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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.

Friday, January 10, 2020

10 January - Blogs I'm Following - 4 of 5

Pale Moon START Page - MSM News Canada   Technology - BetaKit / Global News / Google (CA)

Technology - NextWeb / Tech Crunch / The Verge

10 pm MST

Boeing's answer to the 737 Max problems: more automation?

Peter at Bayou Renaissance Man - 16 hours ago
In all the hype about the problems surrounding Boeing's 737 Max airliner, particularly the two deadly crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia, I couldn't help noticing one thing. Airlines and pilots in First World countries appear to have had few similar problems with the aircraft. It's those in Third World countries that did - and not all of them, either. The Lion Air 737 Max that crashed had experienced control problems just the day before the accident - but a third pilot on board, who knew what he was doing, told the flight crew what to do (as was pointed out in the aircraft manual)... more »

The Path To Victory Doesn't Go Through Mississippi In 2020

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 16 hours ago
Mississippi is neither the reddest nor the most Trumpist state in the union. The PVI is solidly red-- R+9-- but not as red as states that don't have big populations of minority groups that tend to vote for Democrats. Idaho is R+19; Kansas is R+13. Montana R+11, North Dakota R+17 and Wyoming is R+25. But electorally, none of those states is more likely to vote for Trump than Mississippi is. In fact... current polling has Montana behaving like a federal election swing state (just like Georgia, Texas, North Carolina and even South Carolina in a stretch). Mississippi isn't. More about... more »

Light relief

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 16 hours ago
*Alex Dale on Twitter*: On the 31 January at 11pm - - Big Ben will bong - a Lancaster bomber will bombard Parliament Square with blue passports - erasmus students will be tarred and feathered - all merlot will be poured into the Thames - all Pret a Mangers will become Gregg's - The only legal tender will be Brexit 50 pence pieces - chalet girls will be humanely put to work removing the word Brussels from sprout packaging - the channel tunnel will be ceremonially locked shut by Mark Francois - Trans-European couples will fall out of love

Major Cold Event Headed Right at Bellingham

Robert at Ice Age Now - 16 hours ago
“When I saw Cliff’s discussion today about what is headed toward Bellingham, I thought of the January 7 post on IceAgeNow regarding Bellingham’s desire to eliminate natural gas as a home heating fuel,** says reader Don Villeneuve. (Don is referring to long-time professor of Atmospheric Sciences Cliff Mass.) “Nothing like a high-wind event taking down ... Read more Major Cold Event Headed Right at Bellingham The post Major Cold Event Headed Right at Bellingham appeared first on Ice Age Now.

News flash! Dogs poop in alignment with Earth’s magnetic field

Robert at Ice Age Now - 16 hours ago
How’s this for “important” news? Dogs use the Earth’s magnetic field when relieving themselves. Not only that, but they do so in a north-south axis, a new study says. After examining 70 dogs — made up of 37 breeds — over two years, 1,893 defecations and 5,582 urinations, researchers found that under “calm magnetic field ... Read more News flash! Dogs poop in alignment with Earth’s magnetic field The post News flash! Dogs poop in alignment with Earth’s magnetic field appeared first on Ice Age Now.

Russia, Turkey, Serbia, Bulgaria celebrate TurkStream (Video)

Alex Christoforou at The Duran - 16 hours ago
The Duran Quick Take: Episode 429. More The post Russia, Turkey, Serbia, Bulgaria celebrate TurkStream (Video) appeared first on The Duran.

Russia's Goals In Syria Are Facing Obstacles

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 16 hours ago
© Syrian President’s press-service *Dmitriy Frolovskiy, Moscow Times:* *Russia’s Role in Syria is Changing* *Moscow might face difficulties in promoting its vision of a political settlement, while competition with Tehran is growing. * This year could bring challenges for Russia’s role in the Syrian conflict, despite it having been at the forefront of efforts to resolve the crisis in the past. With the regime in Syria becoming less likely to undergo a reshuffle and Iran reaping the benefits of its wide-scale involvement, Moscow might face difficulties in promoting its vision of a... more »

Japan PM to visit Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates: US and Iran

Lee Jay at Modern Tokyo Times - 16 hours ago
Japan PM to visit Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates: US and Iran Chika Mori and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times In a sign that America and Iran are seeking to salvage something positive despite heightened tensions, the leader of Japan will go ahead with his regional visit to the Middle East. […]

trading as WDR

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 16 hours ago
There's lots of fascinating stuff (as ever) at Bill Roger's *trading as WDR *blog. As Charlie pointed out on the open thread, Bill has caught *Lord Hall* in the act of spinning the ratings for BBC Sounds. By Bill's calculations, the BBC's justification for launching the service - that it would increase the number of listeners aged 16-34 - *hasn't* been realised. The figures have barely budged. Another post tells us that the BBC's preferred supplier for *booze* is Majestic and that over the past twelve months the BBC has bought close to £25k from them. By my own calculation, the ... more »

IL adult-use marijuana stores face shortages, Michigan early recreational MJ sales near $6.5M, Harvest pivots on deals & more

