-released Minority report of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) discloses a copy of an e-mail sent by Donald J. Trump Jr., on September 21, 2016, to a group of top Trump campaign officials. The e-mail is interesting because Trump may have confessed in it to committing a federal crime, specifically 18 U.S.C. § 1030(a)(2). It's just a misdemeanor based on the facts we know. But depending on the circumstances, the violation could also ... more »
“Happy New Universe Day”
*“Happy New Universe Day”* by Catlin Johnstone "Well I’ll be damned. There's a lot of cool stuff happening all of a sudden. After loudly denying rigging their primaries for two years, the leaders of the Democratic Party are now openly admitting to deliberately stacking primary elections to ensure the win of preselected establishment loyalists. In response to an audio recording of House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer telling a progressive congressional candidate that he'll be running in a contest rigged for his opponent by the DCCC if he doesn't drop out, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelo... more »
THE CASTE SYSTEM - WORLWIDE
*Historic* When there is a pyramid of power, there tends to be a 'caste system'. *Leo Strauss* (a Jewish fan of German fascism) and *Plato *(the Greek philosopher) are among those who have referred to an 'upper class' running the state. Plato and Socrates referred to *the governing class needing to be gentle, unselfish, intelligent, rational, self-controlled, in love with wisdom, and well suited to making decisions for the community.* Leo Strauss, who died in 1973, believed that in order to control the ignorant masses, *the elite should use deception, religious fervour and perpet... more »
Trump dares Democrats: If you don’t fund The Wall, then “we’ll close down the country” (Video)
Trump at a Michigan rally: If we don’t have funding for the Wall by September “we’ll close down the country” More The post Trump dares Democrats: If you don’t fund The Wall, then “we’ll close down the country” (Video) appeared first on The Duran.
Florida high school students assigned exam question about revenge sex and baby daddies (Video)
Jacksonville, Florida father furious at sexually explicit question on daughter's anatomy exam. More The post Florida high school students assigned exam question about revenge sex and baby daddies (Video) appeared first on The Duran.
Trump says North Korea meeting could happen in 3-4 weeks
POTUS Trump is ready to sit down with Kim Jong Un. More The post Trump says North Korea meeting could happen in 3-4 weeks appeared first on The Duran.
FBI interviews Russian MMA fighter about colluding with Trump in 2016 elections
Donald Trump and Russian fighter Fedor Emelianenko, colluded to swing the US elections? More The post FBI interviews Russian MMA fighter about colluding with Trump in 2016 elections appeared first on The Duran.
Congressman pushes to Nominate President Trump for Nobel Peace Prize
"Historic Progress" in North Korea means Nobel for POTUS Trump. More The post Congressman pushes to Nominate President Trump for Nobel Peace Prize appeared first on The Duran.
Quinnipiac University – CNN POLL: America’s most popular politician is…Nikki Haley
America's number one warmonger is also one of America's most popular politicians. More The post Quinnipiac University – CNN POLL: America’s most popular politician is…Nikki Haley appeared first on The Duran.
In Northern Myanmar The War In Kachin Province Is Intensifying
*The Guardian:* *Thousands flee in Myanmar amid fighting between army and Kachin rebels* *UN says more than 4,000 people have fled in three weeks in the northern Kachin state and many civilians remain trapped.* Thousands of people have fled renewed fighting between Myanmar’s army and ethnic insurgents in the country’s remote north. More than 4,000 people have been displaced in the country’s northern-most state of Kachin near the border with China in the last three weeks, the head of UN’s office for the co-ordination of humanitarian affairs (OCHA), Mark Cutts, said on Friday. “... more »
I Want to Ride My Bicycle: Smart Cities and The Danish Concept of ‘Hygge’
CounterPunch, Global Research, Countercurrents, RINF Indian cities are in crisis. Spend any length of time in a large city there and you will notice the overcrowding, the power and water shortages and, during monsoon, the streets that transform into stinking, litter-strewn rivers. At times, these cities can be almost unbearable to live in. Little wonder then that the concept of ‘smart cities’ is taking hold among policy makers, however fundamentally flawed or cynical the strategy to implement the notion seems to be. And, not least of course, there is the horrendous traffic chaos a... more »
New poll shows that majority of Republicans have no interest in seeing a woman become President. Ever!
And this surprises you?Courtesy of Newsweek: *Asked if they'd see a woman president in their lifetime, 20 percent of respondents said they "definitely will," while 43 percent said they "probably will." A total of 63 percent believed they would likely see a female president before they die. * *YouGov also asked, "Do you personally hope that the United States elects a woman president of the United States in your lifetime, or not?" Sixty-six percent of all respondents said yes, while 34 percent said no.* *A comfortable majority of Republicans—59 percent—responded no, they don't hope... more »
WATCH: Cop Gets In Man’s Car, Shoots and Kills Him as They Drive Down the Road—No Charges
[image: off-duty] "If you don't get out of the car you're going to catch these f—king bullets," an off-duty officer was caught yelling at an unarmed man before she shot him multiple times. The post WATCH: Cop Gets In Man’s Car, Shoots and Kills Him as They Drive Down the Road—No Charges appeared first on The Free Thought Project.
Good Drivers are Creating a Budget Shortfall, Proving Gov’t Needs You to Break the Law to Fund Itself
[image: drivers] One state has found that relying on a significant percentage of its budget to be derived from traffic fees and fines leads to a massive shortage when drivers fail to break the law. The post Good Drivers are Creating a Budget Shortfall, Proving Gov’t Needs You to Break the Law to Fund Itself appeared first on The Free Thought Project.
