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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, August 18, 2019

18 August - Blogs I'm Following - 3 of 4

My Yahoo! - 1 of 2    2 of 2

10 pm MDT

Lessons From the UAE War in Yemen

mknights at Lawfare - 13 hours ago
Photo Credit: via Khaleej Times *Editor’s Note: Yemen's civil war has dragged on for years, and the destruction and suffering there intensified after the Saudi and UAE intervention in 2015. Although Riyadh's role gets far more attention than Abu Dhabi's, it was UAE forces that often had the biggest impact on the ground. Earlier this year, however, the UAE announced it was suddenly ending its intervention. Michael Knights of the Washington Institute spent considerable time with UAE forces in Yemen, and he assesses the lessons that the UAE is learning, and should learn, from its int... more »

Hezbollah Airs Video It Says Shows Preparations For Deadly Attack On An Israeli Warship During The 2006 Second Lebanon War

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 13 hours ago
*Times Of Israel:* *New Hezbollah footage purports to show 2006 strike on Israeli Navy ship* Al-Manar TV airs video it says shows preparations for deadly attack on INS Hanit during Second Lebanon War, an event which became a symbol of Israel’s overconfidence Hezbollah’s al-Manar TV on Thursday night for the first time aired footage it said came from a missile strike on an Israeli Navy ship during the 2006 Second Lebanon War. In a documentary aired to commemorate 13 years since the war, the TV station said it was revealing new details about the strike on the INS Hanit that killed... more »

Australia warned to divert Middle East military operations to counter China's regional rise

Andrew Greene at Just In - 13 hours ago
Australia is being urged to stockpile munitions, improve land-based strike capabilities and "rebalance" military deployments away from the Middle East in the face of China's rising strength in the Indo-Pacific.

'The public's tolerance is exhausted': Frydenberg announces timetable for banking sector shake-up

Peter Ryan at Just In - 13 hours ago
The Federal Government releases a timeframe for implementing 54 recommendations from the financial services royal commission, spurred into action by criticism about a sluggish response.

On Kant’s Moral Theory

Unknown at The Verma Report - 13 hours ago
Immanuel Kant’s deontological moral theory is more superior and convincing than the utilitarianism inspired theories which claim that something is right because it achieves good or desirable outcomes, and the virtue ethics theories which emphasize the role of character and virtue in moral philosophy. Central to Kant’s moral theory is the idea that there are moral percepts whose imperative is absolute, which means that a given action is right or wrong under all circumstances. Kant granted only a limited acceptance to the empiricist view of the natural dimensions of human life, becau... more »

Poll: Only 29 Percent Of Americans Believe Jeffrey Epstein Committed Suicide

Activist Post at Activist Post - 13 hours ago
By Chris Menahan 29 percent of American adults believe Jeffrey Epstein committed suicide in jail, according to a new poll from Rasmussen Reports. From Zero... more »

Relief at last from the misdirected Endangered Species Act

Dr. Jay Lehr at CFACT - 13 hours ago
Protecting endangered species is too important to let it become a tool of the anti-capitalist left. The post Relief at last from the misdirected Endangered Species Act appeared first on CFACT.

Dia do Pão de Queijo (Cheese Bread Day): Learn This Delicacy’s History and How to Make it

Contributing Reporter at The Rio Times - 13 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Soft inside, golden and crunchy outside, the cheese bread emerged from the kitchens of Minas and, not by chance, conquered the world. The genuine flavor and the option of combining it with other different foods makes the bun very versatile. But converting simple ingredients, such as tapioca flour, egg and […] The post Dia do Pão de Queijo (Cheese Bread Day): Learn This Delicacy’s History and How to Make it appeared first on The Rio Times.

The Financial Times Links Pope Francis to Alberto Fernández’s Triumph in Argentina

Contributing Reporter at The Rio Times - 13 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - An article published yesterday, August 17th, titled "Investors wonder which Fernández will govern Argentina" and signed by journalist Benedict Mander, begins with a description of a "decisive moment in the career of the man many expect to be the next president of Argentina": a meeting of Alberto Fernández with the […] The post The Financial Times Links Pope Francis to Alberto Fernández’s Triumph in Argentina appeared first on The Rio Times.

Cop Fired and Charged for Pulling Gun During Road Rage, Given Job Back, Plus Back Pay

Matt Agorist at The Free Thought Project - 13 hours ago
[image: rage]A cop who held a gun to a motorists head during a road rage incident, and then got caught lying to investigators about it, was just given back his job and back pay.

