10:04 pm MDT
Predictably, Boris Johnson Is Off To A Disastrous Start As Prime Minister
The first test of Boris Johnson's premiership came yesterday. First, remember that Johnson wasn't elected to head the U.K. government by British voters, just by a small number of Conservative Party activists. The zany Trumpist who now heads the U.K. is far to the right of the general electorate and after his party's loss of a seat in Wales yesterday, has a working plurality in Parliament of exactly one vote. So here's what happened . The by-election was in the rural Brecon and Radnorshire constituency in Wales, where Conservative MP Chris Davies had been convicted of typical con... more »
2019 Greenland Melt Not Likely To Beat 2012 Record - 0.5 Mm Sea Rise Ice Melt Is Dramatic, But Glacier Flow Is Long Term Issue
*Short summary.* The 0.5 mm sea level rise due to ice melting in July is dramatic but you need to compare it with the rest of the year. July is usually the top month for ice loss. In the winter the Greenland ice sheet gains ice through snowfall, so you need to look at the balance between losses and gains. Also you need to compare it with previous years. It’s actually not quite enough of a melt so far to beat the 2012 record. The Arctic sea ice minimum this year is also not expected to be as low as the 2012 minimum. . This is nothing to be scared of. Just an unsurprising increase... more »
Indian Security Alert In Kashmir Results In Thousands Fleeing The Region
*BBC:* *India orders tourists to leave Kashmir over 'terror threat'* Thousands of people, including tourists and Hindu pilgrims, are leaving Indian-administered Kashmir after local officials issued a security alert. Indian authorities warned of a "terror threat" against Hindu pilgrims heading to the Amarnath shrine. Militants backed by Pakistan were planning an attack on the annual pilgrimage, officials have said. India accuses Pakistan of backing militant groups based in Kashmir, something denied by Pakistan. The 45-day pilgrimage began on 1 July and about 300,000 pilgrims have ... more »
Official: Video Shows YouTube ‘King of Random’ Fatal Crash
It appears a change of wind caused the paraglider’s chute to collapse.
Oscar-Winning Documentary Maker D.A. Pennebaker Dies at 94
Pennebaker was a leader among a generation of filmmakers in the 1960s who took advantage of such innovations as handheld cameras.
Did This Photograph Appear on the El Paso Mall Shooter’s Twitter Page?
Social media accounts are typically scrutinized for clues to the motivations of mass shooters.
Hindu pilgrimage cancelled as India warns of militant attacks in Kashmir
Just In - 30 minutes ago
Thousands of Indian tourists, pilgrims and workers are leaving the disputed region of Kashmir after Indian troops found caches of arms and ammunition, including a mine with Pakistani ordinance markings.
AFL live: Collingwood takes on the Suns at the MCG
Just In - 30 minutes ago
Sixth-placed Collingwood take on the Gold Coast Suns at the MCG before Carlton hosts the Eagles and the Lions play the Bulldogs at the Gabba. Follow all the live scores, stats and commentary.
Army specialist picked up kids fleeing El Paso shooting and 'just ran as fast as I could'
Just In - 30 minutes ago
An off-duty soldier who was inside an El Paso shopping centre next to the site of a fatal mass shooting says "a little kid" warned shoppers minutes before the carnage unfolded.
'People out there know': Parents of suspected bikie victim make emotional plea
Just In - 30 minutes ago
Days after a breakthrough in the shooting death of Jason De Ieso, his parents plead for people to come forward, saying the young panel beater was mistakenly targeted.