Combat footage shows Syrian Army recapturing key quarters in southern Damascus
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (3:55 P.M.) – Syrian Army troops continue to liberate more areas in the last ISIS enclave of southern Damascus as more reinforcements pour into the battlefield. Led by the SAA’ elite 4th and 9th Armored Divisions, the government forces managed yesterday to reclaim al-Mazniyah and the Industrial Zone quarters of al-Qadam district following […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Breaking: Syrian Army snatches 4 towns from US-backed forces in Deir Ezzor amid surprise offensive – Syrian state media
BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:25 P.M.) – According to Syrian state media (SANA), the Syrian Army and allied paramilitary groups have seized four towns from US-backed forces on the eastern shore of the Euphrates. Specifically, reports say that Syrian pro-government forces seized the towns of Junaynah, Jayah, Shamrt Hossan and Huwayjat Ma’ishyah, all located to the north […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Turkish top diplomat accuses US of supporting YPG, Democratic Union
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has accused the US of supporting the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) and the Democratic Union Party, which Ankara considers to be terrorist organizations. “Today, the US supports terrorist organizations and this has to stop. Unfortunately, the YPG and the Democratic Union control ten percent of the Syrian territory and […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Exclusive: Syrian Army’s 9th Division shock troops prepare to storm ISIS stronghold (photos)
BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:00 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) recently received a major boost in the southern districts of Damascus when their elite 9th Division shock troops arrived to help with the ongoing offensive against the Islamic State (ISIS). Al-Masdar obtained exclusive pictures of the 9th Division’s Nizar Fandi shock troops that are preparing […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Russian envoy says US, UK, France at war on OPCW
The United States, France and the United Kingdom have literally plunged into a war on the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Russia’s Permanent Representative to that organization Alexander Shulgin said on Saturday. According to the Russian diplomat, by delivering a missile strike on Syria these three nations have demonstrated that “they have […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Large convoy of Tiger Forces travel to northern Homs for upcoming offensive
BEIRUT, LEBANON (2:10 P.M.) – A large convoy of Tiger Forces made the journey from the southern districts of Damascus to the northern Homs countryside recently, as they prepare to start their new offensive. As shown in the video below, the Tiger Forces can be seen heading towards the northern Homs countryside with a plethora […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Syrian Army pulverizes ISIS terrorists amid new push in southern Damascus (video)
BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:40 P.M.) – Heavy shelling struck the district of al-Hajar al-Aswad, to the south of Damascus on Saturday, as the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) worked to gain further ground against the remaining members of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) still in the capital. On Saturday, the Syrian Army and their Palestinian […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Armenia: 20,000 gather for mass rally led by Pashinyan
BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:50 P.M.) – Demonstrators held a massive rally led by Armenian opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan in the city of Vanadzor, despite the ruling Republican Party’s decision not to nominate a candidate for the post of Prime Minister, Saturday. Reportedly, about 20,000 people took part in the action. Armenians have been on the streets […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
More rebels surrender to Syrian government in north Homs pocket
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (1:50 P.M.) – Hundreds of rebel fighters chose to turn themselves in to the Syrian government ahead of a prospective offensive on the insurgent-controlled enclave in north Homs countryside. Up to 156 rebel fighters from Talbisah and Rastan towns in north Homs handed over their weapons as the government pledged to settle their […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Video footage of the Houthi forces launch 8 ballistic missiles into Saudi Arabia
BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:30 P.M.) – The Houthi forces launched at least eight ballistic missiles into Saudi Arabia, yesterday, targeting several areas inside the Jizan Region. According to the official media wing of the Houthi forces, their rocket battalion fired eight short-range Badr-1 ballistic missiles into the Jizan Region, making this their largest attack on Saudi […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Russian airstrikes pound northern Homs ahead of upcoming Syrian Army offensive
BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:10 P.M.) – The Russian Aerospace Forces launched several airstrikes over the northern countryside of the Homs Governorate this past weekend, targeting many areas under the control of the Islamist rebels. According to military source in Damascus, the Russian Aerospace Forces, alongside their Syrian counterparts, carried out more than two dozen airstrikes over […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Infamous ISIS leader arrested in northern Iraq
The Iraqi authorities have arrested an influential leader of the Daesh terrorist group in the city of Mosul in the north of the country, local media reported Saturday citing its sources. The terrorist has been identified as Ebrahim Mesha’al Marei, and arrested due to the presence of precise intelligence information, the Baghdad Post newspaper reported. […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Confirmed: All non-ISIS rebel groups to evacuate south Damascus within days – details on which factions will go where
BEIRUT, LEBANON (12:45 P.M.) – Earlier reports that Russian military negotiators had reached a new agreement with non-ISIS militant groups based in southern Damascus to evacuate rebel fighters from the area have now been confirmed. As previously hinted at, the new agreement will see rebel factions evacuated from southern Damascus before the defeat of nearby […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
What’s Al-Qaeda’s Next Move?
*Tore Refslund Hamming, War On The Rocks*: *With Islamic State in Decline, What’s Al-Qaeda’s Next Move?* In the past five years, only one attack in a Western country — the Kouachi brothers’ attack against Charlie Hebdo in January 2015 — can be connected to al-Qaeda. Why did the once infamous and feared group halt its terror campaign in the West? Part of the explanation is that al-Qaeda has indeed suffered from targeted killings of senior operatives, making it harder for the group to plan and execute international attacks, and that regional events in the Middle East have enhanced t... more »
How Do You Get 50% of Americans to Believe in Global Warming? Rob Them of an Education
