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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.

Monday, December 30, 2019

30 December - Blogs I'm Following - 4 of 5

My Yahoo! - 1 of 2     2 of 2

10 pm MST

Under Trump, The Republican War On Science Has Been Succeeding-- And Just When Mankind Needs Science Most

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 16 hours ago
A couple of days ago, a friend sent me a blistering note excoriating me for using the picture of Trump above. That isn’t why I’m running it again-- at least not the entire reason. This absolutely crucial piece in the *NY Times* hadn’t run yet but the perspective it conveys is *exactly* why the Trump-Morlock portrait is so perfect and so appropriate. The illustration does H.G. Wells proud. "In just three years, the Trump administration has diminished the role of science in federal policymaking while halting or disrupting research projects nationwide, marking a transformation of the... more »

"Never Send To Know..."

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 16 hours ago
"All mankind is of one author, and is one volume; when one man dies, one chapter is not torn out of the book, but translated into a better language; and every chapter must be so translated... As therefore the bell that rings to a sermon, calls not upon the preacher only, but upon the congregation to come: so this bell calls us all: but how much more me, who am brought so near the door by this sickness.... No man is an island, entire of itself... any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for the... more »

Doing greater harm by trying to do good?

Peter at Bayou Renaissance Man - 16 hours ago
I note that New York's new discovery reform laws, which take effect on Wednesday, contain a double-edged provision that might threaten victims of crime. Have you ever made a call to 911 to report a crime? Next year if you do, your contact information will end up in the hands of the suspect police arrest. It’s a new reality of New York's discovery reform laws taking effect just 12 days from now on January 1st. *. . .* Albany County District Attorney David Soares is dreading the conversations he knows we will have to have with crime victims. “By the way, I have to provide your cel... more »

"The Hour Is Getting Late"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 16 hours ago
*"The Hour Is Getting Late"* by Charles Hugh Smith "After 11 years of "the Fed is the market" expansion, the Fed has now reduced its bloated balance sheet by 6.7%. This is normal, right? So here we are in Year 11 of the longest economic expansion/ stock market bubble in recent history, and by any measure, the hour is getting late, to quote Mr. Dylan: "So let us not talk falsely now the hour is getting late..." Bob Dylan, "All Along the Watchtower" The question is: what would happen if we stop talking falsely? What would happen if we started talking about end-of-cycle rumblings, extr... more »

Only 19 Percent of Companies Fight Violence Against Women in Brazil

Dorah Feliciano at The Rio Times - 16 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - It is estimated that 536 women were assaulted every hour in Brazil in 2018. Concerned about how to deal with the issue and its impacts on the lives of working women, the Maria da Penha Institute, the Vasselo Goldoni Institute, and the Talenses Group, a business group for professional recruitment, […] The post Only 19 Percent of Companies Fight Violence Against Women in Brazil appeared first on The Rio Times.

Top 10 global cannabis stories of 2019: WHO backs rescheduling, Linton out at Canopy, Canadian firms eye US & more

Matt Lamers at Marijuana Business Daily - 16 hours ago
Cannabis markets in Canada and elsewhere in the world went on a roller-coaster ride in 2019, as irrational expectations gave way to more realistic market assessments. Global medical marijuana markets, corporations and top executives experienced breakthroughs and setbacks this past year. That’s the gist of the 10 most widely read business stories carried by Marijuana Business Daily […] Top 10 global cannabis stories of 2019: WHO backs rescheduling, Linton out at Canopy, Canadian firms eye US & more is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for ... more »

2019’s top US cannabis business stories: Vape crisis, California MJ industry challenges, landmark legalization moves & more

Laura Hamilton at Marijuana Business Daily - 16 hours ago
The U.S. cannabis industry experienced some momentous moves forward on the legalization front in 2019, but it also faced significant obstacles that reflected how the licensed marijuana sector is continuing to mature and why it cannot always expect boom times and unfettered growth. The top page views of the year at Marijuana Business Daily show […] 2019’s top US cannabis business stories: Vape crisis, California MJ industry challenges, landmark legalization moves & more is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