Taming of the Shrew – Following Pelosi Meeting AOC Top Aides Resign…
The progressive elements around Alexandria Ocasio-Cortz are framing the removal of the Justice Democrat leader, Saikat Chakrabarti, as a move to continue the movement beyond the landscape of AOC. However, in reality it looks like Nancy Pelosi is cracking the … Continue reading →
How the U.S. Navy Transformed a Battleship into an Aircraft Carrier
*Robert Purssell* *History, Americas* [image: By Unknown - U.S. Navy photo 80-G-74436, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=692436] How did it turn out? *Sometimes diplomacy forces the repurposing of warships. * In its more than two-century history, the United States Navy has frequently taken ships designed and built for one purpose and rebuilt and rearmed them for an entirely different mission. A brief historical review of what was done and why leads to a discussion of what repurposing possibilities exist in the 21st century. In 1814, the United States... more »
Hans Zimmer Will Help Make Top Gun: Maverick's Musical Score
*Dario Leone* *Culture, Americas* [image: Top Gun] Oh yeah. *The highly anticipated sequel to 1986’s classic/action drama starring Tom Cruise as a U.S. Naval Aviator has been delayed a year to summer 2020.* Top Gun composer Harold Faltermeyer and Hans Zimmer are joining forces on the score for Top Gun: Maverick. According to Screen Rant, Cruise’s Oblivion director Joseph Kosinski is calling the shots on the film, which is also bringing Val Kilmer back as Iceman and features Miles Teller (the star of Kosinski’s firefighter drama Only the Brave) as the son of Maverick’s late copil... more »
Prepare for a More Authoritarian China
*Ted Galen Carpenter* *China, East Asia* China may be getting richer, but that's not making it freer. With the onset of China’s economic reforms in the late 1970s, a widespread belief took hold in the United States and throughout the Western world that establishing robust economic relations with the “new China” would lead to gradual political liberalization. That belief persisted even after the communist government’s June 1989 bloody crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in Tiananmen Square. Most proponents of increased diplomatic, political, and economic engagement with Beiji... more »
Here's What Russia Thinks About the Future of America's Aircraft Carriers
*Lyle J. Goldstein* *Security, Europe* Envious but also dubious. The 2019 iteration of the naval exercise *Sea Breeze*, which brought together nineteen nations (mostly from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and thirty-two ships, ended in the Ukrainian port of Odesa on July 12. The exercise was apparently conducted without incident. The Black Sea has indeed become fraught with tension since the November 2018 Kerch Strait skirmish, which witnessed Russia’s violent seizure of three Ukrainian vessels, whose crews remain in Russian captivity. If some nationalists in Kyiv though... more »
A Return to Geopolitics in the Mediterranean
*Eric Edelman, Charles Wald* *Security, Mediterranean* The Eastern Mediterranean is rapidly reemerging as a crucial geopolitical crossroads, driven by remarkable geostrategic realignments that raise prospects for both cooperation and conflict. American policymakers might be forgiven for losing focus on one of the world’s vital strategic crossroads. For much of the past three decades, the Eastern Mediterranean has effectively been a backwater for U.S. national security. But profound geopolitical transformations once again demand U.S. leadership to capitalize on new opportunities a... more »
Would Biden Derail Trump's Election Strategy?
*Hunter DeRensis* *Politics, United States* Trump’s personality and campaign strategy have always favored offense over defense, putting opponents back on their heels through a barrage of attacks. Facing a moderate candidate would complicate that. After the second round of Democratic debates earlier this week, President Donald Trump hosted a rally in Cincinnati, Ohio, that provides a window into his reelection strategy. “But there never has been a movement like this. This is a movement the likes of which they’ve never seen before, maybe anywhere, but certainly in this country,” Tr... more »
U.S. Defense Secretary: Pentagon Wants To Deploy New Missiles In Asia
*RFE:* *U.S. Defense Secretary Wants To Deploy New Missiles In Asia * U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper says Washington wants to deploy new ground-launched, intermediate-range missiles in Asia soon. Esper’s remarks came a day after the United States and Russia formally withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, a 31-year-old landmark nuclear accord between Washington and Moscow. No longer bound by the treaty, Esper said he would “like” to “deploy a capability sooner rather than later” in Asia. Esper, speaking in Australia on August 3, did not specify where t... more »
U.S. To Accelerate Its Development Of New Cruise And Ballistic Missile Systems After Leaving the INF Treaty
*Times of Israel/AFP:* *US to accelerate missile program after ending weapons pact with Russia* Washington accuses Moscow of ‘sustained and repeated’ violations of nuclear treaty after withdrawing from agreement WASHINGTON — The United States is set to accelerate its development of new cruise and ballistic missile systems following its withdrawal from a nuclear treaty with Russia, the Pentagon said on Friday. Accusing Russia of “sustained and repeated violations” of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the US had already begun work... more »
On Capitalist Desire and Socialist Hope
People in capitalist countries are filled with desire and when their desires are not fulfilled, they feel frustrated; people in socialist countries are filled with hope and when their hopes do not materialize, they feel enraged. But those in capitalist countries subconsciously know that their desires are unquenchable, and those in socialist countries subconsciously know that their hopes are never going to be fulfilled—but they keep desiring and feeling frustrated, and hoping and feeling enraged, because that is what their respective cultures have programmed them to do.
Under the Weather
Apologies for todays abbreviated blog, I'm somewhat under the weather. Anticipate regular posting tomorrow. - CP
Musical Interlude: Chuck Wild, Liquid Mind, “Dream Ten”
Chuck Wild, Liquid Mind, “Dream Ten”
"A Look to the Heavens"
“What will become of these galaxies? Spiral galaxies NGC 5426 and NGC 5427 are passing dangerously close to each other, but each is likely to survive this collision. Typically when galaxies collide, a large galaxy eats a much smaller galaxy. In this case, however, the two galaxies are quite similar, each being a sprawling spiral with expansive arms and a compact core. As the galaxies advance over the next tens of millions of years, their component stars are unlikely to collide, although new stars will form in the bunching of gas caused by gravitational tides. *Click image for larger... more »
"Life Moves On..."
