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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.

Tuesday, December 24, 2019

24 December - Blogs I'm Following - 2 of 5

iGoogle Portal - MSM News   Tab 4     Tab 6 - MSM    Tab 7 - MSM 

Tab 8     Tab 9     Tab 10     Tab 11

10 pm MST

China’s Communist State Council Promises to Offset Economic Slowdown…

sundance at The Last Refuge - 6 hours ago
Perhaps the status of the economy in China is even worse than many have suspected. An interesting public statement from their State Council today highlights a promise by China to support jobs during their current economic downturn. Against the backdrop … Continue reading →

Two Sunspots From Solar Cycle-25

Russ Steele at The Next Grand Minimum - 6 hours ago
Spaceweather.com has the details HERE. Solar Cycle 25 really is coming. Today, for the first time, there are two new-cycle sunspots on the solar disk–one in each hemisphere. This map of solar magnetic fields from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory shows their location:… Continue reading →

Charles Darwin On Climate Change

tonyheller at Real Climate Science - 6 hours ago

A Low CO2 Christmas

tonyheller at Real Climate Science - 6 hours ago

Josh Groban, "O Holy Night"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 6 hours ago
Josh Groban, "O Holy Night"

Green ideology, not climate change, makes bushfires worse

Hifast at Climate Collections - 6 hours ago
Originally posted on NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT: By Paul Homewood ? ? Whatever the progressives at the Guardian/BBC may say about wildfires, the blokes actually fighting them understand the reality. This was what they had to say back in March: ? March 5, 2019 Melissa Price, the new federal Environment Minister, has…

Untitled

JR at GREENIE WATCH - 6 hours ago
*Dave Lowe found measurable proof of climate change 50 years ago. He's watched in horror ever since (?)* *Below is the preface to a very long-winded story that ignores the elephant in the room. Dr Lowe did NOT find "measurable proof of climate change" 50 years ago or at any other time. All he found was that levels of CO2 in the atmosphere were rising fairly steadily. Nobody argues with that. It's a fact. What they do argue about is how much (if any) effect that has on global temperatures. And that is not at all obvious at first sight or any other sight.* *It becomes obvious ... more »

Stealth and Nukes: Will Israeli F-35s Soon Be Carrying Nuclear Weapons?

Zachary Keck at The National Interest - 6 hours ago
*Zachary Keck* *Security, Middle East* Welcome to the new Middle East. *Key Point:* Only political, and not technical, questions are stopping Jerusalem from doing this. By the end of this year, Israel is expected to become the second country after the United States to declare Initial Operational Capability for its F-35s. Already, Tel Aviv has taken possession of five of the multirole fighters, and following an agreement late last month to buy an additional seventeen planes, will ultimately purchase fifty planes. All fifty F-35s are scheduled to be delivered by the end of 2024. ... more »

The Air Force Is Finally Retiring The B-1 Lancer Bomber

Robert Farley at The National Interest - 6 hours ago
*Robert Farley* *Security, * A new bomber, the B-21, is coming soon. *Key point: *The success of the B-1B in missions like this is reflective of the flexibility of large, high-performance airframes. Earlier this year, the U.S. Air Force announced plans to retire the B-1B Lancer (also known as the “Bone”) in favor of the new B-21 Raider stealth bomber. The B-1B will remain in service for some time, but unlike its older cousin the B-52, its days are apparently numbered. The B-1B has served in a variety of capacities since the 1980s, demonstrating a remarkable degree of mission fle... more »

Trump Approval Rating Surpasses Obama’s at Same Point in Presidency

Robert at Ice Age Now - 6 hours ago
Defies negative sterotypes driven by opponents. __________ President Trump’s job approval rating 151 weeks into his presidency sits at 45 percent, as revealed by a Gallup poll last Wednesday. That puts Trump three points higher than the 42 percent approval rating Gallup found for Obama at the same point of his presidency. I know, I know, I know, ... Read moreTrump Approval Rating Surpasses Obama’s at Same Point in Presidency The post Trump Approval Rating Surpasses Obama’s at Same Point in Presidency appeared first on Ice Age Now.

"The Christmas Truce Of WWI Paused The Murderous Demands Of The State"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 6 hours ago
*"The Christmas Truce Of WWI Paused **The Murderous Demands Of The State"* by Will Grigg "For a tragically short time, the Spirit of the Prince of Peace drowned out the murderous demands of the State. In August 1914, Europe’s major powers threw themselves into war with gleeful abandon. Germany, a rising power with vast aspirations, plowed across Belgium, seeking to checkmate France quickly before Russia could mobilize, thereby averting the prospect of a two-front war. Thousands of young Germans, anticipating a six-week conflict, boarded troop trains singing the optimistic refrain: ... more »

Pothole Christmas Tree Inspires Pastor to Write Holiday Song

AP News at Snopes.com - 7 hours ago
A scraggly metal Christmas tree planted in a pothole has inspired a Mississippi minister to pen a holiday song.