"America Is Over But You Knew That Already"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 16 hours ago
*"America Is Over But You Knew That Already"* By Doug “Uncola” Lynn "Should old acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind? Should old acquaintance be forgot, And old lang syne? For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne, We’ll take a cup of kindness yet, For auld lang syne." – Robert Burns "According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, “Auld Lang Syne” literally translates to “Old Long Since” which could also be interpreted as “since long ago” or “for old times’ sake”. Certainly, there is a feeling of melancholy when the song is sung at the end of another year gone by. Ma... more »

Don't look at the comments!

sue at Is the BBC biased? - 16 hours ago
Just before Craig and I can lay down our keyboards and say “Our work here is done!” I have to draw your attention to the thing poor Andrew Marr has written on the Spectator. Am I to blame for Boris’s war on the BBC? In fact, I’m surprised Craig hasn’t mentioned it already because it’s been up since at least *yesterday* or was it the day before.. Remember this? Of course you do! But it seems that Andrew Marr has been traumatised by the outcry that erupted pretty soon after the marathon interruptathon hit the fan. Who can blame him? Well, I may as well answer my own question. In ... more »

Woman lied about being gang raped by Israeli teens, court finds

Just In - 16 hours ago
A court in Cyprus finds a 19-year-old British woman guilty of fabricating claims she was gang-raped by 12 Israeli teenagers six months ago.

Israeli political appointment a 'slap in the face' to alleged Malka Leifer child abuse victims

Stephanie Dalzell at Just In - 16 hours ago
Doubt is cast over Australia's efforts to extradite alleged child abuser Malka Leifer from Israel, with concerns a new controversial political appointment could stall the process.

Chinese scientist who 'gene-edited' babies jailed for three years

Just In - 16 hours ago
Chinese scientist He Jiankui, who claims he made the world's first "gene-edited" babies by altering human embryos in 2018, is convicted on charges of practising medicine illegally, according to Chinese state media.

Firefighter dies on NSW-Victoria border as emergency blazes burn across three states. As it happened

Just In - 16 hours ago
A volunteer firefighter dies and another two are injured when their truck rolls 70km east of Albury, while popular Victorian tourist destinations Lakes Entrance and Mallacoota brace as the fire front draws closer. As it happened.

NSW volunteer firefighter dies after truck rollover near Victorian border

Riley Stuart, Tim Swanston And Jessie Davies at Just In - 16 hours ago
A volunteer firefighter dies and two others suffer burns while working on a blaze burning near Albury, the NSW Rural Fire Service confirms.

Links 12/30/19

Jerri-Lynn Scofield at naked capitalism - 17 hours ago

Why Bad Customer Service Won’t Improve Anytime Soon

Jerri-Lynn Scofield at naked capitalism - 17 hours ago
Why companies find it profitable to provide crapified customer service: this is by design, rather than reflecting incompetence.

The Zimmerman Telegram: Germany's Last Ditch Effort To Have Mexico Fight America

Michael Peck at The National Interest - 17 hours ago
*Michael Peck* *History, * It didn't work as planned. *Key point: *In the end, the Zimmermann Telegram hastened Germany’s downfall. It was one hundred years ago when Mexico almost invaded the United States. In January 1917, German foreign secretary Arthur Zimmermann dispatched a coded telegram to Heinrich von Eckardt, the German ambassador to Mexico. With Germany locked in bloody stalemate with the Allies in France, and Britain’s naval blockade strangling the German economy, Kaiser Wilhelm’s government was about to make a fateful decision: declare unrestricted submarine warfare... more »

Germany's Military Needs Investment: These 5 Weapons Platforms Won't Survive Without It