“Life moves on, whether we act as cowards or heroes. Life has no other discipline to impose, if we would but realize it, than to accept life unquestioningly. Everything we shut our eyes to, everything we run away from, everything we deny, denigrate or despise, serves to defeat us in the end. What seems nasty, painful, evil, can become a source of beauty, joy, and strength, if faced with an open mind. Every moment is a golden one for him who has the vision to recognize it as such.” - Henry Miller
U.S. Formally Withdraws From The INF Nuclear Treaty With Russia
*ABC News Online*: *US pulls out of decades-long nuclear missile pact with Russia claiming they violated treaty* The United States has formally withdrawn from a landmark nuclear missile pact with Russia saying Moscow was in violation of the treaty, something the Kremlin has repeatedly denied. The 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) was negotiated by then-US president Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. It banned land-based missiles with a range of between 500-5,500 kilometres, thus reducing both countries' abilities to launch a nuclear strike at sh... more »
More than 350,000 hectares of Tasmania's forest could soon be open to logging
Huge swathes of Tasmanian forest were made off-limits to logging under what became known as a "peace deal" in 2012, ending decades of conflict — with that deal set to end next year, it is feared there could be a return to "forest wars".
Child's body 'highly unlikely' to be boy missing from boat in Torres Strait
Just In - 1 hour ago
Investigators do not believe a child's body found on mainland Papua New Guinea is that of a nine-year-old boy who is missing along with his family from a boat in the Torres Strait.
Christmas Eve gift to workers as Queensland seeks part-day public holiday pay
Queenslanders who find themselves at work on Christmas Eve night may head home with a bit more money in their stockings this year with the State Government seeking a part-day public holiday after 6:00pm to ensure people at work receive penalty rates.
Police release video of man confessing to stabbing murder of Russian influencer
Just In - 1 hour ago
A man arrested over the death of a Russian woman whose body was found in a suitcase confesses to her murder, in a video released by police.
18 months ago, Hannah worked a desk job. Now she hauls rock out of a mine, 270 tonnes at a time
When Kalgoorlie's Super Pit gold mine started 30 years ago, there was not a single female employee. Today, the workforce is 30 per cent women, nearly double the mining industry average.
Proof again at Edgbaston that wagging tails have the power to shape an Ashes series
In his first Test back, everything rests on the shoulders of Steve Smith after England's tail frustrated Australia and the tourists lost three quick wickets in their second innings, writes Geoff Lemon.
I wanted to punish my daughter with a no-frills phone — but it didn't go according to plan
Just In - 1 hour ago
I wanted to buy my daughter a no-frills phone as a punishment for serious tween violations. It was harder than I thought it would be, writes Emma Jane.
Turn off the television
by Alex Bruce I’m so glad I don’t watch TV. I’m not saying this to flaunt my virtuousness. I’ve recently plunged into a Twitter addiction that’s a little scary but compared to how riled-up and weird people get when they watch TV, I’m grateful that I cut the cords with television decades ago. I’ve long […]
a human momentum multiplied by the mass consciousness, multiplied by the media
*Christ *in you can forgive you. But you the soul must be humble enough to accept that forgiveness and not to continue to affirm in your willfulness that meanness or that sinfulness almost by way of a perverted pride or an untoward false humility…. Why do you think so many people in this world consider themselves not only unworthy to be disciples of Christ but absolutely unworthy to b the manifestation of Christ himself? Pure and simple it is: they do not like themselves, they do not approve of themselves and they act unwittingly to use the power that God has given them to re...more »
Elitists Roll Out “Stop Rebelling And Support Biden, You Insolent Little Shits” Campaign
The US presidential election is more than 15 months away, and already we’re seeing elitist establishment narrative managers rolling out their long-anticipated “Stop Rebelling and Support Biden, You Insolent Little Shits” campaign. HBO’s Bill Maher spent his “New Rule” monologue segment last night admonishing his […]
Another Weekend Of Protests In Moscow
*DW:* *Russia protests: Police arrest hundreds at Moscow rally* Demonstrators in Russia have launched fresh protests against unfair treatment of the opposition ahead of city elections in Moscow next month. Police have detained hundreds of protesters, including activist Lyubov Sobol. Russian opposition protesters on Saturday took to the streets in Moscow to once again call for fair local council elections, despite a sweeping police crackdown and ban on the event. The unauthorized march comes after stark warnings from Russian authorities not to go ahead with the rally. *Read more... more »
Protests Continue In Hong Kong
*ABC News Online*: *Hong Kong protests shut down shopping district as police respond with tear gas* Hong Kong police have fired multiple tear gas rounds in confrontations with black-clad activists in the city's Kowloon area, as the Chinese-controlled territory was again rocked by anti-government protests. It all began as a peaceful march, with protesters focusing their anger on Hong Kong's government and the city's police. But demonstrators soon cut down a Chinese flag and threw it in Victoria Harbour, then preceded to block major roads. Police had kept out of sight during the ... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Osage Beach, Missouri, USA. Thanks for stopping by!