Relative, relatives...

jurassicpork at Welcome Back to Gotham City - 7 hours ago
Christmas and Hanukkah is supposed to be a time for family reunions, the exchange of presents and reflecting on the blessings of family and to take love, warmth and comfort from your loved ones. God bless us every one, and all that good shit. Unfortunately, the reality for many is very different during the holidays, especially in the glorious Age of IQ 45, aka "President" Donald Trump. What you see above is a screengrab I got today from my own father's Facebook wall which, obviously for good reasons, I hadn't visited in years. "True facts!" he starts like some drunken ... more »

The new spending bill is a disaster

Scott Sumner at Econlib - 7 hours ago
Let’s start with the minor stuff: 1. There’s lots of pork barrel spending for areas with influential senators, such as Kentucky and Alabama. 2. Congress agreed to waste an extra $1.4 billion on a border wall in exchange for an extra $27 billion in domestic spending. 3. There’s lots more spending on wasteful military programs […] The post The new spending bill is a disaster appeared first on Econlib.

Fox saved from a fur farm celebrates its first Christmas out of tiny cage

White Wolf at White Wolf - 7 hours ago
When Open Cages investigators found him, his life changed forever. He got medical treatment. Space to play. And a name. He now lives with one of his rescuers in Poland. But he will continue to need care and worse, millions like him are still living and dying in barbaric conditions. Locked in a dirty cage, he was alone and in pain, in the smells of excrement and rotting flesh. He was hungry and the small wire cage hurt his feet. He was just another baby fox, one of the dozens cramped in rusty cages Maciek recovered in a safe, roomy space with one of his rescuers. He slowly adjusted... more »

Gloria In Excelsis Deo

Menagerie at The Last Refuge - 7 hours ago
Glory to God in the highest, the Greater Doxology, is the song the angels sang at Christ’s birth. Perhaps no other song, no other phrase, so greatly expresses the joy of the moment. I love all the children in this … Continue reading →

Japan's Imperial Navy Once Seemed Unstoppable.

Warfare History Network at The National Interest - 7 hours ago
*Warfare History Network* *Security, Asia* But then this happened. *Key Point:* Some important history you need to know about. Both sides needed reinforcements. For the Japanese and the Americans in October 1942, the battle for Guadalcanal was turning into a bottomless pit, demanding more and more scarce resources—in the air and at sea and, most importantly, on the ground. Control of the malarial, jungle-clad island and its airfield might determine the fate of the war in the Pacific. The problem was that neither the Japanese nor the Americans had the resources. Both nations wer... more »

Temple, Oklahoma UFO Landing

KRandle at A Different Perspective - 7 hours ago
The problem with chasing footnotes is that I never know when I’ll find something of importance. Well, this isn’t exactly chasing a footnote to find the original source, but it does involve a sighting of a landed object and the occupant seen in conjunction with the sighting. This has been discussed in a couple of places on the Internet in the last few days. This was the Temple, Oklahoma, sighting of March 23, 1966. You can read about it here: http://kevinrandle.blogspot.com/2015/11/the-temple-oklahoma-ufo-occupant.html What prompted this was a note from a researcher that suggested h... more »

Trader Joe’s recalls egg salad, potato salad because of Listeria risk in eggs

News Desk at Food Safety News - 7 hours ago
Trader Joe’s has initiated a recall in 29 states because its egg supplier notified the grocery chain that hard boiled egg whites used in some of the retailer’s products came from a production plant contaminated with Listeria. Certain egg salad and potato salad sold at Trader Joe’s are included in the recall. Although investigators have... Continue Reading

To All The Friends and Readers of DMF

Diogenes Sarcastica™ at Diogenes' Middle Finger - 7 hours ago
I'd love to wish each and every one of you personally a holiday greeting, but since that's not possible, I'll take this time to wish all the friends of DMF a Very Blessed and Very Merry Christmas.