Laura Hamilton at Marijuana Business Daily - 16 hours ago
After the Jan. 1 launch, some Illinois adult-use cannabis retailers have cut off customers temporarily to conserve inventory, recreational marijuana sales in Michigan hit almost $6.5 million in first month, Harvest Health & Recreation looks to terminate an acquisition – and more of the week’s top MJ business news. Huge rec sales in Illinois lead to some shop closures The […] IL adult-use marijuana stores face shortages, Michigan early recreational MJ sales near $6.5M, Harvest pivots on deals & more is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for... more »

Taking a story full circle: reporting with people, not on them

Rachel Hamada at The Bureau of Investigative Journalism - 16 hours ago
Using story circles, a method of gathering testimonials used in the US, Bureau Local heard from people directly affected by homelessness in Edinburgh and Bedford

Gothan City Digest

jurassicpork at Welcome Back to Gotham City - 17 hours ago
(A picture's worth a thousand captions but we've still got nothing for this.) ------------------------------ Authors Don Winslow and Stephen King put up $175,000 to be donated to St. Jude's, the same cancer hospital the Trumps bilked, if Stephanie Grisham would give the WH press corps an hour of her time. Typically, the witch refused. ------------------------------ So, of course, the cops aren't looking for the guy who violated mall policy, the one WITH the gun and poor impulse control but the one WITHOUT the gun. ------------------------------ “According to a pers... more »

There are retractors in plastic surgery — and not just of the instrument kind

Adam Marcus at Retraction Watch - 17 hours ago
A plastic surgeon in Turkey has notched his fifth retraction for plagiarism and other issues. That makes him a retractor — even if most plastic surgeons would have something else in mind if they used that term. Ilteris Murat Emsen, then of the Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery at the Numune State Hospital … Continue reading There are retractors in plastic surgery — and not just of the instrument kind

Links 1/10/2020

Yves Smith at naked capitalism - 17 hours ago

‘Climate change doesn’t cause fires’

Paul Homewood at NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT - 17 hours ago
By Paul Homewood Tom Marland is an agribusiness lawyer from Queensland, who understands the outback much better than some academics thousands of miles away. He covers much of the same ground others have in recent weeks, but with the intimate knowledge that actually living there gives: It’s November again and once again half […]

Chinese military unveils 2 new powerful warships

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 17 hours ago
China reportedly launched an additional Type 055 destroyer and a Type 052D destroyer right before the year draws to an end, a move Chinese experts called on Sunday an astounding achievement in shipbuilding, as they expect the ships to enter military service in two years. Fully dressed, the two ships left a flooded dockyard and […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Iran dares Canada and other nations to prove they downed Ukrainian airliner

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 17 hours ago
Tehran has dismissed claims that the crashed Ukrainian Boeing 737 was hit by an Iranian missile as “psychological warfare,” calling on countries that lost citizens in the crash to send representatives to join its probe. “All these reports are a psychological warfare against Iran,” government spokesman Ali Rabiei said on Thursday. “All those countries whose […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

NATO’s missile defense system in Romania monitored Iran’s attack: Sec. Gen.

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 17 hours ago
NATO missile defense system in Romania provided the alliance with valuable information regarding Iran’s missile strike on US bases in Iraq, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday during a joint press conference with Romanian Prime Minister Ludovic Orban. “When it comes to ballistic missile defense in Romania, in Devesulu, we are, of course, […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

IRGC commander doubles down on US casualties claim, says several killed and wounded

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 17 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (11:00 A.M.) – One of the commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Friday that several U.S. soldiers were killed and wounded as a result of their attack on the ‘Ayn Al-Assad Airbase in western Iraq. According to Fars News Agency, the IRGC commander, Brigadier General Hajj Zada, said that […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Unknown warplanes targeted Iranian forces in Syria from Iraq: media

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 17 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:40 A.M.) – The unknown warplanes that targeted the Iranian forces in the Deir Ezzor Governorate last night reportedly entered eastern Syria from Iraq, a field source told Sputnik Arabic this morning. “A senior field source said that this morning that planes believed to be affiliated with the International Coalition targeted locations near […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Israeli authorities release two Syrian prisoners

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 17 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (9:20 A.M.) – The Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar reported on Friday that the Israeli authorities released two Syrian prisoners from their jail system. Sadqi Al-Maqt, one of the prisoners released, was born in Majdal Shams in the occupied Golan Heights. He was sentenced in 2015 to 11 years in prison for espionage, treason and […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Here's the List of the 5 Best Rifles and Guns Ever

Gun News Daily at The National Interest - 17 hours ago
*Gun News Daily* *Security, Americas* [image: https://pictures.reuters.com/archive/USA-ELECTION-TEXAS-RC19109E8F20.html] Which would you choose? *Key Point:* These are the finest weapons to buy. One of the major benefits to the American public to come from the Modular Handgun System was the requirement for enhanced ergonomics. The pistol comes with three different backstraps to fit a wide variety of hand sizes, and the pistol is fully ambidextrous. Going forward, these features will likely become standard on handguns sold in the United States. Sturm Ruger & Company, also known ... more »

Americans Are Fleeing High-Tax States In Record Numbers

Chris Edwards at The National Interest - 17 hours ago
*Chris Edwards* *Economics, * The Census data confirms the trends. The Census Bureau has released estimates of state population changes between July 2018 and July 2019. One component of population changes is migration between the states. The new Census data show that Americans are continuing to move from high-tax to low-tax states. This Cato study examined interstate migration using IRS data and found that people are moving, on net, from tax-punishing places such as California, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, and New Jersey to tax-friendly places such as Florida, Idaho, Nevada,... more »

Meghan Markle heads back to Canada to be with baby Archie after Royal bombshell

Just In - 17 hours ago
The Duchess of Sussex makes her way back to Canada to be with her eight-month-old son Archie days after she and Prince Harry blindsided the Royal family by going public with their decision to step back from their roles.