The Poet: Mary Oliver, "The Poet Dreams of the Mountain"
*"The Poet Dreams of the Mountain"* "Sometimes I grow weary of the days with all their fits and starts. I want to climb some old grey mountain, slowly, taking the rest of my life to do it, resting often, sleeping under the pines or, above them, on the unclothed rocks. I want to see how many stars are still in the sky that we have smothered for years now, forgiving it all, and peaceful, knowing the last thing there is to know. All that urgency! Not what the earth is about! How silent the trees, their poetry being of themselves only. I want to take slow steps, and think appropriate thoug... more »
August 3:It's not just climate change. It's us.
Our politicians just love to give glib talks about how they'll deal with climate change (which they may or may not think is happening.) But it's not that easy. In parts of Africa and Asia, climate change is already causing mass starvation. And so the people flee. (They have a double reason to flee as we inflict the horrors of war on them.) In their terror, they buy places on rafts and, jammed on these, they float to Europe. At first, Europe grudgingly accepted them - though usually in crammed and vile refugee camps. But now it doesn't do even that. It kicks the rafts back out to s... more »
“Going Against What Is Popular: Conscious Decisions”
*“Going Against What Is Popular: Conscious Decisions”* by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM “Because an idea or way of doing things is popular doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone. Just because an idea or way of doing things is popular doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone. However, part of the way that something becomes popular is that many of us don’t take the time to determine what’s right for us; we simply do what most of the people we know are doing. In this way, our decisions about life are made by default, which means they aren’t what we call conscious decisions. There may be many o... more »
President Trump's Pick For Director Of National Intelligence Will Stay In Congress
*Reuters:* *Trump drops spy chief pick Ratcliffe and mulls a replacement* President Donald Trump on Friday dropped his choice of John Ratcliffe to be U.S. spy chief after questions arose about the congressman's lack of experience and possible exaggerations in his resume, marking the latest upheaval over a top national security post. Trump announced the move five days after he surprised many in Washington by making the conservative Republican lawmaker from Texas his selection to replace Daniel Coats as director of national intelligence, a post that oversees the 17 U.S. civilian a... more »
AOC Loses Top Advisors Over Controversial Tweets
[image: aoc-loses-top-advisors-over-controversial-tweets] Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has lost two key members of her congressional staff over controversial remarks the two have made. But their destinations upon leaving suggest that the split isn't all that permanent.
The Next Jihadist Terror Attack Could Be the Mass Poisoning of Food
[image: the-next-jihadist-terror-attack-could-be-the-mass-poisoning-of-food] With news about a jihadist attempt to poison the food of 40,000 Indian worshippers, it should be noted that this method of terrorism is an ongoing threat — and not just in the Far East, either. In fact, Muslims in Canada some years ago contemplated a plot to kill 100,000 people by toxifying food or water.
The Daily Brief 2019-08-02
This is a summary of 12 AMN articles on the following subjects: US, Hama, Syria, Ansarallah, Yemen, Israel, Zakah, Russia, EU, HTS, Turkey, Latakia. Categories covered in this brief: World-News, Syria, Yemen, Middleeast, Turkey Let us know how you like this brief in the comments below. — The AMN Live Team Table of Contents US […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Breaking: Jihadists refuse to withdraw from demilitarized zone
BEIRUT, LEBANON (11:45 P.M.) – The largest jihadist rebel group, Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham, has announced that they will not be withdrawing from the demilitarized zone, despite previous statements. Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham and their militant allies were given 24 hours to withdraw from the demilitarized zone by the Russian Ministry of Defense; however, their refusal will […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source
Legal Calamity: Climate Nuisance Lawsuits
It has come to this: Sue anyone doing anything you don’t like for profit as a “Public Nuisance.” Further on is reprinted a previous post explaining why it is legally wrongheaded to claim damages against purveyors of fossil fuels because of global warming/climate change. What is news today is a federal judge making exactly that […]
Russia’s Military Admits It Needs Western Technology
*Michael Peck* *Security, * Like what? When Western nations imposed economic sanctions after Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, Moscow had an answer: Russia would substitute domestic products for foreign imports. But Russia’s defense industry is still using imported parts despite the government ban, according to Russia’s top prosecutor. “Import substitution in the defense industry remains a problem," warned Prosecutor-General Yuri Chaika. "Instances of non-compliance with the ban to purchase foreign equipment whose counterparts are manufactured in Russia continue to be reve... more »
Read the Story of this B-52 Pilot Who Went on 25 Different Combat Missions
*Dario Leone* *Security, * Bombs dropped. *Jim Bowles, an Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) program analyst and a former U.S. Air Force (USAF) B-52 Stratofortress Commander, deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Desert Storm in 1990. In this excerpt taken from a USAF **news release** written by Senior Airman Benjamin Raughton, 2nd Bomb Wing, he recalls his participation in the Gulf War 26 years ago.* “Pilot, we have a lock-on,” the B-52 Stratofortress electronic warfare officer called out in surprise. Capt. Jim Bowles, at the time a B-52 Stratofortress instructor pilot ... more »