As U.S. - Taliban Peace Talks Continue, Afghan Warlords Are Readying For A Potential Civil War

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 13 hours ago
Forces with Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security escort an alleged militant as Taliban and Islamic State fighters are presented to the media in Jalalabad in May 2019 (AFP Photo/NOORULLAH SHIRZADA) *Diana Stancy Correll, Military.com*:* Analysis suggests warlords in Afghanistan are bracing for civil war once US, NATO troops exit* As the U.S. and the Taliban are on the brink of securing a peace deal that would remove U.S. and NATO forces from Afghanistan, a new report cautions that Afghan warlords are readying for a potential civil war. According to analysis from the Instit... more »

Howard Roark

Owen Gray at Northern Reflections - 14 hours ago
If you're looking for a precursor to Donald Trump, Tom Hartmann writes, take a good look at Howard Roark. Roark is the protagonist in Ayn Rand's novel, *The Fountainhead:* When Donald Trump was running for the GOP nomination, he told USA Today’s Kirsten Powers that Ayn Rand’s raped-girl-decides-she-likes-it novel, “The Fountainhead,” was his favorite book. Rand admitted her model for Roark was an infamous child murderer named William Edward Hickman. The details behind the murder are horrific. Suffice it to say that Hickman was a psychopath: But to a young Russian idealist just ... more »

The Kel-Tec KSG-25 Bullpup Shotgun Holds 41 'Bullets': What You Need To Know

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 14 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, * The KSG-25’s design makes it by far the largest capacity shotgun on the civilian market and a unique addition to a gun owner’s collection. *Like like most shotguns the KSG-25 is a manually operated, pump action weapon. The action is cycled by a pair of action bars, and pushing forward chambers a round. The KSG-25’s slide is made of polymer and a Magpul MVG forward vertical grip is installed to give the user a smoother racking experience, as well as hold on against the recoil of heavier rounds.* Shotguns are typically not what one would consider high c... more »

Meet the Hughes XF-11: The Prototype Plane That Nearly Killed Howard Hughes

Dario Leone at The National Interest - 14 hours ago
*Dario Leone* *Security, * An hour into the flight (after onboard recording cameras had run out of film), a leak caused the right-hand propeller controls to lose their effectiveness and the rear propeller subsequently reversed its pitch, disrupting that engine’s thrust. On Apr. 5, 1947, the second prototype of the Hughes XF-11 twin-boom aircraft made its first complete flight (takeoff and safe landing), piloted by Howard Hughes. Designed and built by Hughes Aircraft for the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF), the Hughes XF-11 was a prototype military reconnaissance aircraft. Notewort... more »

V-22 Osprey: Israel's Military Could Become Even Deadlier Thanks to This

Gabriele Barison at The National Interest - 14 hours ago
*Gabriele Barison* *Security, * Could it happen? After years of discussion on what should be ordered as a replacement/addition to the UH-60A Yanshuf and the CH-53 2025 Yas’ur, it looks like the Israeli Defence Ministry has taken the next step. As reported by Aviation Week, the Israeli Defense Ministry has issued a price and availability request to the U.S. Navy’s international programs office for the acquisition of the Boeing V-22 aircraft. This step in the long-delayed acquisition of the tilt-rotor was finally taken after Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, chief of staff of the Israeli De... more »

Back in 1967, One of the U.S. Navy's Most Advanced Submarines Sank Mysteriously

Warfare History Network at The National Interest - 14 hours ago
*Warfare History Network* *History, Europe* And we still don't know why. *The main problem the Navy faced was expediency versus caution. The submarine force needed torpedoes, and the manufacturers were hard pressed to produce the required numbers. As a result, the OSC was rushing into service torpedoes containing components that had not been fully tested.​* Even in the age of ultra-sophisticated nuclear submarines, with their advanced computers, sonar, navigation, and communication systems, the hard truth is inescapable: the sea is the most hostile environment on Earth. It is t... more »

The Hidden Law That Could Stop The Reckless Oversupply of Opioids to American Families

Nicolas Paul Terry at The National Interest - 14 hours ago
*Nicolas Paul Terry* *Society, United States* Inadequate oversight is killing Americans. The massive scale of prescription opioid shipments as the ongoing overdose epidemic unfolded has started to come into focus. Drug companies shipped 76 billion opioid pain pills to U.S. health care professionals, hospitals and pharmacies between 2006 and 2012, according to data The Washington Post and the Charleston Gazette-Mail’s owner acquired by suing the government. Hundreds of pills per person were delivered to rural areas like Wise County, Kentucky, and the town of Norton, Virginia. Mea... more »