Kangaroo Island Mayor says Obama 'wrong' on climate change bushfire connection

Eugene Boisvert at Just In - 17 hours ago
As almost half of Australia's third largest island burns, its Mayor uses social media to criticise former US president Barack Obama for connecting climate change with Australia's bushfires.

Judge told footage of Jeffrey Epstein's jail cell on day of suicide attempt 'no longer exists'

Just In - 17 hours ago
Video footage of the area around Jeffrey Epstein's jail cell on a day he survived an apparent suicide attempt "no longer exists," federal prosecutors tell a judge.

Bradley Edwards's lawyer probes police forensic evidence collection at Claremont crime scenes

Andrea Mayes at Just In - 17 hours ago
DNA evidence was "not relevant" to forensic police as they examined the burial sites of murder victims Ciara Glennon and Jane Rimmer, the trial of alleged Claremont serial killer Bradley Edwards is told.

Kwinana Freeway re-opened after fire forced closure in both directions

Just In - 17 hours ago
Traffic on Perth's Kwinana Freeway starts moving again after it was earlier reduced to a standstill when a fire burning in a heavily populated area in the city's south closed the major road in both directions.

“…artificial water fluoridation should be reconsidered globally…”

drinkingwateradvisor at The Drinking Water Advisor - 17 hours ago
Stephen Peckham, Niyi Awofeso. Water Fluoridation: A Critical Review of the Physiological Effects of Ingested Fluoride as a Public Health Intervention, ScientificWorldJournal, 2014, 293019. Fluorine is the world’s 13th most abundant element and constitutes 0.08% of the Earth crust. It has … Continue reading →

Funny Friday

Terry at 'Nox & Friends - 17 hours ago
ALL ABOARD ! ~THIS WEEK’S SPECIAL~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Quid-Pro-Joe Ode To Hunter Crackhead ♫ ♫ I’ve long since retired, my son’s moved away ♫ I called him up just the other day.I said, “I’d like to see you if you don’t mind”He said, “I’d love to, Dad, but I’m doing time.You see my cell mate’s a hassle and the crack ain’t thru,But it’s sure nice talking to you, DadIt’s been sure nice talking to you.” ♫ ♫ And as I hung up the phone it occurred to meHe’d grown up just like meMy boy was just like me ♫ And the cats … Continue reading →

Democrats appeasing base with H.Res 781 – hot air, no substance

Uriel at 'Nox & Friends - 17 hours ago
The House Democrats just wasted a day of their session — How? By writing, introducing, and voting on a go nowhere, do nothing piece of legislation not even worth the paper it was written on. It seems, the House of Representatives is quite capable of not only writing a bill, but introducing it in committee then on the floor is LESS THAN 24 HOURS. – Amazing! BILL TITLE: Providing for consideration of H. Con. Res. 83, directing the President pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution to terminate the use of United States Armed Forces to engage in hostilities … Continue readi... more »

Brexit: The End of the Beginning?

Yves Smith at naked capitalism - 17 hours ago
Brexit jockeying is underway.

Will China Use Its Military Drones Like The U.S.?

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 17 hours ago
China shows off its GJ-11 stealth combat drone at the National Day parade in Beijing in October. Photo: Simon Song *SCMP:* *China has powerful military drones but won’t use them like the US, analysts say* * The killing of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani in a US air strike last week was evidence of the deadly power of modern unmanned aerial vehicles * But while China has been building up its own fleet of UAVs, analysts say it is unlikely ever to employ them for such an audacious mission The assassination of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani in Iraq last week... more »

‘Olavism’ Dictates Brazil’s Stance on US-Iran Crisis, Binding Country to Trump

Richard Mann at The Rio Times - 18 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - In the international arena, Brazil has only one side: the United States. Since assuming the presidency, Jair Bolsonaro has been promoting a knee-jerk alignment with the planet's greatest economic and military power, commanded by Donald Trump, which causes concern even among Brazil's top military. On Wednesday, the president made a […] The post ‘Olavism’ Dictates Brazil’s Stance on US-Iran Crisis, Binding Country to Trump appeared first on The Rio Times.

Fishnet Friday

Diogenes Sarcastica™ at Diogenes' Middle Finger - 18 hours ago

You can’t have it both ways

Scott Sumner at Econlib - 18 hours ago
Progressives often cite median income data when trying to show that average Americans do not benefit from rising productivity. Real median income (by some measures) has been fairly flat since 1973. I’ve done numerous posts pointing out that this income data is extremely misleading, indeed almost useless. In material terms, living standards are obviously much […] The post You can’t have it both ways appeared first on Econlib.