Rushin’ To Destruction, 2019 In Review Part 6-- Trump’s Tweets Aren’t Just Tweets, They Are Calls To Action

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 8 hours ago
*-by Noah* President Mental Case just loves to reveal his sickness. Maybe that’s because he knows his supporters know a fellow traveler down the path to the big ash heap city of complete madness when they see one. What follows is a group of 2019 tweets deliberately set in motion by our so-called president as he works his agenda of white supremacy with his supporters. First a summation from Ezra Klein, @ezraklein, who re-tweeted a telling dialog between Madman Trump and a reporter with the header “Donald Trump’s political career, in one quote.” Reporter: “Does it concern you tha... more »

Queen Elizabeth II to Admit ‘Bumpy’ Year in Christmas Speech

AP News at Snopes.com - 8 hours ago
Queen Elizabeth II plans to acknowledge that both Britain and her family have endured a difficult year by saying during her Christmas message that it has been a “bumpy” time.

Cannabis payment provider allegedly owes millions to MJ retailers

Jeff Smith at Marijuana Business Daily - 8 hours ago
Linx Card, which touts itself as a “primary provider” of debit merchant services to marijuana retail stores, has faced a flurry of lawsuits in recent months from cannabis businesses that allege the California firm owes them millions of dollars. Linx includes a platform where customers can load up Linx “gift” or debit cards at a […] Cannabis payment provider allegedly owes millions to MJ retailers is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

China Orders People of Faith to Rewrite Religious Texts to Conform to Party Line

Warren Mass at rss - 8 hours ago
[image: china-orders-people-of-faith-to-rewrite-religious-texts-to-conform-to-party-line] A conference of state-selected religious leaders in China issued a directive that all religious works must be revised to conform to the Communist Party Line.

Private-eye Firm: Hunter Biden Is Subject of Several Criminal Probes

Luis Miguel at rss - 8 hours ago
[image: private-eye-firm-hunter-biden-is-subject-of-several-criminal-probes] A Florida-based private-eye firm filed documents in Hunter Biden's paternity case alleging he is linked to a Burisma criminal probe and others.

Norman Rockwell and the Rediscovery of America’s Moral Compass

Matthew Ehret at The Duran - 8 hours ago
A great poet once said that you can judge a nation by how it honors (or fails to honor) its artists. In many ways, the soul of a nation is entirely shaped by the artists which that society has produced. This makes perfectly good sense, as an artist is able to portray the better ideals […] More The post Norman Rockwell and the Rediscovery of America’s Moral Compass appeared first on The Duran.

The Navy's Ford-Class Carrier Will Make America's Navy Better Than Ever

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 8 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, * Here's how. *Key Point:* The third carrier, *Enterprise*, is expected to begin construction next year and will join the fleet in the early 2020s. In 2009, the U.S. Navy finally began construction of the first new type of aircraft carrier in nearly thirty-five years. Named after former president and naval aviator Gerald R. Ford, the USS *Ford* fully takes the nuclear supercarrier into the twenty-first century. The technological innovations built into the new ship, while causing the inevitable delays involved in building a first-in-class vessel, will k... more »

Forget Those Aircraft Carriers or Stealth Bombers: China's QBZ-1 Assault Rifle Is a Killer

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 8 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, Asia* It could be the last thing you ever do. *Key point: *Despite the increasingly mechanized nature of the People’s Liberation Army, China’s infantry arm is still, as it is in other armies, the “Queen of Battle.” One of the most widely issued—but least known—infantry small arms is the QBZ-95-1 assault rifle. The QBZ-95-1 is the official rifle of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and its various sub-branches, including the People’s Liberation Army Navy Marine Corps. Unorthodox in appearance, the bullpup QBZ-95-1 also fires an unusual 5.8-millimeter c... more »

The Navy's Zumwalt-Class Stealth Destroyer Is No 'Battleship'

Sebastien Roblin at The National Interest - 8 hours ago
*Sebastien Roblin* *Security, * It's too expensive. *Key Point:* The cost of the current upgrades is reportedly $90 million—a sum which may prove worthwhile if it helps recoup some value after the $22 billion sunk into the ambitious but failed ship concept. In January 2019, the Navy will commission its second hi-tech *Zumwalt-*class stealth destroyer, the *USS Michael Monsoor*. The third and last, *USS Lyndon B. Johnson* was launched this December 2018 and will be commissioned in 2022. Traditionally, warships are tailored to perform specific missions. But the cutting-edge *Zumw... more »

They Can't Be Beaten: How the U.S. Navy SEALs Were Born

Warfare History Network at The National Interest - 8 hours ago
*Warfare History Network* *Security, Americas* [image: Reddit] World War II is where the story begins. *Key Point:* How this elite unit was formed is one amazing story. Today’s Navy SEALs (for Sea, Air, and Land special warfare experts) have a history shrouded in secrecy. Commissioned in 1962, they are the most elite shore-area Special Forces in the world, concentrating on very select and often-clandestine intelligence gathering and precision strike missions. For over 50 years it was assumed that the origin of the Navy SEALs was the Naval Combat Demolition Units (NCDUs) and Unde... more »