Democrats take pride in that they are the Education and Climate Change Party. Intentions, not outcomes, are clearly what are important to Democrats. Democrats, the Feed Good Do Nothing Party. Ignorance is a powerful, useful and essential tool for passing the Democratic agenda and getting Democrats elected. Earlier this month, the 2017 National Assessment of Educational … Continue reading "How Do You Get 50% of Americans to Believe in Global Warming? Rob Them of an Education"
The Islamic State Is Creating A Safe Have In Africa Around Lake Chad
*Reuters: **Islamic State ally stakes out territory around Lake Chad* From the shores of Lake Chad, Islamic State’s West African ally is on a mission: winning over the local people. Digging wells, giving out seeds and fertilizer and providing safe pasture for herders are among the inducements offered by Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA), which split from Nigeria’s Boko Haram in 2016. “If you are a herder, driver or trader, they won’t touch you - just follow their rules and regulations governing the territory,” said a herder, who moves cattle in and out of ISWA territory and whos... more »
Heavy Fighting Reported Between Syrian And ISIS Forces South Of Damascus
*Haaretz/Reuters*: *Syrian Army, Islamic State Wage Fierce Battle in South Damascus* Tanks were rolling across an open area of fields to the edge of the enclave, which includes parts of al Qadam district, al Hajar al Aswad and the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp. The Syrian army and its allies engaged in a fierce battle on Saturday with Islamic State fighters in an enclave south of Damascus held by the jihadist group. A Reuters crew in the Qadam district west of Yarmouk filmed intense fighting including artillery bombardment and small arms fire. Tanks were rolling across an ope... more »
One of Our Stories is Missing
As noted on the Open Thread: The* Sunday Times* front page (and two more pages inside) has Russian Twitter bots tried to swing general election for Jeremy Corbyn. As at 1:30 there is nothing on the BBC News website - only Voter ID plans 'deeply flawed', says Electoral Reform Society. Indeed, The* Sunday Times *story hasn't been a story on the website all day [except in the online paper review of course]. I checked at 7.30 am and it wasn't there, though it was the fourth story on both the Sky News *and *ITV News websites. I checked again around 11.00 am and it was still the fourth ... more »
Untitled
From Jenna Orkin The American Government’s Secret Plan for Surviving the End of the World Electronics-recycling innovator is going to prison for trying to extend computers' lives Goldman Sachs is battling to contain an outbreak of mumps on the trading floorThe EU is currently debating whether or not to grant robots 'personhood' — here's what that would mean 800,000 People To Flee New York & California In Next Three YearsColumbia Students Storm Library To Denounce Conservative "Hate Speech"Chinese Smartphone Sales Collapse In "Biggest Decline Ever"The Oil Curse Comes To WashingtonN... more »
Arab States Reluctant To Join President Trump On Syria
*San Diego Union Tribune:* *Trump administration struggles to win Arab support for helping rebuild Syria, leaving U.S. pullout uncertain* The Trump administration is struggling to assemble a coalition of Arab military forces to replace U.S. troops battling Islamic State militants in eastern Syria, a roadblock that could indefinitely delay President Trump’s goal of pulling American forces out of the country, U.S. officials said. Allies in the region are deeply skeptical about sending their troops — and many are even reluctant to contribute funds — to help stabilize cities and towns...more »
Untitled
*New AP History Text Categorizes Trump Supporters as Racist, Questions President’s Mental Fitness* *“His not-very-hidden racism connected with a significant number of primary voters.”* It is sadly common for conservative presidents and political leaders to be portrayed in a less-than-flattering light in the left-leaning textbooks used in public school and college classrooms, but a new volume on American history gives a new spin on the term “rush to judgment.” Less than a year-and-a-half after taking office as America’s sitting president, Donald Trump is already being maligned in ... more »
SUNDAY SCREENING: The Two Koreas – ‘The Imposed Divide’ (2018)
*SUNDAY SCREENING* | Our weekly documentary film curated by our editorial team at 21WIRE.
Episode #231 – ‘Exposing the Government-Media Complex’ with guests Ian Shilling, Vanessa Beeley
*SUNDAY WIRE SHOW* | Strap yourselves in and lower the blast shield – this is your brave new world…
Ford's Definition Of Change
Doug Ford became the leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party by forming an alliance with Tanya Granic Allen. Martin Regg Cohn writes: Homophobia. Islamophobia. Anti-abortion hysteria and harassment. Demonizing gay marriage. Lord knows, and Ford knows, the camp of Granic Allen — an anti-gay, anti-abortion, anti-Muslim, burka-baiting candidate — put him over the top in last month’s leadership vote. No Tanya, no Tory leadership triumph. When Tanya speaks, Doug listens — as he did during the party’s leadership debates by enthusiastically endorsing her demands to “repeal” ... more »
‘80,000 Iranian fighters’ could launch GROUND INVASION to break up Israel
A shocking revelation of an alleged secret Iranian base in Syria, on the border with Israel More The post ‘80,000 Iranian fighters’ could launch GROUND INVASION to break up Israel appeared first on The Duran.
Untitled
*A Hawaiian island got about 50 inches of rain in 24 hours. Scientists warn it's a sign of the future (?)* *Utter rubbish. The Green/Left seem to think a thing becomes true because they say it is. No proof needed. Meteorologist Anthony Watts comments:* "Kauai is home to the largest annual rainfall record, ever, so this isn’t any surprise. One of the wettest spots on earth, with an annual average rainfall of 460 inches (1,200 cm), is located on the east side of Mount WaiÊ»aleÊ»ale. During a storm on January 24–25, 1956, a rain gauge at KauaÊ»i’s former Kilauea Sugar Plantation reco... more »
Another academic study confirms what we all knew about Chinese tourists
From the recently published How the influx of Chinese tourists affects national tourism behaviors: Evidence from Taiwan... Taiwan implemented its tourism open policy for Chinese tourists in 2008, thereby inducing a skyrocketing‐growth of tourist arrivals from China in subsequent years. This paper examines the influence of Chinese tourist arrivals on national tourism in Taiwan. Based on individual‐level data in 2006–2013, empirical estimations find no crowding‐out effect on national tourism, whereas Taiwan's residents exhibit an increasing frequency of domestic trips. *Crucially, r... more »
Paddy O'Connell falls for fake news
Poor Hugh Sykes got teased on Radio 4's *Broadcasting House* this morning for misidentifying a singing bird in his garden. He thought it was a blackbird but a hundred or so *BH* listeners protested that it was a thrush. Apparently he has form too, getting his swallows and swifts mixed up in Syria a few years ago. Meanwhile his teaser, Paddy O'Connell, was busy telling the audience: The rapper Kanye West has come out for Donald Trump. West, who praised their shared dragon blood, gained an important friend in the White House but lost 10 million followers on Twitter. Now, Paddy sho... more »
Virginia newspaper puts KKK recruitment flyer on front page. Oops.