The U.S. Navy Isn't Building 'Battleships' Anymore

James Holmes at The National Interest - 14 hours ago
*James Holmes* *Security, * Sorry. *In that vein, it’s fair to say the DDG-1000 suffers from the same problem bedeviling the rest of the U.S. Navy surface fleet. Assume the advanced gun system eventually boasts the same range against warships it boasts against land targets, eighty-three nautical miles. Guns can disgorge a large volume of fire, to the tune of hundreds of rounds, compared to the ship’s eighty-round missile magazine. That’s good.* Over the years it’s become commonplace for writers to sex up their descriptions of guided-missile destroyer (DDG) *Zumwalt*, the U.S. N... more »

RIP Battleships: How Imperial Japan Proved These Massive Warships Were Obsolete

Robert Farley at The National Interest - 14 hours ago
*Robert Farley* *Security, * Military technological revolutions rarely happen all at one time; they generally result from the evolution of several unrelated trends that “suddenly” result in new military realities. This was surely the case of the transition from battleship to aircraft carrier... *The loss of the two ships gutted Allied plans to defend Singapore. HMS Prince of Wales was the most powerful surface unit in the Pacific (HIJMS Yamato would not enter service until later in December), and her sinking was a tremendous shock to local defenders and the British government ali... more »

China's Belt and Road Plan Is Destroying the World

Sagatom Saha at The National Interest - 14 hours ago
*Sagatom Saha* *Security, Asia* [image: Reuters] Most Chinese-financed, coal-fired power plants built overseas use low-efficiency, subcritical coal technology, which produces some of the highest emissions of any form of power generation. Thus, China is destroying the environment. China has continually assured the world that its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a green project. At the first BRI forum in May 2017, Chinese president Xi Jinping touted BRI as a “vision of green development and a way of life and work that is green, low-carbon, circular and sustainable.” Similar promi... more »

South Korea and Japan Must Resolve Their Trade Spat

Patrick M. Cronin at The National Interest - 14 hours ago
*Patrick M. Cronin* *Security, Asia* [image: Reuters] Washington must act to help this happen. Some foreign-policy disagreements are necessary and some are a matter of choice. The current low ebb of relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) is more the latter rather than the former. U.S. interests not only dictate doing more to restore allied harmony, but also advise strongly against compounding tensions. Yet President Donald Trump is demanding a rapid and steep increase in host-nation support from Japan and the ROK at a time when those Northeast Asian allies are e... more »

The F-111 Aardvark: The Assassin Strike Plane Sent to Kill Gaddafi

Sebastien Roblin at The National Interest - 14 hours ago
*Sebastien Roblin* *Security, * In the early 1960s, the Air Force came to realize that new, radar-guided surface-to-air missiles such as the Soviet SA-2 could reach its slow, high-altitude bombers. In response, it devised a new concept: a smaller long-range supersonic bomber that could skim close to the ground, below radar systems. At the same time, the U.S. Navy was looking for a fast, long-range carrier-based interceptor armed with air-to-air missiles that could take out Soviet bombers from a distance. This plane did all of that--and more. *Desert Storm was the Aardvark’s las... more »

China's Military Is Ready For War: Everything You Need to Know.

Cortez A. Cooper III at The National Interest - 14 hours ago
*Cortez A. Cooper III* *Security, * Americans are slowly but undeniably facing a new reality in global great power relations that will define the trajectory of U.S. foreign policy for the foreseeable future. The 2017 U.S. National Security Strategy and 2018 National Defense Strategy mark an acknowledgment by not only the current administration but also a broad, bipartisan swath of government and private sector entities that China's increasing swagger as it emerges on the world stage warrants a more confrontational approach toward the country. *PLA concepts and capabilities also i... more »

You're Toast: 5 Ways A Bulletproof Vest Can Be Defeated

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 14 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *Technology, North America* Scary, but reality. *Body armor protects against kinetic energy weapons that seek to deliver fatal wounds against friendly troops. Body armor can also be a Maginot Line, bypassed and made irrelevant. Artillery, including howitzers and mortars, and improvised explosive devices could batter troops wearing body armor.* For decades, protection lagged far behind lethality on the battlefield. The only practical protection from bullets and dangerous flying objects was steel, but weight forced a tradeoff between protection and mobility; adequ... more »