The Neuroscience Behind Christmas Cheer

Olly Robertson at The National Interest - 8 hours ago
*Olly Robertson* *History, Americas* [image: Reuters] The happiness circuit was thought to be a single part of the brain responsible for making you feel that warmth in your chest, making your heartbeat quickly with joy and forming an expression of happiness on your face – an expression thought to be universal across peoples and cultures. It is, for many of us, the most wonderful time of the year. “Christmas cheer” is that thing which is often referred to by those who believe December really is the season to be jolly. It’s that feeling of joy, warmth and nostalgia people feel whe... more »

Rivet Joint and Cobra Ball: The Electronic Spy Planes Watching For North Korea's “Christmas Gift”

Sebastien Roblin at The National Interest - 8 hours ago
*Sebastien Roblin* *Security, Asia* How the U.S. military can study Kim's latest ICBM, IRBM or whatever other presents he has for America. North Korea’s Vice Foreign Minister Ri Thae Song was twirling his proverbial mustache when on December 3, 2019 he promised a ‘Christmas Gift” this holiday season due to the failure of long-stalled negotiations with Washington to bear fruit. This threat is believed to herald a new North Korean weapons test, possibly of an improved intercontinental-class ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of hitting targets in North America. It’s feared North Ko... more »

Russia Wants "A Sixth-Generation Strategic Bomber" By 2040

David Axe at The National Interest - 8 hours ago
*David Axe* *Security, * Moscow talks big, but will it actually come to pass? Russia aims to deploy an unmanned strategic bomber by 2040. But first it’s going to try to deploy a new *manned *stealth bomber. Lt. Gen. Sergey Kobylash, commander of long-range aviation for the Russian air force, announced the plan in an interview with newspaper *Moskovsky Komsomolets*. "It is expected that by the year 2040 a sixth-generation strategic bomber will be created, which will already be unmanned," Kobylash said, according to a TASS summary of the interview. Meanwhile, the air force is go... more »

No F-35 For You: France's F4 Generation Dassault Rafale Won't Be Very Stealthy

Sebastien Roblin at The National Interest - 8 hours ago
*Sebastien Roblin* *Security, Europe* Not an F-35 *Key point: *Paris is planning to build a new fighter with some stealth technology. In January 2019, French Defense Minister Florence Parly announced France would commit $2.3 billion to develop an F4 generation of the Dassault Rafale twin-engine multirole fighter. This would include production in 2022–2024 of the last twenty-eight of the original order of 180 Rafales, followed by the purchase of an additional thirty Rafales F4.2s between 2027–2030, for a total of 210. Since 2008, France has deployed land- and carrier-based Raf... more »

The Royal Navy Wants An Improved Amphibious Strike Capability

David Axe at The National Interest - 8 hours ago
*David Axe* *Security, Europe* And is buying two "littoral strike ships" to get it. *Key point:* The littoral strike ships could partially reverse years of cuts to the U.K. amphibious fleet. The Royal Navy plans to acquire two so-called “littoral strike ships” that could enhance the U.K. fleet’s diminished amphibious capability. Despite their fearsome-sounding name, the littoral strike ships in fact just merchant vessels featuring several key modifications allowing them to support landing craft and vertical-launching aircraft. The U.S. Navy has begun acquiring similar vessels. T... more »

EXPLAINED: Why Kel-Tec Had Its PMR-30 Pistol Hold 30 Rounds

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 8 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, * That's a lot of bullets. *Key point*: A soft-shooting gun like the PMR-30 would generate less anxiety for someone afraid of gun recoil, making that person more confident in their shooting abilities—especially during high stress situations. The Kel-Tec PMR-30 is a rarity among handguns on the market today: a pistol with a magazine holding more than seventeen rounds. The PMR-30 actually holds thirty rounds and does so with some clever engineering that reduces it to a lightweight package attractive to casual shooters, backcountry shooters, or people int... more »

President Trump Remarks During Mar-a-Lago Press Availability…

sundance at The Last Refuge - 8 hours ago
Following a Christmas eve call to U.S. service members, President Trump answers questions on a variety of topics from the press pool. [Video Below]

President Trump Hosts Christmas Eve Video Teleconference with Members of Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard…

sundance at The Last Refuge - 8 hours ago
Earlier this morning Commander-in-Chief President Donald Trump hosted a Christmas Eve video teleconference with members of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard to thank them for their service and wish them a merry Christmas. Participating on … Continue reading →