Courtesy of Newsweek: *A Virginia newspaper has come under fire from its readers after it ran a Ku Klux Klan recruitment flyer in full on its front page. * *The Westmoreland News ran a story on how KKK recruitment flyers and DVDs had started appearing in the town of Colonial Beach, Virginia. * *However, the paper decided to include a copy of the recruitment flyer, which included racist and anti-Semitic language, in full on the front page to illustrate its story. * *“They posted the whole flyer as if they were giving them free advertising,” Colonial Beach resident Betty Tate Thomp... more »
Will The Country Be Cleaner If We Elect Progressive Democrats This Year? (Not A Trick Question)
A week from tomorrow 2 crucial congressional primaries will be playing out-- one on Indiana's 9th district and one in North Carolina's 5th district. The DCCC isn't exactly crazy about either of these stalwart progressives and each one will have to face a multimillionaire far right odious crackpot-- Dan Canon taking on Trey Hollingsworth and Jenny Marshall taking on Virginia Foxx. [image: Goal Thermometer]As of the April 18th FEC reporting deadline Dan had raised $433,401, compared to Hollingsworth's $887,779, and Jenny had raised $125,476 compared to Foxx's $1,482,801. Each also ... more »
Yup, It's Snowing! April 29/2018
*It's 7:45 am est. And as I'm enjoying my morning brew I can view the snow falling.* Yes, you read correctly the SNOW IS FALLING. The thermometer outside my patio doors here says the temp is 32F or 0 C. *The official weather forecast for my area is calling for a 30 percent chance of SNOW. The official high for today is supposed to reach 10 C. Our usual temp for this time of years is more often roughly 21 C or 68-70 F. Day time highs *We've been no where near that except for maybe two to three days this entire month. Clearly the alleged AGW that was supposed to make us all so much hott... more »
The 'Most Powerful' Helicopter Ever Fielded by America Is Also the Most Expensive
*Task and Purpose, Jared Keller* *Security, North America* Is it a giant paper tiger? *The King Stallion’s costs will likely only grow. After the CH-53K successfully pulled off its first cross-country flight last summer, Naval Air Systems Command announced its first official production contract for two helicopters for $303.97 million, or just under $152 million for each aircraft, “along with engineering and integrated logistics support, spares, and peculiar support equipment.”* The CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift helicopter is on track to enter arsenals around the world within ...more »
Why America's next Fighter Ace Won't Be a Drone
*Michael Peck* *Security, North America* Don't worry Tom Cruise, all is well. For a development that could revolutionize air combat, the announcement was surprisingly humdrum. In the bureaucratic language of federal contracts, the U.S. Air Force simply said that the MQ-9 Reaper drone would be getting air-to-air missiles. Or more specifically, Reaper manufacturer General Atomics would be awarded a sole-source contract that "requires development of a MQ-9 Reaper Air-to-Air Missile AVSIM capability." AVSIM stands for aviation simulation. And presumably the only reason that the Ai... more »
Why Nothing (Not Even Father Time) Seems to Kill the B-52 Bomber
*Task and Purpose, Jeff Schogol* *Security, North America* And it might just outlive us all. *In comparison, the B-1 Lancer and B-2 Spirit, which first flew in the 1980s, are both expected to be retired in the early 2030s — more than a decade earlier than planned, according to Air Force Magazine. NASA’s Space Shuttle retired in 2011 after 30 years of service. The SR-71 Blackbird bowed out in 1990 after flying for 24 years.* Do you remember when the defense industry could actually build airplanes? Not just build airplanes, but mass produce them in large numbers? Of course you do... more »
Northrop Grumman Has a Smart Strategy for Business Success
*Dave Majumdar* *Security, North America* Northrop Grumman is only bidding on projects that the company believes will generate the best financial returns on its investments. Continuing a recent trend amongst major defense companies, Northrop Grumman is only bidding on projects that the company believes will generate the best financial returns on its investments. That means that Northrop is refusing to put forward bids on programs such as the Air Force’s new GPS satellites or T-X advanced jet trainer or the U.S. Navy’s MQ-25 Stingray unmanned aerial refueling tanker. The company ... more »
China Loves America's Guns So Much It's Copying Them (and Making Lots of Money)
*Charlie Gao* *Security, Asia* We have the breakdown of how this is all happenning. If you ask an American what their idea of a budget AR-15 brand is, you would probably get answers like Stag Arms, Palmetto State Armory and Anderson Arms: all American companies. However, if you asked a Canadian what their idea of a budget AR-15 brand is, you would likely get one answer: Norinco. Norinco has been cloning and selling American designs on the international market for decades. In the United States, the company is banned because it tried to sell guns directly to gangs in the 1990s. R... more »
U.S. urges Europeans to impose sanctions on Iran missile program
The U.S. appears to renewing its efforts to clamp down on Iran
The things you find on Reddit. Today's topic: Incels.
Here is the post. Gee, no wonder these guys have a problem with women. I first heard this term "Incel" when somebody used it to label me. I quite literally had no idea what they were talking about, but I looked it up: *Incel: aka "involuntarily celibate", a person (usually male) who has a horrible personality and treats women like sexual objects and thinks his lack of a sex life comes from being "ugly" when its really just his blatant sexism and terrible attitude. incels have little to no self awareness; even when they see other "ugly" men with girlfriends, they consider these men... more »
Commentary
*Jello Man* If people are to be believed, everyone around Cosby (with the possible exception of the sponsors who lavished him with money and goodies to obtain his endorsement) knew that he was into drugging and then raping women. We all know that if you're famous, getting laid is about the easiest thing that happens. However, that didn't scratch the itch for Cosby. The women needed to be drugged, and unconscious. Bill might have been into necrophilia as well. We don't know the answer, but the dead are said not to complain to the police - or to turn up pregnant with the comedian's se... more »
Kepler and Modern Cosmology
“I have cleared the Augean stables of astronomy of cycles and spirals, and left behind me only a single cartful of dung.” ~ Johannes Kepler (Cited in Arthur Koestler's *The Act of Creation*) What Kepler describes as a cartful of dung is the non-uniform motion in non-circular orbits of the planets which could only be justified and explained by using arguments derived not from geometry, but from physics. His was the first serious attempt to explain the mechanism of the solar system in terms of physical forces, and it resulted in the formerly separate fields of physics and astronomy c... more »
Neuroscientists Strongly Recommend That You Visit The Beach Regularly. Here’s Why.
Neuroscientists Strongly Recommend That You Visit The Beach Regularly. Here’s Why: – Mystical Raven http://mysticalraven.com/health/9646/neuroscientists-strongly-recommend-that-you-visit-the-beach-regularly-heres-why Advertisements
Everything you know about toxic shock syndrome is probably wrong.