Untitled

Jenna Orkin at From the Wilderness' Peak Oil Blog - 14 hours ago
From Jenna Orkin Court documents show U.S. seeks seizure of Iranian tanker violating sanctions Diarrhoea-causing bacteria adapted to spread in hospitalsEpstein Reportedly Spent Time Alone With Attractive Young Woman In Private Prison RoomA book on the 'secret lives and deaths of CIA operatives' sells out on Amazon after Jeffrey Epstein's alleged madam Ghislaine Maxwell was spotted reading the bestseller at an In-N-Out Doctors who treated the victims of a deadly Russian missile blast weren’t warned of radiation *Were they surprised?* Boris Johnson urged to release secret official Br... more »

LIZ CHENEY: SHE'S RUNNING

Steve M. at No More Mister Nice Blog - 14 hours ago
Hi, I'm back. Thank you, Yastreblyansky, Crank, and Tom -- great work while I was away. I return to find out that the crypt has been opened: Former vice president Richard B. Cheney and his daughter, Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), are to appear at a lunch fundraiser Monday in support of President Trump’s 2020 reelection campaign and the Republican National Committee, according to an invitation to the event.... The former vice president has been critical of the Trump administration’s foreign policy moves. At a private gathering this year, Richard Cheney pressed Vice President Pence on a n... more »

Tweets For Today

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 14 hours ago
Large pro-democracy rally taking place in Victoria Park, Hong Kong https://t.co/8W5FvGBnU1 pic.twitter.com/n32114Xf91 — BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) August 18, 2019 The Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate claims responsibility for Kabul's deadliest attack this year, a suicide bombing at a wedding hall that killed at least 63 people and wounded nearly 200. https://t.co/zMZMzNFuC6 — The Associated Press (@AP) August 18, 2019 #UPDATE Gibraltar's government said it could not seek a court order to detain the ship, as it prepared to leave the territory, because US sanctions a... more »

Picture Of The Day

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 14 hours ago
Police fire tear gas at anti-extradition bill protesters during clashes in Sham Shui Po in Hong Kong, China, August 14, 2019. Ten weeks of confrontations between police and protesters have plunged Hong Kong into turmoil, and presented the biggest popular challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012. Demonstrators say they are fighting the erosion of the "one country, two systems" arrangement that has enshrined some autonomy for Hong Kong since China took it back from Britain in 1997. REUTERS/Thomas Peter *WNU Editor: *The above picture came from this pho... more »

Why Negative Interest Rates Will Devastate The World Economy

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 14 hours ago
*Zero Hedge:* *12 Reasons Why Negative Rates Will Devastate The World* It has been a thesis over 20 years in the making, but with every passing day, SocGen's Albert Edwards - who first coined the term "Ice Age" to describe the state of the world in which every debt issue ends up with a negative yield as capital markets and economies collapse into a deflationary singularity - is that much closer to having the victory lap of a lifetime. Although, we doubt he is happy about it. Commenting on the interest rate collapse he has been (correctly) predicting ever since he first observed J... more »

Untitled

jonjayray at EDUCATION WATCH INTERNATIONAL - 15 hours ago
*Parental Nightmares in Public Schools* Public schools are reopening for business across America, meaning it’s time to get back to reading, writing, arithmetic … and revolution. As usual in matters such as these, California is leading the way. On the first day of classes at Denair Middle School near Modesto, science teacher Luis Davila Alvarado handed out a worksheet from a transgender advocacy group titled “The Gender Unicorn” asking students about their “gender identity,” “gender expression” and their sexual and emotional attractions. These are children. And yet the teache... more »

Smith ruled out for last day at Lord's, in doubt for next Ashes Test after failing concussion exam

Just In - 15 hours ago
Steve Smith is ruled out for the remainder of the second Ashes Test at Lord's and is in doubt for the next game, having failed a concussion test the morning after being hit in the neck by a Jofra Archer bouncer.