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 17 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, Europe* Germany has an important role to play in European security. *Key point: *Germany's commitment to NATO is under question. The modern German armed forces, or Bundeswehr, were created just ten years after the end of World War II. Cold war tensions and the presence of Soviet troops in East Germany, Czechoslovakia and Poland made a West German defense force necessary. The Bundeswehr eventually grew to one of the largest, well-equipped armed forces in the world, boasting twelve combat divisions, hundreds of combat aircraft in the Luftwaffe (German Ai... more »

Forget Nuclear Weapons, Cutting Undersea Cables Could Decisively End A War

Steve Weintz at The National Interest - 17 hours ago
*Steve Weintz* *Security, * Our modern economy could collapse. *Key point: *Our world's reliance on the internet has only grown with time. When a July 2015 undersea tremor triggered a rockslide between the islands of Saipan and Tinian in the Northern Marianas Islands, it cut the only fiber-optic cable connecting the archipelago to the global network. Air traffic control grounded flights, automated teller machines shut down, web and phone connections broke. All the feared impacts of a cyber attack became real for the islanders. A Taiwan-based cable repair ship eventually restored... more »

Media’s Deafening Silence on Latest WikiLeaks Drops Is Its Own Scandal

barovsky at The New Dark Age - 17 hours ago
WikiLeaks has published yet another set of leaked internal documents from within the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) adding even more material to the mountain of evidence that we’ve been lied to about an alleged chemical weapons attack in Douma, Syria last year which resulted in airstrikes upon that nation from the US, UK and France.

Seventy Years of U.S. Destabilisation in China. U.S. Sponsored Uyghur Insurgency in Xinjiang

barovsky at The New Dark Age - 17 hours ago
China’s exit in October 1949, from the sphere of US control, was perhaps the heaviest blow to strike American post-World War II global hegemony. China’s successful drive for independence had been anticipated in Washington for many months.

Wikileaks Still Holding Powerful to Account as Founder Julian Assange “Slowly Dies” in Prison

barovsky at The New Dark Age - 17 hours ago
Julian Assange is dying inside Belmarsh Prison in London. Those are his own words, relayed through English journalist Vaughan Smith, who revealed that the Wikileaks founder called him on Christmas Eve to share his greetings. Smith also divulged that Assange told him he is kept in solitary confinement 23 hours per day and is often sedated.

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jonjayray at EDUCATION WATCH INTERNATIONAL - 17 hours ago
*California School Children Won't Be Suspended for Disobeying Teachers* A new California law that takes effect in 2020 will make it illegal to suspend a student in grades 1-5 for disobeying teachers or administrators. Starting next year, the rule will be applied to students in grades 6-8 and will include charter schools. There's a very good reason for this change, according to supporters. It's because of racism, you see. More little black kids are punished for disobeying teachers than little white kids. Naturally, there's only one possible explanation, to the exclusion of all other... more »

‘A satisfactory explanation was not provided’: Physicists in India lose third paper

Adam Marcus at Retraction Watch - 17 hours ago
A team of physicists in India has notched their third retraction for problematic images and other issues that also have prompted at least four corrections of their work. The authors, Sk. Shahenoor Basha, of the Solid State Ionics Laboratory at KL University in Guntur, and M.C. Rao, of Andhra Loyola College in Vijayawada, have lost … Continue reading ‘A satisfactory explanation was not provided’: Physicists in India lose third paper

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JR at GREENIE WATCH - 17 hours ago
*For evangelicals, climate change causes a split between young and old that could hurt Republicans* *This is a story about just one person so it may have little generalizability* SIOUX CENTER, Iowa — Cornfields flank the highway that forms the main road here and grain elevators tower overhead, constant reminders of how farming permeates this rural community in the state’s northwest corner. What also permeates Sioux Center is evangelical Christianity. It is, for most, an unquestioned way of life here in the most Republican county in a state that plays an outsized role in presidenti... more »

Connecticut: “The growing needs of students”

Age of Autism at AGE OF AUTISM - 17 hours ago
Note: Anne Dachel has been cataloging thousands of stories from around the globe that discuss the decline of pediatric health and the impact on education systems. Schools are staggered by the percentages of students with serious mental health, special needs... more »

A rough road ahead for electric cars

Dr. Jay Lehr at CFACT - 18 hours ago
Short range, decaying batteries, lack of places to charge, and cold weather failure make electric cars a tough sell at market prices. The post A rough road ahead for electric cars appeared first on CFACT.