Robotics Are Making Iran's Military More Dangerous Than Ever

Michael Rubin at The National Interest - 18 hours ago
*Michael Rubin* *Security, Middle East* Should President Trump be worried? *Key Point:* How will Iranian acquisition of robotics and artificial intelligence technologies impact basic assumptions about Iranian behavior and alter the regional military balance? Recent Iranian ship interceptions highlight Iran’s military challenge and continue to drive a regional arms race. Whereas Gulf Cooperation Council states spend lavishly on high-end, off-the-shelf, U.S.-built platforms, decades of sanctions and post-revolutionary strategic decisions to be militarily self-sufficient has led Is... more »

The Ultimate Rifle: Russia Is Building a Deadly AR-15

Michael Peck at The National Interest - 18 hours ago
*Michael Peck* *Security, * Could it be better? *Key point: *It turned out to be a clever business move. A Russian arms maker has developed a Russian-ized version of America’s AR-15 rifle. Promtekhnologiya LLC, which produces ORSIS-brand rifles and carbines, has redid the AR-15 (known as the M16 in the U.S. military) with a heaver 7.62-mm round used by Russian weapons such as the AK-47 rifle and RPK machine gun. “The analogue of the American AR-15 rifle was tested in the ‘Russian’ caliber of 7.62x39 mm,” according to the TASS news agency. “The bullet of a cartridge is twice as... more »

Does Ruger's LC9s Outclass the Glock in Home Defense?

Gun News Daily at The National Interest - 18 hours ago
*Gun News Daily* *Security, Americas* Here's how they stack up. *Key Point: *The LC9s gives its competitors a run for their money. Larger and more powerful than its predecessor the LCP, the LC9s is an excellent choice for those who want power in a discrete package. The Ruger LC9s is a lightweight, highly concealable nine millimeter pistol that ably functions not only as a home defense gun but also a concealed carry or backup weapon. Larger and more powerful than its predecessor the LCP, the LC9s is an excellent choice for those who want power in a discrete package. One of the l... more »

Could This Gun Be Better Than a Glock For Defending Your Life?

Gun News Daily at The National Interest - 18 hours ago
*Gun News Daily* *Technology, Europe* [image: https://fnamerica.com/products/fn-509-series/fn-509-tactical/] Let's see. *Key Point:* The FN 509 is a competitive weapon that might just lure away some Glock owners. Fabrique Nationale (FN) Herstal is known worldwide for their rifles and machine guns. But they haven’t reached wide success with a pistol since the FN Browning Hi-Power, a design that originated from before WWII. But with their new FN 509, FN Herstal is again aiming for the lucrative civilian, police, and military pistol markets. Could it succeed? How does it build upo... more »

No Need to Worry About China's Aircraft Carriers or Stealth Fighters

Charlie Lyons Jones at The National Interest - 18 hours ago
*Charlie Lyons Jones* *Security, * [image: https://pictures.reuters.com/archive/CHINA-ANNIVERSARY--RC182752C7D0.html] Those shiny toys have never seen combat. *Key Point:* "Peace disease" is a real consequence of relying on technology that have never been tried on the battlefield. China’s rapid military modernisation has triggered an intense discussion about Australia’s defence priorities, reviving old debates about an independent ‘defence of Australia’ doctrine or a deeper alliance with the United States. Missing from that debate, however, is an understanding of the weaknesses... more »

‪US’ ‘experiments’ with democracy, regime change and 2 invasions over 30 years in Iraq‬

jezail.org at The Duran - 18 hours ago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wR3bJBcE8vI If you are getting tired of jingoistic nonsense from generals and officials who can’t even seem to be credible, here is some brain food from somebody who is. Shekhar Gupta is an experienced journalist from India who doesn’t carry any US partisan baggage. In addition to being a regular contributor to India Today, he […] More The post ‪US’ ‘experiments’ with democracy, regime change and 2 invasions over 30 years in Iraq‬ appeared first on The Duran.

Ex-Daesh Women and Children Transferred Across Durand Line

jezail.org at The Duran - 18 hours ago
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan/ex-daesh-women-and-children-transferred-across-durand-line Amid all of this noise we hear from our fearless leaders about Irani state terrorism, no mention is made of Pakistan. Yet this goes on. It is a clear indication of who is actually sponsoring Daesh, the Taliban all of the other fun bunch shooting a lot more bullets than Irani backed groups. For […] More The post Ex-Daesh Women and Children Transferred Across Durand Line appeared first on The Duran.