Everything you know about toxic shock syndrome is probably wrong | Popular Science https://www.popsci.com/toxic-shock-syndrome?con=TrueAnthem&dom=fb&lnk=TA&src=SOC&utm_campaign=&utm_content=5ae53c4704d3015e32b7b1bb&utm_medium=&utm_source=
Why Renewable Energy Is Not as Clean as You Think.
#76: Why Renewable Energy Is Not as Clean as You Think | Acumen | OZY https://www.ozy.com/acumen/why-renewable-energy-is-not-as-clean-as-you-think/79897?utm_campaign=organic&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=ozy
Why discovery of artificial womb will be monumental
Why discovery of artificial womb will be monumental https://www.dailyo.in/variety/artificial-womb-premature-babies-preemies-dolly-cloned-mammal/story/1/23759.html
Solar & Wind To Replace All Fossil Fuels Within Two Decades–According To Renewable Lobby
By Paul Homewood Solar photovoltaic and wind power are rapidly getting cheaper and more abundant – so much so that they are on track to entirely supplant fossil fuels worldwide within two decades, with the time frame depending mostly on politics. The protestation from some politicians that we need to build new coal stations […]
Trump Tower Baku: Another Strange Trump Tower Fire
Trump reported $2.8 million in “management fee” income (2015-2016) for this strangely located Trump Tower Baku. Note the tower in … Continue reading →
Trump Tower Baku: US Senators Call for Investigation of Trump’s Dealings with Corrupt Oligarch Linked to Iran
US “Senators Call for Investigation of Trump’s Dealings with Corrupt Oligarch Linked to Iran Leading Democrats Brown, Cardin, and Feinstein … Continue reading →
Autism’s 1 in 59: From Breaking News to Heartbreak
By Cathy Jameson My day started early Thursday morning. Up and out the door and on the go from before 7am to almost 2pm, I finally had time to sit down mid-afternoon. After reheating some leftovers for a late lunch,...
How the US treats its own: Puerto Rico still in the stone age 8 months after Hurricane
We can spend dozens of millions of US dollars to blow up empty warehouses half the world away, but we can't put anything into drinkable water for Americans More The post How the US treats its own: Puerto Rico still in the stone age 8 months after Hurricane appeared first on The Duran.
FINALLY: Russian doping case FAILS in court. Time to revisit Russia-gate?
What would happen if all the lies of our age were put to trial? More The post FINALLY: Russian doping case FAILS in court. Time to revisit Russia-gate? appeared first on The Duran.
On Migrants And A Biblical Paradigm
The white man of the Old World will be further content to think that he has the right to live and sin as he wishes. But the malevolent paupers with the Koran in their hands will, like nomads taking over a desert oasis, occupy the living areas piece by piece, biting it off block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood. The post On Migrants And A Biblical Paradigm appeared first on OrientalReview.org.
Breaking reports: Syrian Army takes over town from US-backed forces on east Euphrates shore
BEIRUT, LEBANON () – Reports (yet unconfirmed) are emerging that the Syrian Army and allied paramilitary forces have taken over a key town from US-backed forces on the eastern shore of the Euphrates. The town in question has been identified as Junaynah, located just to the north of Deir Ezzor city (which is on the […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Map update: Syrian Army, Palestinian forces reduce ISIS-held territory in south Damascus by 1/3 after week-long battle
BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:30 A.M.) – After a week of extremely violent clashes, the Syrian Army – supported by Palestinian forces and Russian airpower – has managed to reduce Islamic State controlled territory in southern Damascus by about one-third. During the last week, pro-government forces have conducted a concentrated bombardment against terrorists using warplanes and rocket […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Pictures: Syrian Army’s Republican Guard seizes entire district from ISIS during blitz assault in south Damascus
BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:00 A.M.) – On Saturday afternoon, the Syrian Army – led by veteran Republican Guard assault units – drove Islamic State militants from the district of Al-Qadam in southern Damascus. Specifically, Syrian government troops – backed by artillery, armor and airstrikes – retook the neighborhoods of Al-Madaniyah, Al-Asali and Al-Jorah. Although capturing all […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Graphic video: UN peacekeepers watch nine Syrian policemen get ambushed by militants in Golan Heights
BEIRUT, LEBANON (9:15 A.M.) – A video (below) has been released which shows the ambushing of nine Syrian policemen by militants in the Hermon area of the Golan Heights some time in 2013. Information is now surfacing that, apparently, Austrian UN peacekeepers present in the area where the attack took place saw insurgents setting up […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Admiration, admiration, admiration
From this morning's paper review on *The Andrew Marr Show*... *ANDREW MARR*: Let's turn to someone who probably won't be turned away by Immigration when he arrives. Donald Trump is coming to visit the country in July. *LYSE DOUCET*: Yes he will, and I think a lot of people in Britain are asking about that so-called 'special relationship', when they saw another relationship on show this week. "Bromance" was very much in the world headlines last week, and in *The Observer* they are showing what they're calling "dandruff diplomacy"... *ANDREW MARR*: Oh dear! *LYSE DOUCET*: ...a... more »
Rio Nightlife Guide for Sunday, April 29, 2018
We have the top three picks for this Sunday, and below there is a list of bars and pubs that are always a good option. MÚSICA BRASILEIRA: Pagode do Arlindinho (Tijuca) – A great “roda de pagode” happens this Sunday at the traditional Clube Renascença, in Andaraà (Tijuca). Musician Arlindinho (son of the great samba […]
Predictions of environmental doom have never materialized
“How accurate were the predictions made around the time of the first Earth Day in 1970? The answer: “The prophets of doom were not simply wrong, but spectacularly wrong,” according to Bailey.” click here
Sunday morning music
In the first Sunday Morning Music post of 2018, I brought you a number of Gordon Lightfoot's nautical-themed songs. This remarkable musician has produced an immense body of work. Today I'd like to look at some of his more meditative songs, music that makes you think - meditations in poetic form, set to music, if you will. They're haunting melodies that stay with you. To start, here's one of his most popular songs, "If You Could Read My Mind". This next song, "Circle Of Steel", is particularly poignant to me, because as a pastor and prison chaplain I've worked with people like... more »
"It Would Be Dangerous..."
"I am opposed to millionaires, but it would be dangerous to offer me the position." ~ Mark Twain
"Not One Man In A Million..."