ICYMI: Spousal Back To School Edition (8/18)

Peter Greene at CURMUDGUCATION - 15 hours ago
This week my wife heads back to it, with a new grade assignment. I am excited for her and putting on my supportive pants. In the meantime, here's some reading from the week. Remember to share the good stuff-- that's how the word gets around! *S.C. teacher files class action lawsuit demanding pay for after school work, classroom supplies * A long overdue step in fighting back in South Carolina. *Why is union membership bleeding in the red teacher revolt states? * Fred Klonsky and what may be a troubling, or obvious, trend. *Children Don't Need Adults To Give Their Play a Purpos... more »

China Has Stopped Purchasing Oil From Venezuela

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 15 hours ago
*OilPrice.com*: *CNPC Backs Out Of Oil Purchases With Venezuela On Sanctions Scare* Russia and China have stuck with Venezuela during its most recent time of need, but at least one of their loyalties may soon come to an end, according to anonymous sources who spoke to Bloomberg on Friday. CPNC’s PetroChina has canceled loading plans in August that would have seen 5 million barrels of Venezuelan oil, the sources said, as the United States continues to squeeze Venezuela to loosen Nicolas Maduro’s hold on the troubled Latin American Country. *Read more* .... *Update #1*: China’s B... more »

Untitled

JR at GREENIE WATCH - 15 hours ago
*UK: Surge in electric car sales could crash the National Grid by 2040, energy expert warns* *This is only the latest problem for mass use of electric cars. People all seem to be closing their eyes to the limited practicality of electric cars in general. Something nobody is mentioning is what happens if you arrive at a charging station and all the charging points already have other electric vehicles plugged into them? You might have to wait hours until one of them is charged enough to be unplugged.So you will not only have to wait for your own car to charge up but also wait... more »

"Against the Slippery Slope of Injustice: Amanda Palmer Reads Wendell Berry’s Stunningly Prescient Poem “Questionnaire”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 15 hours ago
*"Against the Slippery Slope of Injustice: Amanda Palmer * *Reads Wendell Berry’s **Stunningly Prescient Poem “Questionnaire”* The road to moral hell is paved with gradual self-permission. by Maria Popova “Under conditions of terror,” Hannah Arendt wrote in her classic treatise on the normalization of evil, “most people will comply but some people will not… No more is required, and no more can reasonably be asked, for this planet to remain a place fit for human habitation.” Under such conditions, counting ourselves among the few who refuse to comply has less to do with whether we bel... more »

And They Want to be Sovereign!

Pierre Lemieux at Econlib - 15 hours ago
Under the title “The U.K. Banned a Cream Cheese Commercial Due to Gender Stereotypes,” Reason Magazine journalist Ben McDonald reports: The first ads to fall prey to the U.K.’s new ban on gender stereotypes in advertising are tepid spots for Philadelphia Cream Cheese and Volkswagen. The law, which is enforced by the U.K.’s Advertising Standards Authority […] The post And They Want to be Sovereign! appeared first on Econlib.

Greg Hunter, "Russia Hoax Coup and Epstein Interlocked – Kevin Shipp"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 15 hours ago
*"Russia Hoax Coup and Epstein Interlocked – Kevin Shipp" *(Part #1) By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com (Click Here for Part# 2) "Former CIA Officer and whistleblower Kevin Shipp says the Russian hoax and attempted coup of President Trump and the sex trafficking case against Jeffery Epstein are linked together by the same Deep State players. Shipp explains, “The FBI has completely raided his vault, and they have some pretty damning material. I don’t know why it took so long, but they have raided Epstein’s island. So, there is a lot of damning information the FBI has now on certain pe... more »

U.S. Issues Warrant To Seize Iran Oil Tanker 'Grace 1' To Prevent The Vessel From Leaving Gibraltar

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 15 hours ago
*CNBC/Reuters:* *US issues warrant to seize Iranian tanker off Gibraltar* * U.S. issues warrant to seize Iranian tanker off Gibraltar. * Authorities in the British overseas territory have granted the ship permission to leave port. * The U.S. says the ship has inks to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The United States has issued a warrant to seize an Iranian oil tanker caught in the standoff between Tehran and the Westin a last ditch effort to prevent the vessel from leaving Gibraltar. The Grace 1 was seized by British Royal Marines at the western mouth of the Mediterranea... more »

Radioactive Activation Products in Nuclear Power Stations Mean that Delaying Dismantlement is Safer for Workers and the Public (Pacific NW Lab Report for the US NRC)

miningawareness at Mining Awareness + - 15 hours ago
For some unknown reason, the US is allowing two companies, which are becoming increasingly infamous for corruption, SNC-Lavalin and Holtec, … Continue reading →

Ethics Report Found Trudeau Attempted to Protect SNC-Lavalin (Holtec Partner in US Nuclear Power Station Dismantlement)

miningawareness at Mining Awareness + - 15 hours ago
Lavalin, and then SNC-Lavalin, was well-known before anyone had ever heard of Holtec. It seems that a very lengthy PhD … Continue reading →