Beauty before age

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 18 hours ago
Here's an interesting Twitter conversation concerning the forced departure of Mark Pougatch from his presenter's role on 5 Live Sport: *Jeff Stelling (Sky)*: So Mark Pougatch not presenting on 5 live any more. Sad that his total professionalism will be replaced by someone who is considered to be more in touch with the youth of today, even if they know sod all about football or interviewing. He can’t say it so I will. *Ben Cobley (author)* : This is the BBC in 2020. It's a disaster scene unfolding before our eyes and ears. *Alexander McCarron (freelance documentary maker)*: Insider ob... more »

Bolivia to Declare National Alert for Femicide

Juan Martinez at The Rio Times - 18 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - The Bolivian government should declare a national alert in the coming weeks due to the increase in cases of violence against women. Jeanine Áñez, the country's interim president, said she will approve a decree to mark 2020 as the Year to Fight Violence Against Women. According to Justice Minister Álvaro […] The post Bolivia to Declare National Alert for Femicide appeared first on The Rio Times.

Lime Shuts Down Operations, Will No Longer Rent E-Scooters in Brazil

Lachlan Williams at The Rio Times - 18 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Lime sent an e-mail to customers in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro advising it will no longer operate in these two cities: it will interrupt e-scooter rental in Brazil over the coming weeks. This leaves Grin and Yellow as the main options for this micro-mobility service. The company has […] The post Lime Shuts Down Operations, Will No Longer Rent E-Scooters in Brazil appeared first on The Rio Times.

Brazil’s Central Bank Seeks to Encourage Greater Competitiveness Among Banks

Richard Mann at The Rio Times - 18 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - The Central Bank (BC) seeks to encourage banking competitiveness in the country in order to reduce interest charges and expand the population's access to financial services. The president of the institution, Roberto Campos Neto, said on Thursday, January 9th, that technological advances in the sector, such as open banking and […] The post Brazil’s Central Bank Seeks to Encourage Greater Competitiveness Among Banks appeared first on The Rio Times.

Maranhão State To Host Brazil’s First Bilingual Public School

Adele Cardin at The Rio Times - 18 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Although English is one of the most widely-spoken languages in the world, public education in Brazil does not have a well-defined policy for teaching the language. While private bilingual schools are spread throughout the country, they are usually expensive and difficult to access. This is why the government of the […] The post Maranhão State To Host Brazil’s First Bilingual Public School appeared first on The Rio Times.

Iraq’s Worst Fears Have Come True

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 18 hours ago
What needs to be clearly understood here is that Soleimani had the authority to order an attack on a peaceful demonstration in Iraq. It is also clear that he was actively building up manpower distributed throughout Iraq to pursue a much larger war there. This strategy had triggered real blow back in Iraq and he was suppressing that with difficulty. At the same time, the same strategy was increasing resistance inside Iran. A more active war served his interests here. Understand that the minimum objective of this man was command and control over all Iraq and Syria through to the ... more »

China Just Escalated Their Brutal Persecution Of Christians To An Entirely New Level

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 18 hours ago
Essentially the CCP is doubling down on the communist tactic of reeducation. They have already forced the Falun Gong underground and have also taken down the Muslim Uighur as well. This is obviously going so well that they must now do the same to Christians as well. The CCP is now targeting almost ten percent of the population. At the same time they are also turning more and more upon their natural allies as well whenever they come out protest. Thus the CCP is directly at war with the citizens of China. This also means that Chinese solidarity must be rising as well in o... more »

DIY Shipping container homes.

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 18 hours ago
These two videos help answer a lot of questions. Again the objective is the production of temporary homes. Temporary as not commited to the underlying land itself. These are really useful for agricultural land were we want living quarters for farm workers. It is easy to envisage having a harvest only contract, but then supplying permnent housing year round to ensure availability. We can also see this placed upon roofs of warehouses or other commercial buildings and tapping into the services of the building. Again the rule is temporary even if the time frame itself is decades. ... more »

Humanoid 'Owl' Seen by Two Witnesses in Hoffman Estates, Illinois

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 18 hours ago
These animals are clearly becoming habituated to human dwellings. We already understood that these large 'birds' and this one could well be a Thunderbird, used large trees to hide themselves. Again we have an excellent sighting measured in literally a few feet. It does not get better. Yet it was from the back and the 'bird' did not turn its head to look at them. This would have revealed the most important identifiers. Long wing tips are to be expected for a Thunder bird in particular. Or almost any bird observed from behind. . *Humanoid 'Owl' Seen by Two Witnesses in Hoffm... more »

A Lot Must Have Gone Wrong For Iran To Shoot Down A Ukrainian Passenger Airline

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 18 hours ago
*Warzone/The Drive:* *Let's Talk About How Iran Could Have Shot Down A 737 Full Of Innocent People* *A lot had to of gone wrong to get us to this point and not just with a surface to air missile battery. * The tragic loss of Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752, a Boeing 737-800 with 176 souls on board, increasingly appears to have been a horrific mistake. Video of the airliner careening into the ground ablaze at around 6:12AM local time on January 8th, 2020 has permeated news headlines. It has also served as an unexpected and horrific aftershock to the unprecedented Irania... more »

Can The US Assassination Of Qassem Soleimani Be Justified?

Yves Smith at naked capitalism - 19 hours ago
A useful high level discussion of the Soleimani killing.