“Lenin is said to have declared that the best way to destroy the capitalist system was to debauch the currency. By a continuing process of inflation, governments can confiscate, secretly and unobserved, an important part of the wealth of their citizens. By this method they not only confiscate, but they confiscate arbitrarily; and, while the process impoverishes many, it actually enriches some. The sight of this arbitrary rearrangement of riches strikes not only at security, but at confidence in the equity of the existing distribution of wealth. There is no subtler, no surer means of...more »
Negrolatry—the Weird Case of St. Stephen Lawrence
Stephen Lawrence's murder was dreadful but was it any worse than the 600 other murders in 1993? Or is it being used to induce a subconscious sense of guilt among whites?
Media Control Was Key to Jewish Strategy
Revealing how the masses have been mind controlled for at least 150 years.
Western Media Complicit in War Crimes
The Western media is complicit in the ongoing slaughter of civilians in Yemen. Often providing the perpetrators with justification for their crimes
The Fentanyl Cover Up in the Skripal Poisoning Case
New evidence has now come to light, that the doctors at Salisbury Hospital were treating the Skripals for Fentanyl poisoning for at least the first day
The Silence Of The Skripals – Government Blocks Press Reports – Media Change The Record
Are reports on the Skripals now under a D Notice, i.e. publication forbidden on the grounds of national security?
Syria may confiscate millions of migrants' houses
*Germany may be as big a loser as in 1945* Wars have consequences. Bashar Assad has apparently won the war in Syria and we were just told about an unexpected twist: plans to confiscate the real estate of the Syrian citizens who are living abroad (see the law in Arabic). Before some moment in May, all owners of houses in certain regions – they're meant to be regions that were controlled by various anti-Assad rebels – have to re-register their assets, otherwise the houses will be confiscated. That could affect houses of millions, perhaps 10 million, Syrian migrants. The thinking beh... more »
More sordid U.S. history - COINTELPRO
On March 8th, 1971 eight antiwar activists broke into an FBI office in Media, Pennsylvania and stole over 1,000 classified documents which revealed J. Edgar Hoover's criminal government operation, COINTELPRO. COINTELPRO was directed towards the public and broke first amendment rights and was later dismantled. But we know this shit still exists. The eight antiwar activists called themselves the Citizens' Commission to Investigate the FBI. By Will Griffin
"The Road to Hell is Paved by Central Bankers"
*“The Road to Hell is Paved by Central Bankers”* by James Quinn This is *not *honoring Jackson, it's their trophy *of *him... “It is well enough that people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning.” - Henry Ford “The economic peril that we find ourselves confronted with, has been ninety-eight years in the making. The confluence of debt, demographics, delusion, and denial has left the country at the precipice of annihilation. There are two kinds of people in the world, those who co... more »
Midnight Meme Of The Day!
*by Noah* Apparently Melania Trump has finally found a president who can make her smile.
This crowded isle
Here's a remarkable visualisation, courtesy of Oxford University's Max Roser - "a cartogram of where the world population lives – each square represents the home of half a million people" (click to enlarge): Canada and Russia are particularly striking, with Canada barely visible and Russia shrinking drastically. Also striking is the largeness of the United Kingdom. Evidently (despite what Mark Easton says) we *are* a densely populated country.
Tweets For Today
#UPDATE North Korea promises to close its atomic test site next month and invite US weapons experts to the country, Seoul says, as President Trump expresses optimism about securing a nuclear deal https://t.co/4Ulo1cPM0X pic.twitter.com/UTECDNcx69 — AFP news agency (@AFP) April 29, 2018 My personal wish out of the US-N. Korea summit: NK return the USS Pueblo to the US. The Pueblo was illegally seized by the North in 1968 and the crew held for 11 months. The Pueblo is currently a tourist attraction in Pyongyang. The Pueblo remains an active ship in the US Navy. pic.twitter.com/ZMBu... more »
Neonic & Bees – The Experiment Begins
The EU has banned Neonic pesticides. Now we'll find out if they are the cause of bee colony collapses. Continue reading →
US Secretary of State Pompeo Starts His Mideast Tour In Saudi Arabia
*DW: **Secretary fo State Mike Pompeo kicks off Mideast tour in pursuit of new Iran sanctions* US Secretary of State Pompeo is in the Middle East to gain support from Saudi Arabia for new sanctions on Tehran. President Trump has vowed to take action after labeling the Iran nuclear agreement the "worst deal ever." Barely two days after being sworn in as the new US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo arrived in Saudi Arabia on Saturday to urge support for a new plan to restrain Iran's military clout in the region. The Middle East visit, which will also take in Israel and Jordan, aims to... more »
Picture Of The Day
*New beginnings* North and South Korea have officially been at war since 1950. This photograph shows the first time a North Korean leader has stepped onto South Korean soil. To mark the event, North Korea's Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in planted a tree as a sign of a new beginning. Hours after planting it, both sides vowed to end the Korean War. *WNU Editor:* The above picture is from this photo-gallery .... *Politicians planting trees* (DW).
South Korea Scramble Fighter Jets To Intercept Chinese Spy Plane
*(Click on Image to Enlarge)* *SCMP/Reuters:* *South Korea says it scrambled military jets to intercept Chinese spy plane* Seoul lodged a complaint over another incursion less than two months ago South Korea said on Saturday it had scrambled military jets to intercept a Chinese aircraft that had entered the South’s air defence territory, less than two months after Seoul officially lodged a complaint over another incursion. The Chinese aircraft was believed to be a military reconnaissance plane and spent nearly four hours in the Korea air defence identification zone, the South Kor... more »
Not Everyone Believes In Putin-Gate... And Many People Never Believed In Watergate Either
On Thursday, John Schindler, writing for *The Observer* compared Putin-Gate and Watergate, noting that the former Is Really Just Watergate for Morons—With Russians. And Schindler, like many of us, really is obsessed by how incredibly stupid Trump and his team really are. So... not just the most corrupt president in history, but, probably, the stupidest and least capable as well. Recipe for disaster. Trump, he wrote, "is viewed with undisguised contempt for his venality and stupidity, even by his hand-picked top staff. Trump’s own National Security Council chair observed that, duri... more »
Atrial Fibrillation Diet: What to Eat and Avoid
A cardiologist’s look at diet and Atrial fibrillation Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is the a common abnormal heart rhythm plaguing millions of people. In fact, Afib is the most frequent reason why people come to my office. Afib is associated with an increased risk for stroke, heart failure, dementia and mortality. The risk of atrial fibrillation […] The post Atrial Fibrillation Diet: What to Eat and Avoid appeared first on The Drs. Wolfson.