Sudan Military And Protest Leaders Sign Transitional Government Deal

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 15 hours ago
*Al Jazeera:* *Sudan protest leaders, military sign transitional government deal* Military council and main opposition coalition sign power-sharing deal paving the way for transition to civilian rule. Sudan's main opposition coalition and the ruling military council have formally signed a final power-sharing deal, paving the way for a transition to a civilian-led government. The landmark agreement signed on Saturday in the capital Khartoum came after a long period of negotiations following the overthrow of longtime leader President Omar al-Bashir in the wake of mass protests. *R... more »

Does Something As Amorphous As "The Democratic Party" Stand For Something?

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 16 hours ago
*"Conservative Democrats" are careerist politicians, not actual grassroots voters* I guess that depends on how you define it. Who is the Democratic Party? I would say anyone who has registered as a Democrat. Fair enough? Who is *not* the Democratic Party? The elected party officials, who try to define it by looking in the mirror. Their positions are transitory and their careerism is the most deadly weapon wielded against the party and what it is supposed to stand for. I would define the modern Democratic Party as part of the vision espoused by Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. If he w... more »

Constraining Iran Requires Ending its Colonization of Arabistan

Abdullah Al Khazaal at The National Interest - 16 hours ago
*Abdullah Al Khazaal* *Security, Middle East* Despite their lofty rhetoric, Iranian leaders have failed to address their own oppression and discrimination against the Arabs whose oil-rich land they have exploited for decades. Iran’s meddling across the Middle East is increasing. Iranian Revolutionary Guardsmen seize ships, Iranian proxies fire missiles into neighboring countries, and the Islamic Republic continues to seek a land bridge to the Mediterranean. Enabling Tehran’s malign outreach is its oil wealth. Iran possesses the fourth largest known oil reserves in the world. Eigh... more »

German AR-15 Rifles: The Best on the Planet? (Take a Look and Decide)

Charlie Gao at The National Interest - 16 hours ago
*Charlie Gao* *Technology, * The details are here. *Regardless, it’s a testament to the quality and longevity of Stoner’s design that the rifles have seen a renaissance in Germany, outcompeting local rifle designs, nearly sixty years after the original design saw service with the United States. * Mention a German take on an AR-15, and most people will imagine the HK416. However, many other German manufacturers have made their own take on the AR platform, from simple clones made by Oberland Arms to Haenel, which makes another variant of the piston-driven AR rifle. But why would ... more »

Radioactive Tragedy: Russia's New Cruise Missile Would Be a Terror on the Battlefield

Sebastien Roblin at The National Interest - 16 hours ago
*Sebastien Roblin* *Technology, Europe* [image: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/3M-54E1.jpg] But a recent accident shows that such a weapon could literally blow-up in Moscow's face. At nine in the morning on August 8, 2019, an explosion resonated across the cold waters of the arctic White Sea. A missile had exploded lifting off from an offshore research platform near Nyonoksa, Russia. Long-range missiles had been tested at a site adjacent to the rural town since 1965, and accidents were hardly unprecedented. In 2015, debris from an errant cruise missile raine... more »

Selfie Showdown: A Russian Pilot Filmed His Su-27 Overtaking a P-8A Poseidon Plane

Dario Leone at The National Interest - 16 hours ago
*Dario Leone* *Security, Europe* For what reason? *Moscow claims 26 foreign surveillance aircraft have been spotted by its forces near its airspace over the past seven days.​* Russia says it scrambled a Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker fighter jet to intercept a US Navy P-8A Poseidon that was flying close to the annexed territory of Crimea. As the videos in this post show the Flanker pilot used his mobile phone to record footage of the latest close encounter between US and Russia aircraft. *(This first appeared earlier in 2019 and is being republished due to reader interest.)* The Su-27 pi... more »

Making Money Off of Politics Isn’t New—It Was Business As Usual In the Gilded Age

Jeff Broxmeyer at The National Interest - 16 hours ago
*Jeff Broxmeyer* *Politics, Americas* [image: Reuters] The Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., whose profits go to the president and his family business. When the political leader “Boss” Tweed was arrested in New York on corruption charges in the fall of 1871, among his many assets was a luxury hotel. Located up the road from City Hall, the Metropolitan was a 400-room, five-story building described at its 1852 opening as a site that “fairly dazzles and bewilders the visitor, and causes him to think of the palaces of ‘Arabian Nights’ tales.” Tweed had acquired the hote... more »

Sunday song

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 16 hours ago

Icy Rio de Janeiro: Climbing Pico das Agulhas Negras

Dermot OSullivan at The Rio Times - 16 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - The Pico das Agulhas Negras is the highest point in Rio de Janeiro State and the ninth highest in all of Brazil. At 2,791 meters, it trails only 200 meters behind the tallest peak in the country. Because of this, and its proximity to both São Paulo and Rio de […] The post Icy Rio de Janeiro: Climbing Pico das Agulhas Negras appeared first on The Rio Times.