Black Agenda Report 8 January 2020

barovsky at The New Dark Age - 19 hours ago
8 January 2020 — Black Agenda Report Trump is a Criminal, But the Democrats Belong to the Same Mafia Glen Ford, BAR executive editor The Republicans and Democrats are united under the American imperial banner, and only differ on details of strategy to maintain Washington’s global domination. Freedom Rider: Iran and the Need for Black … Continue reading Black Agenda Report 8 January 2020

Beware imperialist gaslighting-assassination is not legal

barovsky at The New Dark Age - 19 hours ago
Although analysts will endlessly debate the legality of the recent assassination of Iran’s Qasem Soleimani by drone strike, the law has no place for crimes of this kind. Of all people, Ronald Reagan signed Executive Order 12333 that reads in part: “No person employed by or acting on behalf of the United States government shall engage in, or conspire to engage in, assassination.” Later moves to make exceptions for terrorists cannot erase the original intent of the order.

Iran News Links 10 January 2020

barovsky at The New Dark Age - 19 hours ago
10 January 2020 • 22:30 — The New Dark Age There may be some duplication due to cross-posting and may be updated throughout the day, so please check back Qasem Soleimani: Iran was targeting four US embassies, says Trump https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-51068560 What Passes for Reality Is Not Worth Respecting https://dissidentvoice.org/2020/01/what-passes-for-reality-is-not-worth-respecting/ 10 Ways Trump’s Actions Against Iran … Continue reading Iran News Links 10 January 2020

Information Clearing House Headlines 9 January 2020

barovsky at The New Dark Age - 19 hours ago
9 January 2020 — Information Clearing House US officials ‘confident’ plane shot down by Iranian missile By Sky News US satellites had detected the launch of two missiles shortly before the plane crashed, followed by evidence of an explosion. – Continue ==== Iran’s Missile Launch Against Two U.S. Bases in Iraq Calls Trump’s Bluff By Moon Of Alabama … Continue reading Information Clearing House Headlines 9 January 2020

The world owes U.S. climate reparations

James Taylor at CFACT - 19 hours ago
The benefits the U.S. has conferred on the world are immense. Time to submit a bill? The post The world owes U.S. climate reparations appeared first on CFACT.

Industrial Production Disappoints; Recovery Will Not Be Smooth for Brazil in 2020

Richard Mann at The Rio Times - 19 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - November's industrial production, released on Thursday, January 9th by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), was a real "bucket of cold water" for those who expected a steady - and relatively quiet - recovery of Brazilian economic activity in 2020. Following three consecutive months of rebound, the industry […] The post Industrial Production Disappoints; Recovery Will Not Be Smooth for Brazil in 2020 appeared first on The Rio Times.

Every Year Prisoners on Christmas Furlough Go AWOL in Brazil

Dermot OSullivan at The Rio Times - 19 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Every year prisoners in a work-release regime in Rio de Janeiro’s penitentiary system are granted leave to spend Christmas time outside prison. Before 2017, they were also allowed to spend New Year away, but in 2019 all prisoners were to have returned by December 30th. As of January 7th 2020, […] The post Every Year Prisoners on Christmas Furlough Go AWOL in Brazil appeared first on The Rio Times.

Brazil’s Supreme Court Overturns Censorship of ‘Porta dos Fundos’ Christmas Special

Xiu Ying at The Rio Times - 19 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - On Thursday night, January 9th, the presiding justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Dias Toffoli, suspended the decision of the appellate court in Rio de Janeiro that had censored the 'Porta dos Fundos' Christmas Special production. Netflix, which broadcasts the humorous special, appealed to the Supreme Court (STF) against the […] The post Brazil’s Supreme Court Overturns Censorship of ‘Porta dos Fundos’ Christmas Special appeared first on The Rio Times.

Dollar Records Greatest Daily Appreciation Since Early November

Richard Mann at The Rio Times - 19 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Despite the easing of tensions in the international financial market, the dollar recorded its highest daily rise in two months and the stock market dropped again in Brazil. The commercial dollar closed Thursday, January 9th, at R$4.086, with an appreciation of 0.85 percent (R$0.035). In percentage values, this was the […] The post Dollar Records Greatest Daily Appreciation Since Early November appeared first on The Rio Times.

Rio de Janeiro may Experience Severe Water Shortage, Alerts ‘Baía Viva’ Movement

Xiu Ying at The Rio Times - 19 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Rio de Janeiro could suffer a major water supply crisis, due to the increasing environmental degradation of Guanabara, Sepetiba and Ilha Grande bays, in addition to the pile of chemical waste on the banks of the Paraíba do Sul River. Pollution, caused by the lack of basic sanitation, affects the […] The post Rio de Janeiro may Experience Severe Water Shortage, Alerts ‘Baía Viva’ Movement appeared first on The Rio Times.

Brazil’s Environment Ministry Will Establish Amazon Secretariat

Arkady Petrov at The Rio Times - 19 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - The Ministry of Environment (MMA) announced the establishment of the Amazon Secretariat, headquartered in Manaus, which will oversee areas such as bio-economy, fighting illegal deforestation, land regularization, payment for environmental services, among others. "The Amazon Secretariat, headquartered in Manaus, will greatly contribute to the viability of inspection actions and the […] The post Brazil’s Environment Ministry Will Establish Amazon Secretariat appeared first on The Rio Times.