Qanon CA games GOP option on voter forms.

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 18 hours ago
I am throwing this out to catch up the last four days of traffic after the Christmas break. A lot is repetition of past posts and more disclosure regarding corruption pathways. All of this is actionable. We also see DEM strategy clarified. The whole point is to block a Senate hearing in the first place, thus the faux impeachment. Thus process does not matter. This is akin to throwing your body in front of the problem. Now it makes sense. I do think that the arrests must start soonest. It will surely start with the take down of the names. That creates a major distrac... more »

College Enrollment Skids For 8th Year In A Row, But Student Loans Skyrocket

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 18 hours ago
This story has not received much coverage, but it is centered around the reality that the industry has actually priced itself out of their market. The bulk has been funded by student loans and to an extent that makes repayment highly questionable. Worse than all that is that the loan debt cripples the new graduate financially for years even if he gets a good paying job. And then you cannot go bankrupt if you fail to get that job. This is called the prelude to crash and burn. Now imagine if we actually look at the economics of all these programs and decide that funding is now l... more »

New water-splitting process could kick-start "green" hydrogen economy

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 18 hours ago
*[image: Researchers have come up with a cheaper, more efficient way to split hydrogen out of water]* This is huge. 87% efficiency is more than ample enough as well. Thus both anode and cathode can be properly catalyzed and high speed gas production becomes possible with this discovery. Recall also that these are never consumed either. . So, after all these years, we have a clear path forward to diretly producing both hydrogen and oxygen without byproducts at all. I do not expect a hydrogen economy ever. However, cheap oxygen and cheap hydrogen has ample applications. Not leas... more »

These 3 Toxins Have the Largest Impact on Your Life Span

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 18 hours ago
Lead and mercury are not your friends and certainly need to be avoided. We are largely there in fact on those two, but not before exposing huge numbers to them for decades. In fact, there is one thing that is largely true. We are getting better and better at avoiding chemical nastiness generally. I do include even car exhausts which also will soon disappear as well. Of course, our industrial producers have found plenty of other nasty ways to endanger us and to lie about it. It is just getting harder and harder to get away with it. In the long term, restorative agricultur... more »

New Riots in Protests Against the Government in Chile

Iolanda Fonseca at The Rio Times - 19 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - In Chile, new demonstrations against the government took place after President Sebastian Piñera stated in an interview that there was a "gigantic" misinformation campaign on the police violence during the demonstrations in Chile, which "were filmed and misrepresented abroad". They banged on pots and pans and chanted anti-government slogans, being […] The post New Riots in Protests Against the Government in Chile appeared first on The Rio Times.

Twenty Paradise Beaches Between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro

Oliver Mason at The Rio Times - 19 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - If you are planning a trip to forget the world, we have set aside some paradise beaches between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro that might be of your interest. We all know that at some point we must take some time to ourselves and relax. There is nothing better […] The post Twenty Paradise Beaches Between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro appeared first on The Rio Times.

United Nations Report on low Growth in Latin America

Iolanda Fonseca at The Rio Times - 19 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - The organization's preliminary report, which is based in Chile's capital, states that the region will grow by only 0.1 percent on average in 2019, while growth forecasts for 2020 remain low at around 1.3 percent. As a result, 2014-2020 will be the period with the lowest growth in Latin America […] The post United Nations Report on low Growth in Latin America appeared first on The Rio Times.