Cheeto-Child Discusses Donald Trump as a Wartime President…

sundance at The Last Refuge - 8 hours ago
In 2016 a bipolar, manic-depressive named Glenn Beck covered himself in mashed up Cheetos snacks to give a visible picture to his audience of just how vile presidential candidate Donald Trump was. Mr. Beck carried out these various episodes of … Continue reading →

Seasons Greetings

Pam Vernon at Rangitikei Environmental Health Watch - 8 hours ago
This morning I watched the birds feeding on the Pohutukawa trees outside my window and pondered. No bigger birds had fenced the tree off with ‘no trespassing’ signs. Or cut the flowers all off to process and sell. It is why we’re offered the birds as an example not to worry about food or clothing. … Continue reading Seasons Greetings →

6-Year-Old British Girl Opens Box Of Christmas Cards. One Has Desperate Message Inside From Chinese Prison.

Pam Vernon at Rangitikei Environmental Health Watch - 8 hours ago
Originally posted on Nwo Report: Source: Hank Berrien A six-year-old London schoolgirl, opening a box of charity Christmas cards to send them to friends, got a surprise when one of them had a desperate message from a Chinese prison inside it. As Peter Humphrey of the London Times reports,Florence Widdicombe opened a box of Tesco charity…

Aussie Police to get AR-15 30-shot semi-automatic rifles… giving police snipers greater authority to shoot to kill

Pam Vernon at Rangitikei Environmental Health Watch - 8 hours ago
Growing trend isn’t it? Police armed to the teeth. Citizens on the other hand disarmed. From theage.com.au More than 700 police will be trained to use high-powered semi-automatic rifles, with frontline officers expected to take immediate action to confront terror attacks and active armed offenders. Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton said on Wednesday that police will … Continue reading Aussie Police to get AR-15 30-shot semi-automatic rifles… giving police snipers greater authority to shoot to kill →

The role of utility meters in mass surveillance

Pam Vernon at Rangitikei Environmental Health Watch - 8 hours ago
minivanjack 29.5K subscribers We cannot imagine how mass surveillance is about to change the lives of everyone in the developed world. This video is an eye opener to help visualize the future and how to protect ourselves from the most invasive technologies ever created and used against society. Additional information and resources at: freedomtaker.com takebackyourpower.net … Continue reading The role of utility meters in mass surveillance →

How a penniless Italian migrant became a supermarket mogul

Donal Sheil at Just In - 8 hours ago
Tony Bernardi came to Australia with just a few pounds in his pocket and big dreams, but today he heads a regional grocery empire.

'Maybe it's a nice present': President Trump ready to deal with any North Korean 'Christmas gift'

Just In - 8 hours ago
US President Donald Trump has brushed off North Korea's warning of a "Christmas gift", saying the United States would "deal with it very successfully," amid US concerns that Pyongyang might be preparing a long-range missile test.

How a season of devastating bushfires has changed Christmas day

Mark Reddie at Just In - 8 hours ago
Thousands of volunteer firefighters are spending Christmas on fire grounds across NSW as donations pour in for families who have lost their homes to the blazes.

There's an unexpected glimmer of hope in Christmas, even as Australia burns

Just In - 8 hours ago
It feels off-trend to speak of babies at all this Christmas. In the face of the climate crisis, some are questioning whether to have any. But there's hope in birth, writes Justine Toh.

How to recognise the signs of domestic violence and what you can do

Bridget Judd at Just In - 8 hours ago
It's Christmas day and the banter and beers are flowing freely, but you just can't shake the feeling something's not quite right. It could have been the way he talked to her, or maybe it was the way he grabbed her arm. But what can you do?

Ex-Business Partner Claims Epstein ‘Admitted He was a Spy’, Prince Andrew Protecting Ghislaine Maxwell

The Free Thought Project at The Free Thought Project - 8 hours ago
Jeffrey Epstein's former business partner Steven Hoffenberg has come forward with new details about his knowledge of the disgraced millionaire's case.

Why Trump Supporters are Not Protesting in the Streets Over Impeachment...

Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 8 hours ago
*because we know absolutely nothing is going to happen except the upcoming yuuuuuugest blowout of an election in the history of this country.* *KAG!*

A question for all of us about who would replace President Trump

Norma at Collecting My Thoughts - 8 hours ago
"The editors [of Christianity Today] didn’t tell us who should take his place in the aftermath. Maybe the magazine would prefer a president who is passionately pro-abortion, anti-family, hostile to the military, dispassionate toward Israel, supports a socialist form of government, promotes confiscatory taxation, opposes school choice, favors men in women’s sports and boys in girl’s locker rooms, promotes the entire LGBTQ agenda, opposes parental rights, and distrusts evangelicals and anyone who is not politically correct." James Dobson

Warmest Holiday Greetings From Bird Rescue

Russ Curtis at International Bird Rescue – Every Bird Matters - 8 hours ago
Dear Bird Rescue supporters, As we close out 2019, we would like to wish you the happiest of holidays! May the New Year be filled with warmth, peace, happiness, and harmony with each other and our natural home. Thanks again for all your generous support of our mission, Sincerely, Team International Bird Rescue

Munich Climate Conference 2019

Ron Clutz at Science Matters - 9 hours ago
Thanks to Andreas Müller for writing at his blog hintermbusch on four key presentations at the EIKE Climate Conference on Nov. 23, 2019. As many have read, eco-terrorists forced the sessions out of the scheduled venue, but the gatherings went on elsewhere. So much for dialogue in search of scientific truth. Here are some […]

Libyan Army announces the destruction of Turkish armored vehicle near Tripoli

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 9 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (4:00 P.M.) – The Libyan National Army (LNA), led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, announced on Tuesday that its forces destroyed a Turkish armored vehicle in southern Tripoli. According to Al-Arabiya TV, “the Libyan Army announced that its pilots destroyed a Turkish armored vehicle south of Tripoli.” This announcement by the LNA comes […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Al-Qaeda linked jihadist group enters battle in southeast Idlib

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 9 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:20 P.M.) – The jihadist rebel faction, Ansar Al-Tawhid, has entered the battle in southeastern Idlib after their allied forces suffered several setbacks near the city of Ma’arat Al-Nu’man. According to reports, the Al-Qaeda linked group arrived at the front-lines in southeastern Idlib to help their allies from Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham and the […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Navajo Elders Object to Snowbowl Chairlift on Sacred Mountain

Unknown at CENSORED NEWS - 9 hours ago
. Navajo Elders Object to Snowbowl Chairlift on Sacred MountainThreatened plant, the San Francisco Ragwort, which grows no where else in the World except on the San Francisco Peaks is in the way of Arizona Snowbowl’s new gondola style lift. Contact: Shawn Mulford smulford@comcast.net Censored News FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Coconino National Forest Supervisor Laura Jo West has approved a new

2:00PM Water Cooler 12/24/2019

Lambert Strether at naked capitalism - 9 hours ago
By Lambert Strether of Corrente. Readers, if you celebrate Christmas, please have a lovely Christmas Eve. Otherwise, Io Saturnalia (or, I suppose, Festivus). * * * Politics “But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature?” –James Madison, Federalist 51 “They had one weapon left and both knew it: treachery.” […]

Anticipation and Excitement

Menagerie at The Last Refuge - 10 hours ago
This is an edited version of an old post. The Secret Sam was my favorite Christmas present as a child. I still have it, and I will keep it, or perhaps pass it on to a grandchild. My husband … Continue reading →

Did Comedian Michelle Wolf Joke That Her Abortion Made Her Feel ‘Powerful’ and Godlike?

Dan MacGuill at Snopes.com - 10 hours ago
Right-leaning websites accurately quoted something Wolf said during a stand-up comedy performance.

Knights Templar: Still Loved by Conspiracy Theorists 900 Years On

David Mikkelson at Snopes.com - 10 hours ago
Nine centuries after they were formed, the Templars remain the most iconic and infamous order of knights from the Crusades.

Trump Calls Troops Ahead of Christmas Holiday

AP News at Snopes.com - 10 hours ago
President Donald Trump called members of all five branches of the military stationed across the world to share greetings ahead of the Christmas holiday.

Pa. Attorney General Declares “Receivers” Are Now “Firearms” Under State Law

Bob Adelmann at rss - 10 hours ago
[image: pennsylvania-ag-declares-receivers-are-now-firearms-under-state-law] It's not paranoia to suggest that the war on private ownership of firearms has little to do with curbing gun violence.

Western-lauded Romanian Justice System releases Child Traffickers

Serban V.C. Enache at The Duran - 10 hours ago
All the 25 defendants, accused of trafficking almost 200 kids from Tandarei [a small town in Ialomita County, Romania] were acquitted. Yesterday, the Court of Appeal at Targu Mures gave the final, albeit scandalous decision in this sordid case. Not only that, but the now acquitted culprits aim to sue the Romanian state at the […] More The post Western-lauded Romanian Justice System releases Child Traffickers appeared first on The Duran.

Montenegro's Army deployed at its borders

Serban V.C. Enache at The Duran - 10 hours ago
Montenegro will deploy troops along its borders in response to the growing number of migrants crossing over into the country, on a new Balkan route toward the European Union. Last year, around 8000 migrants from North Africa and the Middle East crossed Montenegro, heading West, toward the richer countries. This number is double that registered […] More The post Montenegro's Army deployed at its borders appeared first on The Duran.