‘Summer Without Censorship’ Festival in São Paulo Celebrates Democracy and Freedom of Expression

Xiu Ying at The Rio Times - 19 hours ago
SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL - The event is hosted by the São Paulo Municipal Secretariat of Culture and is a response to the federal government's attacks on culture in President Jair Bolsonaro's first year in power. Several artists who have had their works removed from presentations at events promoted or supported by the government or have […] The post ‘Summer Without Censorship’ Festival in São Paulo Celebrates Democracy and Freedom of Expression appeared first on The Rio Times.

Premier Palaszczuk to legislate against the Bradfield Scheme with ‘pristine rivers’

Editor, cairnsnews at Cairns News - 19 hours ago
Drastic changes to the Lake Eyre Basin Management Plan, proposed by the Queensland Labor Government under new “Pristine Rivers” legislation, could crucify future development in north and western Queensland, Katter’s Australian Party MPs have warned. Environment Minister Leanne Enoch announced a review into the basin’s management plan just before Christmas, saying the “proposed framework will […]

Yes Iran Would Use Its Missiles Against America’s Carriers in a War

mosesman at Socio-Economics History Blog - 19 hours ago
Yes Iran Would Use Its Missiles Against America’s Carriers in a War by Sebastien Roblin, https://nationalinterest.org/ Another reason to avoid a conflict. Key Point: Tehran knows it might actually be able to cause some real damage with its missiles. – In 2009, it became clear that China had developed a mobile medium-range ballistic missile called the …

What Happens Next? Oil, Gold, Stocks, Bonds…By Lynette Zang

mosesman at Socio-Economics History Blog - 19 hours ago
ITM TRADING, INC. Slides and Links: https://www.itmtrading.com/blog/the-m… The new decade begins with a BANG as the US sends in drones and kills Qasem Soleimani, a key Iranian military leader, after attacks against American civilian in Iraq. On this news, gold broke out to new seven-year highs, bonds, stocks and oil seemed to shrug off this …

Is President Trump To Blame For The Ukraine Plane Crash?

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 20 hours ago
Passengers' bodies in plastic bags are pictured at the crash site on the outskirts of Tehran, Iran January 8. Nazanin Tabatabaee/WANA *Newsweek:* *Democratic Rep Blames Trump for 'Collateral Damage' of Ukraine Plane Crash, Urges Diplomacy With Iran Rather Than Military Strikes* U.S. Representative Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) claimed Thursday that President Donald Trump could be to blame for the fatal crash of a Ukraine passenger jet in Iran on Wednesday, due to "collateral damage" caused by his "provocative" killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. Speier made the remarks during a... more »

2019 Fires Much Less Extensive Than 1939

tonyheller at Real Climate Science - 20 hours ago
Jo Nova posted this map of the bushfire extent in Victoria during January, 1939 Inferno on Black Friday 1939: 71 deaths, 3,700 buildings, too much fuel and “lit by the hand of man” « JoNova Compare with satellite imagery from … Continue reading →

Like it or loathe it?

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 20 hours ago
Like it or loathe it, what a difference a majority makes https://t.co/twgAzKDEu5 — Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) January 9, 2020 Well, I guess what Laura K was thinking when she began her tweet like that, but isn't *this* a fair point?: *Flamenco Fan*: Gentle nudge to BBC Laura K. Ditch the phrase ‘like it or loathe it’. The majority of constituencies voted for the Conservatives this time round so keep neutral - ‘What a difference a majority makes’ would have been sufficient.

Thousands protest against climate change policies amid bushfire emergency

Just In - 20 hours ago
Climate rallies are held in most capital cities around Australia in the wake of the bushfire crisis, with thousands of protesters calling for the sacking of Prime Minister Scott Morrison over his handling of the emergency.

Dog may be behind disappearance of prospecting couple in WA outback, expert says

Joanna Menagh at Just In - 20 hours ago
A search and rescue expert testifies that the dog belonging to a prospecting couple may have sparked their deaths and disappearance in the WA outback five years ago.

New Zealand volcano victim Gavin Dallow farewelled at Adelaide Oval

Shuba Krishnan at Just In - 20 hours ago
The Adelaide man who died in New Zealand's White Island volcano disaster last month is remembered for his "generous heart" in an emotional funeral at Adelaide Oval.

Charities warn big business not to go too hard too soon with bushfire donations

David Taylor And Linda Mottram at Just In - 20 hours ago
Charities on the front line of the bushfire recovery effort are pleading with corporate Australia not to go too hard out of the blocks with big cash donations while ignoring long-term commitments.

Kwinana Freeway at a standstill after fire forces closure in both directions

Just In - 20 hours ago
The Kwinana Freeway is at a standstill after a fire burning in a heavily populated area in Perth's south closed the major road in both directions in the lead-up to peak hour.

Iran is surrounded by US military bases. Here's a snapshot

Alan Weedon at Just In - 20 hours ago
The US commands an unparalleled global network of military bases and facilities, which has left Iran encircled by American firepower.

Slip of the tongue?