Diving Into Deep Topics

Age of Autism at AGE OF AUTISM - 16 hours ago
By Cathy Jameson I went to the pool early one evening with 3 of my kids over our summer break. We’d have loved for him to join us, too, but Ronan stayed behind. Previous summers had him at the pool... more »

Epstein’s Lawyers Oppose Official Suicide Ruling, Will Pursue ‘Independent’ Probe

21wire at 21st Century Wire - 16 hours ago
*21WIRE* | Epstein's legal team are now refuting the official medical examiner’s ruling of suicide.

Sunday morning music

Peter at Bayou Renaissance Man - 16 hours ago
I'm not a big fan of jazz music. I'll listen to a little, and tolerate a little more, but it soon palls on me, and I'll go looking for something more tuneful and melodious. Nevertheless, I had to do a double-take when my wife sent me a link to jazz artist Gunhild Carling performing live, with bagpipes. *Bagpipes* as a *jazz instrument?* This I had to hear! She's also noted for playing up to three trumpets simultaneously. For those who enjoy jazz more than I do, here's a complete performance with her own band and the Harlem Hotshots. Hope you enjoyed it, jazz fans! ... more »

"What You Do..."

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 16 hours ago
"The soul is dyed the color of its thoughts. Think only on those things that are in line with your principles and can bear the light of day. The content of your character is your choice. Day by day: what you think becomes what you do, and what you do is who you become. - Heraclitus

Free Download: "The Fragments Of The Work Of Heraclitus Of Ephesus"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 16 hours ago
"Heraclitus of Ephesus (c. 535 – c. 475 BCE, age 60) was a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher, and a native of the city of Ephesus, then part of the Persian Empire. He was of distinguished parentage. Little is known about his early life and education, but he regarded himself as self-taught and a pioneer of wisdom. From the lonely life he led, and still more from the apparently riddled and allegedly paradoxical nature of his philosophy and his stress upon the heedless unconsciousness of humankind, he was called "The Obscure" and the "Weeping Philosopher". Heraclitus was famous for his i... more »

Warped IPCC Charter

Geoff at The Australian Climate Sceptics Blog - 17 hours ago
Opinion: *Case Smit* We are encouraged to believe that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the ultimate authority on all matters to do with the global climate. However, the IPCC Charter requires it to report only on the magnitude of *man-made*climate change. In other words, the IPCC is not required to look at all the natural factors that undoubtably also affect our climate. Planetary orbits and their gravitational interactions affect the sun, whose magnetic field controls the intensity of cosmic rays hitting the earth’s atmosphere. Cosmic rays have a prof... more »

Links 8/18/19

Lambert Strether at naked capitalism - 17 hours ago

Steve Smith was unable to bat in the second innings — then his replacement was also felled

Dan Colasimone And James Maasdorp at Just In - 17 hours ago
Australia's lower order blocks out a tense close to day five after a late wicket surge to clinch a draw in the second Test at Lord's and maintain its 1-0 Ashes series lead.

China’s Ultimate Play For Global Oil Market Control

Lambert Strether at naked capitalism - 17 hours ago
The main driving issue is the realization by the Saudis that, irrespective of the reassuring rhetoric of Trump and Kushner, their bitter nemesis, Qatar, is far more important to the US than the rest of the conservative Arab monarchies and sheikhdoms of the GCC.

Atomic Deathmatch: Japan's Massive Yamato Battleship vs. Nuclear Weapons (Who Wins)?