Would You Move to Another City? Why 63 Percent of São Paulo Residents Said Yes

Lachlan Williams at The Rio Times - 19 hours ago
SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL - An initiative of Rede Nossa São Paulo, in partnership with IBOPE (Brazilian Institute of Public Opinion and Statistics), the series "Living in São Paulo" shows conclusions that flash as warning signs, but that suggest paths to follow. Valuable insights for improving the quality of life can be found in them and […] The post Would You Move to Another City? Why 63 Percent of São Paulo Residents Said Yes appeared first on The Rio Times.

A Good Monday Morning

Diogenes Sarcastica™ at Diogenes' Middle Finger - 19 hours ago

Petrodollar Shock: Russia Could Invest Part Of Its National Wealth Fund In Gold

mosesman at Socio-Economics History Blog - 19 hours ago
Petrodollar Shock: Russia Could Invest Part Of Its National Wealth Fund In Gold by Tyler Durden, https://www.zerohedge.com/ In the past two years Russia has been quite explicit in its shifting preference between fiat, in the form of the world’s reserve currency, US Dollars and hard assets, i.e., gold: after liquidating almost all of its Treasury …

Information Clearing House Headlines 29 December 2019

barovsky at The New Dark Age - 19 hours ago
29 December 2019 — Information Clearing House Media’s Deafening Silence On Latest WikiLeaks Drops Is Its Own Scandal By Caitlin Johnstone This story is being killed in news rooms all around the world. – Continue ====== Media Elites to Assange: Fight for Your Own Hide By Ted Galen Carpenter The Committee to Protect Journalists mimics … Continue reading Information Clearing House Headlines 29 December 2019

Fort Worth, Texas: A Gunman Killed Two Worshipers at the West Freeway Church of Christ Before Being Stopped By Armed Church Members

NY Post at Need To Know - 19 hours ago
Two parishioners, including a former FBI agent working security, fired on the gunman and killed him. The motivation for the attack is unknown at this time.

We Can Tell You How to Find Russia's Aircraft Carrier (Like Anywhere)

Charlie Gao at The National Interest - 19 hours ago
*Charlie Gao* *Security, * You can see its black smoke from miles away. *Key point: *The *Admiral Kuznetsov* uses very dirty fuel. For most sailors who served on the *Admiral Kuznetzov*, Mazut is the stuff of legends. The ultra thick, tarry black substance that powers the ship is known for being rather toxic, sticky, and not easy to get out of clothes. But why did the Soviet navy keep powering its ships with Mazut? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the fuel? Why exactly is the *Kuznetsov* so smoky? Not all Russian ships run on Mazut. Of all the large ships the current... more »

This Picture Is How China and Iran Could Become Fearsome Naval Powers

Michael Peck at The National Interest - 19 hours ago
*Michael Peck* *Security, * It's a real game-changer. *Key point: *China has retrofitted an older vessel with VLS, which raises the possibility that the Chinese Navy could arm its older destroyers and frigates with multiple launch tubes. China and Iran are deploying more warships with Vertical Launching Systems to fire missiles. The VLS is the closet organizer of warship design, a way to pack more missiles launchers on a vessel. Instead of the Cold War rotating-arm launchers that fired one or two missiles at a time, VLS comprises dozens of launch tubes – or “cells” -- that po... more »

The Marine Corps' New Super Expensive (More Than F-35) Helicopter Is Having Problems

Jared Keller at The National Interest - 19 hours ago
*Jared Keller* *Security, * It cost more than an F-35. *Key point: *A January 2018 report from the Pentagon's Operational Test & Evaluation office detailed numerous structural problems in the airframe, problems exacerbated by a lack of needed parts. The Pentagon believes that the Marine Corps' new CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift helicopter — which at, $144 million apiece, costs more than the notoriously expensive F-35A Lightning II joint strike fighter, is "the most powerful helicopter the United States has ever fielded." Unfortunately, the pricey helo may not see action downra... more »