Armenia's Parliament Will Not Nominate A Candidate From The Ruling Party For Prime minister
*BBC:* *Armenia crisis: Ruling party quits PM race* Armenia's ruling party has said it will not put up a candidate in Tuesday's parliamentary vote for a new prime minister in a bid to ease tensions. It means the new prime minister will not come from the dominant Republican Party, for the first time since 1999. The party said it would back another candidate on the day of the vote. Opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan, who has led mass protests that forced the last prime minister to resign, says he should be the country's new leader. Serzh Sargsyan resigned on 23 April. He had been ac... more »
BBC Radio 4 marks a year out from Brexit - a review
So how did BBC Radio 4's much-anticipated Brexit day - *Britain at the Crossroads* - on 29 March pan out? This, you may recall, was the BBC's way of marking one year before the date when we leave the EU, and it was evidently meant to showcase the BBC's range, depth and impartiality. I've not have the time to write about it so far, frustratingly, but I have (at last) finally heard it all. In lieu of a full-scale review (to come, no doubt, from the good folk at News-watch), I'll give my own impressions at, hopefully, not *too* great length (as John Milton might have said before p... more »
Musical Interlude: Manuel Iman, “This Moment Called Now”
Manuel Iman, “This Moment Called Now” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIno6Yu3rLE
"A Look to the Heavens"
"The constellation of Orion is much more than three stars in a row. It is a direction in space that is rich with impressive nebulas. To better appreciate this well-known swath of sky, an extremely long exposure was taken over many clear nights in 2013 and 2014. After 212 hours of camera time and an additional year of processing, the featured 1400-exposure collage spanning over 40 times the angular diameter of the Moon emerged. *Click image for larger size.* Of the many interesting details that have become visible, one that particularly draws the eye is Barnard's Loop, the bright red c... more »
Nothing Regarding the GHG Effect Can Explain the Record Low Temperatures in the Mid-West
The US Midwest is having the coldest spring on record, almost 20 degrees colder than 1910 – when CO2 was just over 300 PPM. Continue Reading Please Like, Share, Subscribe and Comment Advertisements
Why Is China Testing A Laser At Their Military Base In Djibouti?
*C4ISRNet*: *Who’s testing a laser in Djibouti?* Laser war is already here, and it might be so annoying it turns fatal. I am speaking not about directed energy weapons, the high-powered beams of light that most closely resemble the blasters and lasguns of science fiction. No, this is a simpler menace, one less about melting holes in objects and more on the side of blinding cameras and, occasionally, pilots. The news in this particular case is a Notice to Airmen from the U.S. military, sent out April 14th and in effect until at least June 14th, warning pilots of a laser in use nea... more »
Okinawa: U.S. strategy to circumvent protests
- Yesterday, due to the swell of the crowd at the construction gate at Camp Schwab, the government cancelled the usual convoy of dump trucks delivering huge rocks that are placed in Oura Bay. So about 50 people, including our VFP delegation, were taken to a Nago City port where the government has been loading rocks onto a ship that then takes them directly to Oura Bay in order to circumvent the gate blockades. Our job yesterday at the port was to stand in front of dump trucks as they drove up to unload their rock cargo which was then scooped up and placed... more »
"If The Earth Were Only..."
"If the earth were only a few feet in diameter, floating a few feet above a field somewhere, people would come from everywhere to marvel at it. People would walk around it marveling at its big pools of water, its little pools, and the water flowing between the pools. People would marvel at the bumps on it, and the holes in it, and they would marvel at the very thin layer of gas surrounding it and the water suspended in the gas. The people would marvel at all the creatures walking around the surface of the ball and at the creatures in the water. The people would declare it sacred bec... more »
How To Stop Trump
Robert Reich - 1 day ago
Why did working class voters choose a selfish, thin-skinned, petulant, lying, narcissistic,... more »
North Korea Wants To Meet President Trump In Beijing Or Shanghai. The U.S. Wants To Meet Kim Jong-Un In Singapore Or Mongolia
*SCMP:* *Why Kim Jong-un may not want to meet Donald Trump in Singapore* While the Lion City may be Washington’s preferred choice for the groundbreaking meeting, the North Korean leader is believed to want to stay closer to home Kim Jong-un may be reluctant to travel to Singapore for his proposed summit meeting with Donald Trump, analysts said, citing a range of factors including North Korea’s distant relations with the city state and Kim’s reluctance to travel by air. Following Friday’s historic sessions between North and South Korea, the focus will shift to the proposed landmar... more »
Is UK Gov. Using “Hate Speech” Laws to Try to Cover Up Murder of Alfie Evans?
[image: is-uk-gov-using-hate-speech-laws-to-try-to-cover-up-murder-of-alfie-evans] It’s bad enough that the British government played medical judge and jury before the death of little Alfie Evans, denying his parents the opportunity to take him to Italy for care. They also, say critics, have used the hate-speech principle to cover up their own complicity.