History lesson: What could have been
Truman ordered the 'bomb' to be dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan in 1945. He became president essentially after a coup during the Democratic party convention in 1944 when corrupt right-wing forces installed him as FDR's Vice-President rather than the extremely popular man of peace named Henry Wallace. This was a crucial moment in US history. FDR died in office and Truman took over the presidency. We see virtually the same battle going on in the Democratic Party today - a class struggle as Bernie Sanders and Tulsi Gabbard are viewed by Wall Street and the military indust... more »
"The question I get asked by religious people all the time is, without God, what’s to stop me from raping all I want? And my answer is: I do rape all I want. And the amount I want is zero." #QotD
*"The question I get asked by religious people all the time is, without God, what’s to stop me from raping all I want? And my answer is: I do rape all I want. And the amount I want is zero. And I do murder all I want, and the amount I want is zero. The fact that these people think that if they didn’t have this person watching over them that they would go on killing, raping rampages is the most self-damning thing I can imagine."* ~ Penn Jillette (the talking half of Penn and Teller) from an interview at Interrobang . Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Permission to r... more »
Chris Jacobs may run for Congress against Higgins rather than Collins
It’s fair to say that the Republican Primary in New York’s 27th congressional district is crowded — and the indicted Rep. Chris Collins (who continues to assert his innocence of insider trading charges levied against him and his son) may
Bloodbath In Texas - News Roundup On Today's Mass Shooting In El Paso
*Daily Mail:* *PICTURED: Walmart gunman Patrick Crusius, 21, who went on 20-minute shooting spree with a long rifle in El Paso, killing at least 20 and wounding 40, including a four-month-old baby, before surrendering to SWAT team - as cops make SECOND arrest* * El Paso mayor's office confirms multiple fatalities in a mass-shooting inside a local Walmart on Saturday * Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick says the suspect, a 21-year-old male, has been taken into custody alive * Law enforcement sources said the suspect is Patrick Crusius, 21, of Dallas, Texas * Surveillance footage show... more »
Somone better have a closer look at these violent video games - another "gamer" involved in mass shooting
*Yet Another blurry photo of another* * "lone nut" mass-murderer* Already the latest mass shooting in El Paso, Texas has many of the tells of all the other ones who have gone before. A kid with a military-style gun. Mowing people down for no reason. Published an online manifesto beforehand. Arrested without a struggle. At first there's reports of multiple shooters but now it's firmly focussed on "*one* *lone* *nut*"(TM). While there are plenty of descriptions of "bodies everywhere" there is no actual photographic proof that anyone actually died. Here's a snippet from RT. As m... more »
Christchurch 2030 Agenda End-game: Global Settlement
By Martin Harris uncensored.co.nz We’ve been reporting the agenda for years, and now it’s formalized. Post-quake Christchurch belongs to the UN New World Order. How so? Immediately after the 2011 quake that devastated the CBD and large portions of the Eastern suburbs, the government stepped in and purchased the “Red Zone” land. As for the … Continue reading Christchurch 2030 Agenda End-game: Global Settlement →
On Criticising Private Businesses and the State
By Stefan Kløvning A common mischaracterization of the libertarian position is that it is either indifferent to or supportive of all kinds of unethical activities... more »
Telecom Construction Expert Offers Opinion on YouTube Video of Dead Bees Under 5G Cell Towers
By B.N. Frank Earlier this week, Activist Post reported about the viral YouTube video that shows dead bees under what was reported to be 5G... more »
All Hell Breaks Loose in Hong Kong After Police Fire Tear Gas at Protesters
By Tyler Durden As a peaceful Saturday demonstration spiraled into chaos, Hong Kong police have fired tear gas at anti-government activists who have been protesting... more »
WHY YOUR FOX-WATCHING GRANDPARENTS ARE THE WAY THEY ARE
So this just happened on Fox: Fox News anchor and guest suggest there may be an ISIS connection to El Paso shooting, especially given the proximity to the "very porous" border. pic.twitter.com/qtJuoVCijw — John Whitehouse (@existentialfish) August 3, 2019 Notice the time as the video begins: 4:49 P.M. Mountain Time, which is 6:49 P.M. Eastern. The shooter had been identified as a white American hours earlier: A law enforcement official in El Paso told me the Walmart shooter is in custody. Patrick Crusius of Dallas. Just turned 21 years old this week. pic.twitter.com/CEJh6rYij1 — ... more »
BREAKING: Trump Wins Again-- One Of His Supporters Slaughters 20 Brown People In Texas
A few hours ago *Washington Post* reporters Hannah Knowles, Morgan Krakow and Michael Rosenwald wrote that "Multiple people were shot and killed at a Walmart and nearby mall in El Paso on Saturday afternoon, sending shoppers racing for cover in a chaotic scene that prompted a massive police and medical response, local authorities and government officials said." At the time of their report there were 18 dead. Then it was 19. Now it's 20. There are also at least 40 injured. "City police," wrote the trio, "said the shooting began about 10 a.m. local time and quickly warned that people... more »
Will Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau Lose The Next Election?