The Soviet Union's Best Weapons Could Have Killed Millions

Michael Peck at The National Interest - 19 hours ago
*Michael Peck* *Security, Europe* The top 5. *Key point: *If weapons technology was the biggest legacy of the Soviet Union, then that says about what Soviet Communism had to offer. The Soviet Union ceased to exist as of 25 years ago tomorrow--an anniversary that is not fully appreciated to this day. And while the old USSR might be gone, one big legacy lives on: The Soviet Union's history of weapons production and design. As frequent contributor Michael Peck explained back in 2014: "Soviet weapons reflected a different design philosophy. The West preferred complex, expensive a... more »

Australian Daily Wind Power Generation Data – Sunday 29th December 2019 – Plus Weekly Update

TonyfromOz at PA Pundits – International - 19 hours ago
By Anton Lang ~ This Post details the daily wind power generation data for the AEMO coverage area in Australia. For the background information, refer to the Introductory Post at this link. Each image is shown here at a smaller size to fit on the page alongside the data for that day. If you click […]

NY Times’ Kakutani: 2010s A ‘Dark And Divisive New Era’ Because Of Dangerous Trump

PA Pundits - International at PA Pundits – International - 19 hours ago
By Clay Waters ~ Michiko Kakutani, former chief book critic for the New York Times, saw out the decade in paranoid fashion, laying out her left-wing overview of the 2010s in the Sunday Review, “The End of Normal — Over the past decade, social media, the Great Recession and Donald Trump combined to bring out […]

COP 25: UN’s Madrid Climate Summit Produced Net-Zero Benefits

PA Pundits - International at PA Pundits – International - 19 hours ago
By Larry Bell ~ Attendees at the United Nation’s 25th annual climate conference (COP 25) in Madrid earlier this month concluded with little more than net-zero benefit alarmism and virtue-signaling based upon two very shaky scientific and technological foundations. The first creates a bogus climate crisis premised upon consistently failed theoretical models of the U.N.’s Intergovernmental […]

Four out of ten Brazilians Consider Supreme Court’s Performance Poor or Terrible

Adele Cardin at The Rio Times - 20 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - The Supreme Court's (STF) assessment is barely better than that of the National Congress. Datafolha's first survey aimed at measuring the population's perception of the Supreme Court shows this. According to the survey, the STF's performance is poorly assessed by 39 percent of a total of 2,948 people interviewed between […] The post Four out of ten Brazilians Consider Supreme Court’s Performance Poor or Terrible appeared first on The Rio Times.

Bolsonaro Calls on Congress to Expand Possession and Carrying of Weapons

Iolanda Fonseca at The Rio Times - 20 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - President Jair Bolsonaro called on the National Congress yesterday, December 29th, to pass an expansion of possession and carrying of weapons in Brazil. In a post on Twitter social media, he linked the growth in the registration of firearms to the decrease in the number of deaths. "Registration of firearms […] The post Bolsonaro Calls on Congress to Expand Possession and Carrying of Weapons appeared first on The Rio Times.

Woman allegedly impersonating bushfire victim charged with deception

Just In - 20 hours ago
An Adelaide Hills resident is charged with deception over an alleged bushfire scam, with police claiming she posed as a victim of the Cudlee Creek blaze in order to garner donations.

Is Virginia's attack on 2A the canary in the coal mine?...

Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 20 hours ago
*it might very well be.* Very little of Virginia Gov. Northam's attack on the 2nd amendment is being reported in the MSM. Northam wants to ban the sale of AR-15s and other long guns that are black and scary. Out of the goodness of his rotten little heart, he's now saying that you may keep your scary gun *if* you already have such a thing lurking in your house. But, but - you *must* register the scary gun. You realize registration is the first step to confiscation. Yes? It's exactly what Hitler did in the 1930's right before he confiscated all the guns. I think we all know how ... more »

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