Foreign Policy Failure: America Has Not Learned from Its Wars
*Daniel L. Davis* *Security, Middle East* America must take a hard, critical, and unemotional look at its foreign policy in the post–9/11 era. It’s time for the Washington foreign-policy establishment to consider the seemingly unthinkable: perpetual foreign-military operations and occupations do not enhance American national security and economic prosperity. Overwhelming evidence—currently on painful display in Syria, Afghanistan and Yemen —reveals the stark reality that these operations drain our nation of critical resources, produces a slow-bleed of U.S. troops, and deteriora... more »
America's New Economy: To the Risk Takers Go the Spoils
*Samuel Rines* *Economics, North America* [image: A worker paints a section of the inaugural platform in front of the Capitol in Washington] When dynamism decelerates, wage gains are likely to falter. Sometimes, the grass is greener. Economists, perplexed by the lack of wage pressures generated by the current economy, were looking in the wrong places. The quitters are the ones being paid. Former Fed Chair Janet Yellen once stated that quits, as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, were one of her favorite indicators. When people are ... more »
5 Best .22 Caliber Guns on the Planet (Ruger Made the Cut, Twice)
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, North America* The best of the best at .22. The .22 Long Rifle (also known as 5.7×17mmR) cartridge is the oldest firearm cartridge still in common use. The “.22 LR” is so old that the cartridge’s date of invention is nearer to the Declaration of Independence than the present day. Despite the diminutive bullet’s age, it is still the most popular sub-.223 round in America by a wide margin, and the fifth most popular caliber overall, with more than a hundred thousand .22 LR rifles and pistols chambered sold every year. Invented in 1878 by the J. Stevens ... more »
The Army Wants to Destroy a Tank (without Destroying a City)
*Michael Peck* *Security, Europe* A good idea, but will it pan out? The U.S. Army has a problem. If its dismounted soldiers encounter enemy armored vehicles during a fight in a city, those vehicles will need to be neutralized. The problem is that any explosive powerful enough to destroy an enemy tank—for example, a Russian T-14 Armata tank—will likely devastate the surrounding buildings and their civilian inhabitants. Therefore, the Army wants a soft-kill weapon that can knock out a tank without obliterating a city block. As the Army research solicitation puts it with understate... more »
5 Worst Russian Rifles of All Time
*Charlie Gao* *Security, Europe* You would not want to go to war with these guns. Period. Russia is famous for producing the AK rifle, an amazing design known for its reliability under adverse conditions. However, Russia has also fielded some rifles with questionable or just plain bad designs and characteristics. Here are some of the worst Russian and Soviet rifle designs to have seen the light of day. *Avtomat Shpagina Obr. 1944* While Shpagin is best known for his submachine gun, the PPSh-41, he also entered the 1944 trials to build an automatic weapon for the new intermedia... more »
Forget Nuclear Weapons: North Korea Has Lots of Ways to Make Its Military More Deadly
*Ryo Hinata-Yamaguchi* *Security, Asia* Here's what to look out for. On April 20, North Korea held the Third Plenary Meeting of the Seventh Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK). The North Korean state media declared the “great victory” for the “WPK’s line of simultaneously pushing forward the economic construction and the building of a nuclear force.” After flattering the achievements of the policy, North Korea stated that it will suspend nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests, while also affirming to no first use, and no transfer of nucle... more »
Did Donald Trump Save the F-15 and F/A-18 (and Boeing)?
*Dave Majumdar* *Security, North America* Perhaps. The Trump Administration’s rise to power has proven to be a boon for Boeing’s fighter programs. In previous years, both the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and F-15 Eagle production lines were expected to shut down as Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter looked set to dominate the fighter market both domestically and internationally. However, with domestic defense funding boosted and new overseas sales, the future looks brighter for both jets. “I think after several years of having to endure the damage of sequestration and a cha... more »
Why the Navy Is Completely Desperate for More Aircraft Carriers
*Zachary Keck* *Security, North America* And Congress might be able to make it happen. The House Armed Services Committee is seeking to accelerate the construction of a new aircraft carrier and wants to examine the possibility of extending the life of a current one. The message: America needs more carriers—and fast. In the lastest mark up the Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee inserted language to move up the construction of the next Ford-class carrier. “The Secretary of the Navy may enter into one or more... more »
Louie Gohmert on Robert Mueller
https://www.scribd.com/document/377409983/Gohmert-Mueller-UNMASKED# “I was one of the few who were NOT surprised when Mueller started selecting his assistants in the Special Counsel’s office who had reputations for being bullies, for indicting people who were not guilty of the charges, for forcing people toward bankruptcy by running up their attorney’s fees (while the bullies in the Special Counsel’s office enjoy an apparently endless government budget), or by threatening innocent family members with prosecution so the Special Counsel’s victim would agree to pleading guilty to any... more »
North Korea Still Relies On China For Economic And Political Security
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. KCNA/via Reuters *SCMP*: *North Korea still looking to China for economic and political security, analysts say* It won’t be possible to move forward on denuclearisation without Beijing giving Pyongyang the incentives to give up its weapons, according to experts China is still an indispensable player in the Korean peninsula issue following Friday’s historic summit, because Beijing can provide economic and political assurance to Pyongyang, analysts said. After North Korean leader Kim Jong-un a... more »
Censorship Is Alive And Thriving In the USA—Especially Via The Internet
By Catherine J. Frompovich It’s finally happened? Congress woke up to the problem(s) it helped create with regard to censorship on the Internet by pandering... more »
MSNBC's Joy Reid apologizes for insensitive blog posts from the past, while also not taking full responsibility.
Courtesy Raw Story: *Calling her comments “despicable and wrong,” Reid copped to writing some of the offense comments, but said she truly believed she did not write them all. * *“A community I support and deeply care about is hurting because of despicable and truly offensive posts being attributed to me,” the somber Reid began. “Many of you have seen the blog posts circulating online and social media. Many of them are homophobic and discriminatory and hateful. When a friend found them and sent them to me, I was stunned. Frankly I couldn’t imagine where they came from and whose vo... more »
Scott Pruitt’s Doublespeak Clarifies Him
*by Skip Kaltenheuser* Allow me to introduce a friend, Elliott Negin, who writes for the Union of Concerned Scientists. The UCS, marshals volunteers and a network of twenty-thousand scientists for a variety of objectives including fighting misinformation and attacks on science, on matters from global warming to pollution to nuclear weapons. Elliott just wrote an essay considering a speech by Scott Pruitt, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, before CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference, The analysis underscores Pruitt’s startling hypocrisy, most rece... more »
China Is Rushing To Develop Stealth Technology For Its Planes
An Air Force F-22 Raptor (left) flies with an F-35 Joint Strike Fighter over Florida. USAF Photo by Master Sgt. Jeremy T. Lock *Zachary Keck, National Interest:* *China Has a Plan to Unstealth the F-35 and F-22* *China is trying to devise ways to make its nonstealthy aircraft radar resistant.* This week, the Hong Kong–based South China Morning Post reported that China is working on experimental technologies to make even its older aircraft appear stealthy to most radar systems. Citing scientists working on the project, the SCMP said, “The technology involves the use of a ‘metamate... more »
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