*Source:* Ipsos polls, most recent of 1,000 adults living in Canada conducted July 12-15; margin of error: +/- 3.5 pct. pts. *Wall Street Journal:* *How Justin Trudeau Lost His Rock-Star Popularity* Revelations about the Canadian prime minister’s advocacy for SNC-Lavalin, which faces fraud allegations, threaten his party’s majority. Justin Trudeau did little wrong in his supporters’ eyes during his first three years as Canada’s prime minister. In the fourth, his popularity has dropped so far his party may lose its majority in October elections. A secretly taped call is one reason w... more »
From polite persuasion to violent confrontation — the birth of modern environmental activism
In the 1960s and 70s, the push to protect Australia's rich environmental heritage shifted from polite persuasion to sometimes violent confrontation. These five campaigns revolutionised activism in the bush and city alike.
With Lego group, Seth Lester, 13, is leaving his room to have fun with other kids
Lego is being used in both informal and clinical sessions to improve the communication and cooperation skills of children with autism.
Protests block major Hong Kong shopping district, police fire tear gas
Just In - 4 hours ago
Hong Kong police fire multiple tear gas rounds in confrontations with black-clad activists in the city's Kowloon area, as the Chinese-controlled territory is again rocked by anti-government protests.
A food truck with a difference: Homeless teens learn skills to keep them off the street
Brisbane teenager Raymond was once living in a homeless shelter with little hope for the future — that was before he found the Good Grub Club.
How 'flushable' are wipes really? This experiment is testing them to find out
The problem of so-called flushable wipes is so out of control, a 7-metre fatberg was pulled out of a Queensland sewer, prompting authorities to test the big brands to see which ones really do break down.
Man who developed PTSD after Canberra fire denied compo for support dog
A former firefighter fails in his bid to claim compensation for the upkeep of a psychiatric assistance dog he says he relies on since developing PTSD after a factory fire in Canberra eight years ago.
A 'vibrant' elder with a memory for faces — Australia's oldest Hindu dies aged 107
Shankerlal Trivedi was a stalwart of the Gujarati community who lived by a central Hindu belief — that the world is one family.
El Paso Mass Shooting – 19 Reported Killed, 40 Wounded, 21-year-old Gunman in Custody…
•A single shooter opened fire in El Paso, Texas, at the Cielo Vista Mall. •Reports of 19 people killed, 40 others injured during a 20 minute shooting rampage. •Suspect identified as Patrick Crusius, a 21-year-old white male from Dallas. •CCTV … Continue reading →
Whaley Bridge Update
By Paul Homewood Just a couple more observations about the Whaley Bridge dam situation. Weather Underground give rainfall figures at Whaley Bridge for the last few days below: https://www.wunderground.com/dashboard/pws/IDERBYSH63/table/2019-08-4/2019-08-4/weekly The big rainfall was on Wed 31st, measured at 1.86 inches. This is consistent with the numbers reported earlier. Over the three […]
History Comes Calling: China Will Soon Decide Hong King's Fate
*Stratfor Worldview* *Politics, Asia* [image: Reuters] The world is watching. *In the end, Beijing remains the ultimate backstop — one which will not tolerate a protest movement overwhelming the city and turning it completely against the People's Republic of China. That's why, even if all other pillars fall, Beijing retains the right the deploy the People's Liberation Army to instill order.* Highlights - The size, frequency and duration of street demonstrations alone do not determine the success of a protest movement. - Major cracks are beginning to form... more »
AK-47 Fact: There Are 75,000,000 of These Deadly Rifles Around the World
*Blake Franko* *Security, * What you need to know. *During the Soviet-Afghan War, mujahideen forces started their struggle using weapons as dated as the “Boer” rifle from the British-Afghan War (The Russian General Staff detailed the arming of Afghan forces in their write-up of the conflict). * A few months ago, fighters from the Free Syrian Army *ran* American special-operations forces out of a town near the Turkish border, hurling insults like “infidels,” “crusaders,” “dogs” and “pigs.” These fighters, who are actively benefiting from U.S. support, brandished the most recogn... more »
Will Israel’s New Missile Defense System Stop Iran if a War Begins?