Robert Farley at The National Interest - 17 hours ago
*Robert Farley* *History, Asia* [image: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/Brazilian_battleship_Minas_Geraes_firing_a_broadside.jpg] Imagine if the U.S. military dropped an atomic bomb on Imperial Japan's battleship fleet. Would they all go the bottom? Imagine a squadron of U.S. battleships approaching a Japanese battle line. From the bridge of the USS Iowa, spotters can clearly make out the silhouettes of the battleships Yamato, Musashi, Nagato, and others. Yet the Japanese ships make no smoke, and appear to roll helplessly on the waves. A B-29 of the U.S. Army... more »

The War On History Has Come for George Washington

Jarrett Stepman at The National Interest - 17 hours ago
*Jarrett Stepman* *Society, * No American historical figure, including the Father of Our Country, is safe from the war on history. No American historical figure, including the Father of Our Country, is safe from the war on history. The San Francisco School Board voted 4-3 Tuesday not to tear down a mural at a local high school depicting the life of George Washington. The school board decided to cover the painting instead—hardly a better solution to the supposed offense. The school board said the George Washington mural “traumatizes students” and “glorifies slavery, genocide, co... more »

Two Dozen F-22 Raptors Performed an "Elephant Walk"

Dario Leone at The National Interest - 17 hours ago
*Dario Leone* *Security, * What is that? *The routine was part of Polar Force, a two-week exercise that allows squadrons to showcase “their abilities to forward deploy and deliver overwhelming combat airpower,” officials said.​* On Mar. 26, 2019 a squadron of USAF aircraft “elephant walked” down Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) in Alaska, as part of a routine to demonstrate their combat airpower and response abilities. The “elephant walk,” which refers to the close formation of military aircraft before takeoff, comprised of 24 F-22 Raptor stealth fighters, a C-17 Globemas... more »

A Cyberattack Could Wreak Destruction Comparable to a Nuclear Weapon

Jeremy Straub at The National Interest - 17 hours ago
*Jeremy Straub* *Security, United States* Could such a thing happen? People around the world may be worried about nuclear tensions rising, but I think they’re missing the fact that a major cyberattack could be just as damaging – and hackers are already laying the groundwork. With the U.S. and Russia pulling out of a key nuclear weapons pact – and beginning to develop new nuclear weapons – plus Iran tensions and North Korea again test-launching missiles, the global threat to civilizationis high. Some fear a new nuclear arms race. That threat is serious – but another could be as s... more »

Arbitrary data changes invalidates HCN daily temperature analysis

drinkingwateradvisor at The Drinking Water Advisor - 17 hours ago
“Previously their tampering was limited to monthly temperature data. And the moment has arrived. They have started adding TOBS (Time of Observation Bias) lines to the HCN daily temperature files.” click here

Ala Khader al-Hreimi

contact@ifamericansknew.org at If Americans Knew Blog - 18 hours ago
August 16, 2019: Ala Khader al-Hreimi, 26, was shot dead in a barrage of bullets fired by Israeli soldiers after the car he was driving hit a car driven by Israeli colonist settlers on the highway between Bethlehem and Hebron. The Israeli army claimed the soldiers fired many live rounds at his car after he… The post Ala Khader al-Hreimi appeared first on If Americans Knew Blog.

Senate Consultancy Deems Eduardo Bolsonaro’s Ambassadorial Appointment Nepotism

Iolanda Fonseca at The Rio Times - 18 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - The Senate's Legislative Consultancy issued an opinion classifying the prospective appointment of federal deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro to the Brazilian embassy in Washington as an instance of nepotism. The opinion argues that the position of head of the diplomatic delegation, to . . . To read the full NEWS and much […] The post Senate Consultancy Deems Eduardo Bolsonaro’s Ambassadorial Appointment Nepotism appeared first on The Rio Times.

Argentine Minister of Finance Resigns in the Wake of Primary Results

Iolanda Fonseca at The Rio Times - 18 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Argentina's Finance Minister Nicolás Dujovne resigned from office yesterday, August 17th, according to national news agency Télam. President Mauricio Macri called on Hernán Lacunza, Minister of Economy of the Province of Buenos Aires, to fill the post. Dujovne, who had been in office since January 2017, handed Macri his letter […] The post Argentine Minister of Finance Resigns in the Wake of Primary Results appeared first on The Rio Times.

What's more empirical: alternative interpretations of QM or particle physics?

Luboš Motl at The Reference Frame - 18 hours ago
In recent days, I was fully realizing the insanity of the attitude of some ideologues towards the "empirical foundations" of parts of physics – let me call them "deceitful hippies and their protégés and protégées, largely from minorities" – who claim that particle physics and/or things like string theory and supergravity aren't a good enough empirical science for them while the tirades against quantum mechanics and ludicrous new "interpretations of quantum mechanics" must be the future of empirical science. This combination of claims is totally upside down and the detachment of this... more »

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