Christmas Eve - a time for Togetherness and the Enjoyment of Crafts

greencrow at Greencrow As The Crow Flies - 10 hours ago
*Missy Mousie welcomes Froggie* *in for a Christmas Eve "Drink"* Today I am supposed to be collecting my "Christmas Dividend". This is the time of quiet peaceful enjoyment that I "earned" by working like a slave for the past month and a half to prepare for Christmas. Yes, since about the 15th of November we have been working non-stop decorating, gift-buying and cooking. We've already had two parties for our friends and are planning a big Open House for next Saturday. The above photo is the one I used on the Open House Invite. As readers know I carved Miss Mousie and Froggy for... more »

Mapping Asteroid Bennu

Paul Gilster at Centauri Dreams - 10 hours ago
The holiday season seems an appropriate time to thank not only my Centauri Dreams readers for their continued high level of discussion in these pages, but also the army of citizen scientists who are out there working on everything from exoplanet detection to asteroid mapping. We saw recently how valuable the work of amateurs like […]

"A Look to the Heavens"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 10 hours ago
“Globular star cluster 47 Tucanae is a jewel of the southern sky. Also known as NGC 104, it roams the halo of our Milky Way Galaxy along with around 200 other globular star clusters. The second brightest globular cluster (after Omega Centauri) as seen from planet Earth, it lies about 13,000 light-years away and can be spotted naked-eye near the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) in the constellation of the Toucan. *Click image for larger size.* Of course, the SMC is some 210,000 light-years distant, a satellite galaxy of our Milky Way and not physically close to 47 Tuc. Stars on the outski... more »

"My Grown-Up Christmas Wish"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 10 hours ago
"No more lives torn apart, That wars will never start, And time will heal our hearts. Every man will have a friend, That right will always win, And love will never end. This is my grown-up Christmas List." - Author Unknown

Have a safe and enjoyable holidays

Keith at musingsofanoldfart - 10 hours ago
For those who celebrate, please have a Merry Christmas. For those who do not (and those who do), please have a safe and enjoyable holiday season. Christianity is an important religion, but it is only one of several, so a … Continue reading →

The Doolittle Raid: How America Avenged Pearl Harbor

Warfare History Network at The National Interest - 10 hours ago
*Warfare History Network* *Security, Americas* [image: Wikimedia Commons] The idea for the Doolittle Raid stemmed from a discussion between Captain Francis Low and Admiral Ernest J. King of the U.S. Fleet. Key Point: 30 seconds that changed history...forever. President Franklin D. Roosevelt sat in his White House study, an aging leader suddenly appearing older and wearier. Only moments before, the Secretary of the Navy, Frank Knox, had informed him that much of the Pacific Fleet stationed in Hawaii now rested on Pearl Harbor’s bottom. Carrier aircraft from Japan had executed a ... more »

How Russia 'Killed' the U.S. Navy's Most Powerful Submarine Ever

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 10 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, * The Soviet Union's collapse put them to rest. *Key point:* The Seawolf-class submarines are outstanding submarines, but the Cold War mindset at the time of development accepted high performance and consequently high costs to meet a high-level threat. The Seawolf-class submarines were envisioned as the best submarines ever built. Designed to succeed the Los Angeles–class attack submarines and maintain America’s edge in the underwater domain, the class suffered from cost overruns and the collapse of the Soviet Union. While still some of the best submar... more »

A Very Special Submarine Could Change How Naval Wars Are Fought

Sebastien Roblin at The National Interest - 10 hours ago
*Sebastien Roblin* *Technology, * The rise of AIP subs has arrived. *Key point:* The hydraulics in a nuclear reactor produce noise as they pump coolant liquid, while an AIP’s submarine’s engines are virtually silent. Nuclear-powered submarines have traditionally held a decisive edge in endurance, stealth and speed over cheaper diesel submarines. However, new Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) technology has significantly narrowed the performance gap on a new generation of submarines that cost a fraction of the price of a nuclear-powered boat. A conventional submarine’s diesel engi... more »

History Forgot This: America And Great Britain Almost Went To War Over Canada

Robert Farley at The National Interest - 10 hours ago
*Robert Farley* *Security, * World War II would have gone far differently. *Key point:* The new map, then, might have included a United States that extended to the Arctic, an independent Quebec, a rump Canada consisting mostly of the Maritimes and Japanese control of the entirety of the Western Pacific. The end of a war only rarely settles the central questions that started the conflict. Indeed, many wars do not “end” in the traditional sense; World War II, for example, stretched on for years in parts of Eastern Europe and the Asia-Pacific. Even as the guns fell silent along th... more »