*Michael Peck* *Security, * Or just a waste of money? Israel’s new Arrow 3 anti-missile system has just passed a major milestone. Not in Israel, but 6,000 miles away in Kodiak, Alaska. The Arrow 3 test on July 28 comes just days after Israel’s arch-enemy Iran itself tested a new ballistic missile. “Flight Test Arrow-01 demonstrated the Israeli Arrow Weapon System’s ability to conduct a high altitude hit-to-kill engagement,” said the U.S. Missile Defense Agency announcement. “Interceptor tests were conducted that successfully destroyed target missiles.” “The Arrow-3 Intercepto... more »
Did Israeli F-35 Stealth Fighters Really Bomb Iraq?
*Michael Peck* *Security, * Here is what we know, so far. Israel’s F-35 stealth fighters are positively supernatural: here, there and everywhere. In 2018, the Israeli Air Force claimed its new F-35s had attacked Iranian targets in Syria. Also in 2018, Arab press made dubious claims that IAF F-35s had flown over Iran. Now comes reports that Israeli F-35s have attacked Iranian targets in Iraq, according to Arab media. Western diplomatic sources allegedly the London-based Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that on July 19, “Tel Aviv carried out an airstrike earlier this month against an Ir... more »
Tweets For Today
Multiple senior law enforcement officials believe the suspected shooter in the El Paso mass shooting attack posted a manifesto prior to the shooting; investigators are examining post they suspect is from him. https://t.co/N7P3do1Bp8 — NBC News (@NBCNews) August 3, 2019 Hong Kong police fire tear gas at protesters demonstrating for ninth weekend in a row https://t.co/d3x4e9i8vT — BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) August 3, 2019 Shocking moment Russian police officer brutally batters a protester with his baton as hundreds are detained during Moscow demonstration https://t.co/f1aWFkWs... more »
"Today Is The Day..."
"We are fast moving into something, we are fast flung into something like asteroids cast into space by the death of a planet, we the people of earth are cast into space like burning asteroids and if we wish not to disintegrate into nothingness we must begin to now hold onto only the things that matter while letting go of all that doesn't. For when all of our dust and ice deteriorates into the cosmos we will be left only with ourselves and nothing else. So if you want to be there in the end, today is the day to start holding onto your children, holding onto your loved ones; onto tho... more »
"A Parade Of Fools..."
“Humanity is a parade of fools, and I am at the front of it, twirling a baton.” - Dean Koontz, “Brother Odd”
Picture Of The Day
A man tries to catch locusts while standing on a rooftop as they swarm over the Houthi rebel-held Yemeni capital Sanaa on 28 July 2019. © AFP 2019 / Mohammed Huwais *WNU Editor: *The above picture came from this photo-gallery .... *This Week in Pictures: 27 July - 2 August* (Sputnik).
Saturday Afternoon Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. - The New York Times' editorial board highlights how many of the people looking to defend a habitable planet from environmental destruction are being met with state-assisted violence in response. And Oxfam examines how Australian mining companies are exploiting west Africa to the tune of billions of dollars of resources without any benefit going to citizens. - AnnaMaria Andriotis, Ken Brown and Shane Shifflett discuss the plight of families borrowing more and more to give the appearance of keeping up a middle-class lifestyle which can't be... more »
Musical interlude
Seven Lions feat. Davey Havok - December
Another rare white orca spotted off Hokkaido
Another rare white killer whale has been spotted in Nemuro Strait off Rausu in the northeastern part of Japan's northernmost prefecture after the same kind of orca was photographed there in May. The mammal that was recently filmed is not believed to be the same one that was spotted in May as they have different dorsal fin shapes and body color. The video was captured at around 2:30 p.m. on July 19 by a guide who was working on board the sightseeing boat Hamanasu about 8 kilometers off the coastline of Rausu, according to a staff member of the operating company. The white killer wha... more »
Welcome to 6219: How a tiny town fought to get back its postcode
To many, a postcode is just four numbers that direct your mail. To the small community of Cookernup — it's the town's identity.
'One single man robbed us of it all': Hero NT cop shot by 'Crocodile Dundee' remembered
Sergeant Glen Huitson was by all accounts already a hero when he was shot and killed by Rodney Ansell, the real-life inspiration for Crocodile Dundee. Two decades later, an ABC reporter who was at the scene remembers the chaos as family and friends pay tribute to a quiet, determined hero.
'A brewery in every village': Are Australia's country pubs slowly being replaced?