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 20 hours ago
Breaking news: *Adel Darwish*: A BBC senior staff has just said “the murder of Qassem Soleimani” before quickly saying “killing of” live on @BBCr4today .. hopefully .. hopefully it doesn’t reflect Auntie’s groupthink on the issue!! That was Frank Gardner (around 8.14 am) after seeming to bend over backwards to put Iran's possible shooting down of a Ukrainian airline in the most favourable (to Iran) context possible.

Estonian sauna, prostitutes and aggressiveness

Viktors Domburs at The Duran - 20 hours ago
On Saturday night, a NATO soldier was aggressive while in the spa at the largest Estonian spa and sauna centre. Mustamyae Elamuste Keskus staff had to call the police. More The post Estonian sauna, prostitutes and aggressiveness appeared first on The Duran.

Iran Has Invited The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board To Participate In The Crash Of Ukraine Passenger Jet

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 20 hours ago
Red Crescent workers check plastic bags at the site where the Ukraine International Airlines plane crashed after take-off from Iran's Imam Khomeini airport, on the outskirts of Tehran, Iran January 8. The Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737-800, en route to Kiev and carrying mostly Iranians and Iranian-Canadians, fell to earth in a fireball shortly after take-off from Tehran, killing all 176 people on board. Nazanin Tabatabaee/WANA *Reuters:** U.S. to join probe of jet disaster, no missile link: Iran official* PARIS (Reuters) - Iran has invited the U.S. National Transportati... more »

Why the Navy Hates Its 21 Littoral Combat Ships

David Axe at The National Interest - 20 hours ago
*David Axe* *Security, Americas* [image: https://pictures.reuters.com/archive/USA--GM1EA440NAB01.html] What to do with them? *Key point: *The LCS is a terrible ship that no one knows what to do with. The U.S. Navy is close to receiving its 21st Littoral Combat Ship. Now the sailing branch needs to figure out exactly what to do with the long-delayed, much-maligned warships. The Navy has ordered 35 LCSs of both variants. Lockheed Martin builds the monohull *Freedom *variant. Austal makes the trimaran *Independence * variant. The roughly 3,000-ton vessels were supposed to help the ... more »

These 3 Charts Show Why America's Economy Is Doing Well

James Pethokoukis at The National Interest - 20 hours ago
*James Pethokoukis* *Economics, Americas* Not only are wages rising, even adjusted for prices, but they’re rising fastest for those at the bottom. Democrats, at least the ones running for president, remain dismissive of the American economy and its record-long expansion. Joe Biden says the American middle-class is “getting crushed.” Elizabeth Warren’s preferred descriptor is “hollowed out.” And Pete Buttigieg says that the folks back in South Bend, Indiana, “aren’t measuring the economy by how the Dow Jones is doing, they’re measuring the economy by how they’re doing.” But as ev... more »

Forget The F-35 and F-22: These Two Fighter Jets Almost Replaced Them

Robert Farley at The National Interest - 20 hours ago
*Robert Farley* *Security, * An alternate reality. *Key Point:* How did the Pentagon decide on the F-22, and what impact did that decision have? We will never know, but going with the F-22 Raptor may have saved the Pentagon some major headaches. *The X-32:* The Department of Defense (DoD) didn’t have to opt for the F-35. In the 1990s, both Boeing and Lockheed Martin bid for the next big fighter contract, a plane that would serve in each of the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps, as well as grace the air forces of many US allies. Boeing served up the X-32; Lockheed the X-35. The... more »

Sorry Colt, The Army Doesn't Think Your Rifles Are Worthy

Charlie Gao at The National Interest - 20 hours ago
*Charlie Gao* *Security, * The beginning of Colt’s downfall in the modern era began around the 1980s. *Key Point:* From the outside it’s clear that FN has eaten Colt’s lunch over the last few decades in the American market. Belgium’s Fabrique Nationale (FN) and Colt have long been competitors on the American firearms market. For almost a century both companies have competed for military contracts, designers, and sales on the American civilian market. However, in the 2000s, FN dealt a blow that stung Colt: it won a contract to produce the M16 rifle and M4 carbine, designs that wer... more »

The Fight Now Is For Power - A Quotation by M.N. Hopkins

Stranger in a Strange Land at Stranger in a Strange Land - 20 hours ago
*The fight now is for power mainly in the form of economic power. The one's of darkness control their minds and emotions and seek only the destruction of all mankind. The leaders are weak and refuse to take responsibility and lead the way out of Man's current dilemmas.* *© M.N. Hopkins *

Canada fears the civilian plane carrying 176 people was downed by Iran

Lee Jay at Modern Tokyo Times - 20 hours ago
Canada fears the civilian plane carrying 176 people was downed by Iran Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Canada increasingly fears that the civilian plane that crashed near Tehran may have been shot down accidentally. Suspicions in many quarters were immediately raised given the launching of missiles by Iran on the […]

Does Africa’s Food Future Really Lie with Young Farmers?

IBADAN, Nigeria, Jan 09 (IPS) - Africa will starve or survive on expensive food imports because it is not growing new farmers, research shows. And the challenge remains among researchers, policy makers, public and private sector actors to get African youth interested in agriculture on a continent where a growing number of people go to bed hungry every night. Read the full story, “Does Africa’s Food Future Really Lie with Young Farmers?”, on globalissues.org →

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