Gun Safes: Here Are The Very Best You Can Get

Gun News Daily at The National Interest - 10 hours ago
*Gun News Daily* *Technology, * Check out these safes. As gun owners we want to be sure that we can quickly access our home defense handgun in the result of an emergency or home invasion. But we also need to make sure that this handgun is kept secure at all times so it won’t end up in the hands of a child or a burglar when we aren’t around. This is where a handgun safe comes in. The purpose of a handgun safe is to be a way to quickly access your weapon to respond to a home invasion but while also keeping the weapon secure. Many people will keep a handgun safe under their bed o... more »

Japan's New Submarines Could Be Total Game Changers for 1 Reason

David Axe at The National Interest - 10 hours ago
*David Axe* *Security, * No, not some fancy weapons system. *Key point: *Continuing improvements to lithium-ion batteries could allow Tokyo to develop conventional submarines that don’t require diesel generations at all. Japan on Nov. 6, 2019 launched a submarine with a new kind of battery that could allow the boats to sail farther while underwater. Kawasaki Heavy Industries eased the *Soryu*-class diesel-electric attack submarine *Toryu* into the water at KHI's facilities in Kobe. The 275-feet-long *Toryu* is the 12th and final *Soryu*-class vessel and the second, after siste... more »

"Many Thanks - An Internet Merry Christmas!"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 10 hours ago
*"Many Thanks - An Internet Merry Christmas!"* Author Unknown "As we finish up the year 2019, I want to thank all of you for your educational e-mails over the past year. I am totally screwed up now and have little chance of recovery! I no longer open a bathroom door without using a paper towel, or have the waitress put lemon slices in my ice water without worrying about the bacteria on the lemon peel. I can't use the remote in a hotel room because I don't know what the last person was doing while flipping through the adult movie channels. I can't sit down on the hotel bedspread b... more »

ThePianoGuys, “Carol of the Bells” (for 12 cellos)

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 10 hours ago
ThePianoGuys, “Carol of the Bells” (for 12 cellos)

Christmas Musical Interlude: Plácido Domingo, “La Virgen Lava Panales”; "Ave Maria"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 10 hours ago
Plácido Domingo, “La Virgen Lava Panales” Plácido Domingo and the Vienna Boys Choir, "Ave Maria"; Franz Schubert

The Daily "Near You?

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 10 hours ago
Boyceville, Wisconsin, USA. Thanks for stopping by!

"Never Give In, Never Give Up..."

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 10 hours ago
"Failure is inevitable, unavoidable, but failure should never get the last word. You have to hold on to what you want. You have to not take no for an answer and take what’s coming to you. Never give in, never give up. Stand up. Stand up and take it." - "Meredith Grey", "Gray's Anatomy"

Lena Sun’s Function at Washington Post: Blindly Defend Vaccines

Laura Bono at Children's Health Defense - 10 hours ago
By Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Sun’s function at Washington Post is blindly defending vaccines and defaming all who challenge the Pharmaceutical Paradigm. Because her editors anoint Sun with absolution from fact checking, her hatchet jobs are parades of reckless invention. She refuses to retract her 2017 assertion that all new vaccines are safety tested against […] The post Lena Sun’s Function at Washington Post: Blindly Defend Vaccines appeared first on Children's Health Defense.

Pre-Christmas curmudgeonly thoughts

Peter at Bayou Renaissance Man - 10 hours ago
Received via e-mail, origin unknown (clickit to biggit): I might try #9 there, after Christmas dinner! Peter

"Economic Market Snapshot AM 12/24/19"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 10 hours ago
*Updated frequently as available.* ◆ *MarketWatch Market Summary, Live Updates* - https://www.marketwatch.com/tools/marketsummary *CNN Market Data:* - http://money.cnn.com/data/markets/ *CNN Fear And Greed Index:* - http://money.cnn.com/data/fear-and-greed/ — § — *Buffett Indicator: Where Are We with Market Valuations?* "As of 12/24/19 (updates daily): The Stock Market is Significantly Overvalued. Based on historical ratio of total market cap over GDP (currently at 151.6%), it is likely to return -2.8% a year from this level of valuation, including dividends. As of today, the Tota... more »

David Stockman, "Main Street To Fed: Exactly What Rate Cut?"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 10 hours ago
*"Main Street To Fed: Exactly What Rate Cut?"* By David Stockman *Click image for larger size.* Probably Nothin’! *Click image for larger size.* - https://davidstockmanscontracorner.com/

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