Australians' taste in beer is evolving and craft brands are on the rise, but that also means the nation's country pubs are changing.
The quiet, gifted genius behind beloved Dog on the Tuckerbox
The news the Dog on the Tuckerbox had been damaged made national headlines and prompted an outpouring of love for the much-loved pooch. But what is the history of the famous statue?
'This silly little thing I did': Insiders mash-up master Huw Parkinson on how he started making videos
Just In - 6 hours ago
Huw Parkinson nominates his favourite mash-ups and explains how he dreams up the Walkley-winning clips and inserts politicians into movies and TV shows.
I wanted to punish my daughter with a no-frills phone — but it didn't go according to plan
Just In - 6 hours ago
I wanted to buy my daughter a no-frills phone as a punishment for serious tween violations. It was harder than I thought it would be, writes Emma Jane.
Tourist hotspot locals stung by rudeness as 'grumpy' grey nomads swarm
They are a lifeline for tourist towns, but locals in the nation's regional tourism drawcards say increasing numbers of older travellers are failing to show basic etiquette.
Shooter kills 20 in Texas Walmart packed with back-to-school shoppers
Just In - 6 hours ago
A man armed with a rifle kills 20 people at a Walmart in El Paso before being arrested, with the latest mass US shooting sending panicked back-to-school shoppers fleeing.
'Just shoot them': South-East Asia is notorious for its tough-on-drugs approach. But is it working?
Almost all of the members of ASEAN still implement the death penalty for drug offences, yet endemic corruption, weak law enforcement and lax border controls mean that the meth trade is booming.
Scientist researching skin healing suffers catastrophic scalping
Marine scientist Pia Winberg was making a wound-healing extract out of seaweed at her NSW research farm when her hair got caught in a high-powered filtration pump, giving her a first-hand experience of the traumatic injuries her work is aimed at.
This family overcame their child's online gaming obsession — this is how
William Barry loves online video games and would be playing them every day of the week if he could. His family has worked hard to strike a balance to retain the positive aspects of gaming while reducing any potential downsides.
This gang of Indian women patrol their village and punish badly behaving men
Women in northern India were fed up with some of the men in their village, so they formed a gang to stop gambling, protect their friends from domestic violence, and topple the patriarchy.
Rate cut and trade war wrongfoot the markets (again)
Global markets expected clarity from the Fed and a truce in US-China trade hostilities. This week they got neither, so they spat the dummy, writes Stephen Letts.
Four transplants, eight kidneys: Meet the father and daughter with an unusual bond
Lorelei and Peter Murko, and other members of their family, have taken an incredible journey together because of problems they have faced with their kidneys.
Moscow Heatwave Update
Moscow has had twenty two days over 95F (35C.) Two occurred in 1972, two in 1981, one in 1996, and the rest in 2010. 7/7/1972 95 8/21/1972 95 7/22/1981 95 7/30/1981 95 7/11/1996 96 7/17/2010 95 7/22/2010 95 7/23/2010 97 … Continue reading →
CNN: An LA hospital director at Cedars-Sinai has been arrested on child pornography charges
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced last week that the director of artificial intelligence at Cedars-Sinai hospital has been arrested and charged with possessing and distributing child pornography. According to Deputy District Attorney Angela Brunson of the cybercrime division, Guido Germano, 59, of Santa Monica is charged with one felony count each of […] The post CNN: An LA hospital director at Cedars-Sinai has been arrested on child pornography charges appeared first on Health Nut News.
Check Out the Army's Secret Handbook to Beat Russia in a War
*Michael Peck* *Security, Europe* [image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/soldiersmediacenter/3344299110/sizes/o/] Would this work? *The handbook notes that Russia has embraced the U.S. approach of covering the battlefield with manned and unmanned sensor systems to detect enemy forces, which can then be destroyed by airpower and artillery. “At the tactical level, Russian Forces’ approach to modern warfare can be summed up through ‘target acquisition,’” the Army says.* The U.S. Army has published a handbook on how to defeat Russia’s hybrid-warfare strategy. The *Russian New Gener... more »
China’s Z-19 ‘Black Whirlwind’ Helicopter is China’s Comanche (But it Might Have a Fatal Flaw)
*Sebastien Roblin* *Security, * We explain. Developing a scout helicopter that balances agility, protection, stealth and firepower—all at an affordable price—is a tricky business. The Pentagon spent twenty-two years and $7 billion developing the hyper-advanced RAH-66 Comanche before throwing in the towel due to costs in 2004. Less than a decade later, China debuted its own light scout/attack helicopter with stealth features dubbed the Z-19 “Black Whirlwind,” named after a hot-tempered berserker in the Chinese medieval bandit-epic *The Water Margin* known for wielding an axe in e... more »
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