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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, March 20, 2015

20 Mar - Blogs I'm Following

10:33pm MDST

Why Are The Russians Using A Former Secret Norwegian Submarine Base?

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 32 minutes ago
An image of the inside of the base from Olavsvern's website. olavsvern.no *Elisabeth Braw, Newsweek*: *The Secret Norwegian Submarine Base Being Rented by the Russians* *Norway is ruing the day it sold off a key submarine base near the Russian border and now, with President Putin flexing his muscles in the region, there is growing alarm among Nato chiefs that the west has left itself woefully unprotected.* *Only six years ago, Norwegian politicians decided that Russia no longer posed a significant threat and that it was time to sell its top secret base called Olavsvern, which was... more »

A Family Business of Perpetual War

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 55 minutes ago
*Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Victoria Nuland, speaking to Ukrainian and other business leaders at the National Press Club in Washington on Dec. 13, 2013, at a meeting sponsored by Chevron.* Exclusive: Victoria Nuland and Robert Kagan have a great mom-and-pop business going. From the State Department, she generates wars and – from op-ed pages – he demands Congress buy more weapons. There’s a pay-off, too, as grateful military contractors kick in money to think tanks where other Kagans work, writes Robert Parry. By Robert Parry Neoconservative pundit Robert Kag... more »

There Is No Money For The U.S. Navy's Next Generational Nuclear Submarine

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 hour ago
SSBN-726 Ohio-Class FBM Submarines. FAS.org *DoD Buzz:* *Navy’s Next Generational Nuclear Submarine Fund Has No Money* *The Navy and Congress have yet to find money for a newly created account designed to pay for the services’ fleet of next-generation nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarines slated to begin service in 2031 – the Ohio Replacement Program.* *The special fund is a product of the concern from lawmakers and admirals that the cost of the Ohio Replacement program would bankrupt the rest of the Navy’s shipbuilding budget.* *As a result, the 2015 National Defense Authoriz... more »

If the Moon Landings Were Real, Then Why is NASA Stumped by This?

WakingTimes at Waking Times - 2 hours ago
*Buck Rogers* - If in the 1960's we were able to successfully overcome the challenge of reaching the moon and beyond, then why is it an issue now? The post If the Moon Landings Were Real, Then Why is NASA Stumped by This? appeared first on Waking Times.

A Plea Deal In The 'Works' For Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl?

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 2 hours ago
Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com *FOX News:** White House trying to get Bergdahl to strike a deal?* *Retired Army Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer claimed Thursday that the White House is trying to get Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to strike a deal in order to avoid a potentially embarrassing trial for the administration. "They want this to go away as quietly as possible," Shaffer, a former military intelligence officer, said on Fox News' "America's Newsroom." President Obama faced criticism for trading Bergdahl, accused by some of deserting, for five Taliban leaders being held at Guantana... more »

If Norman Lear isn't an "Iconic Character of Comedy," who is? (And a mensch besides)

KenInNY at DownWithTyranny! - 2 hours ago
*Wednesday night at the Museum of the Moving Image, Norman will also be signing copies of his book. I know from Howie how hard he worked on it, and how much it mattered to him. I wouldn't be surprised if I pick up a copy at the museum bookshop.* *by Ken* For a lot of us, Norman Lear is twice a hero. First, and most conspicuously, he changed the face of television. When Alan Alda appeared at the Museum of the Moving Image on that magical night in October 2013, as the first in an "ongoing series" called *Iconic Characters of Comedy* presented jointly by MoMI and the Comedy Hall of F... more »

Foreign Aid 16: ADB on OFW Remittances

Nonoy Oplas at Government and Taxes - 2 hours ago
A news report last Wednesday, March 18, 2015. I think the ADB President, Takehiko Nakao, is wrong here. OFW remittances are private funds, 100% of it, not PH government or ADB fund. Why would he suggest that remittances "be intermediated for public investments such as infrastructure"? Remittances by Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), some $25 B last year, are several times larger, and sevveral times more useful, than foreign aid money, WB + ADB + USAID, etc. combined. Foreign aid is government to government. That is why foreign aid is often tainted with corruption and wastes. Remit... more »

Northerntruthseeker Taking A Bit Of A Break...

Northerntruthseeker at Northerntruthseeker - 3 hours ago
I want to inform everyone that I am taking a bit of a hiatus for the next two weeks just to get some much needed rest and relaxation... I will still do my best at getting the Sunday rants out, and I do plan on having a few live shows in the evening with my good friend Whitewraithe at "Turbulent Times" over the next week...... But in the meantime I will be trying to refrain as much as possible from writing articles while I actually get some much needed rest to try to "recharge my batteries", so to speak.. It has been a grueling last few weeks with my work load, and many projects aro... more »

Former CIA Director General Petraeus: Iran-Backed Militias Not The Islamic State Are The Biggest threats In Iraq

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 3 hours ago
*Photo:* CIA Director Petraeus *Washington Post*: *Petraeus: The Islamic State isn’t our biggest problem in Iraq* *Gen. David H. Petraeus, who commanded U.S. troops in Iraq during the 2007-2008 surge, was back in that country last week for the first time in more than three years. He was attending the annual Sulaimani Forum, a get-together of Iraqi leaders, thinkers and academics, at the American University of Iraq - Sulaimani in northern Iraq’s Kurdistan region.* *In his most expansive comments yet on the latest crisis in Iraq and Syria, he answered written questions from The Post... more »

Drought? What water policy?

Michael Turton at The View from Taiwan - 3 hours ago
*Normally a flooded arm of the Liyu Reservoir in Miaoli* Yeh Chieh-ting of Ketagalan Media passed around this piece on the water shortage from Storm. It describes things quite succinctly: this is the worst drought in 67 years. In the last three years we've had only two typhoons, which we depend on to fill our reservoirs -- the usual figure is that 80% of our water arrives in the summer typhoons -- but it hasn't been arriving. Two weeks ago when I went down to Laochijia in Pingtung I was appalled and terrified to see the rivers running in trickles or dry completely. A friend of mine... more »

Tonight's Movie Is 'The Missiles Of October' (1974)

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 4 hours ago
From *YouTube*: William Devane and Martin Sheen star in this 1974 made-for-TV docu-drama about the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962.

Taichung: Charity Book Sale Today and Tomorrow

Michael Turton at The View from Taiwan - 4 hours ago
*Location of Caowu Square on corner of Yingcai and Gongzheng Roads, south side of Hotel One, the tallest building in Taichung.* Today and tomorrow AmCham Taichung is hosting a book sale and bazaar for charity, with food, live music, and book sales. Come and enjoy! I've put a map in the image at the top of this post, many people don't seem to know where it is. Book Exchange and Bazaar 2015 捐書義賣文創市集 Today at 11:00am 草悟廣場 (Caowu Square, opposite Hotel ONE) 西區英才路534號 (Hotel one亞緻大飯店旁), _______________________ [Taiwan] Don't miss the comments below! And check out my blog and its sideba... more »

UN Caves to Israeli pressure on IDF abuse of Children

Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 4 hours ago
*UN Caves to Israeli Pressure on IDF abuse of Children* *The total lack of coverage on this important news story is alarming- After all western nations care so much for children. Allegedly?** Reality is of course completely opposite of the typical lying spin we get from the corporate, war mongering, manipulative media* *Does the IDF abuse children? Is the sky blue? Does the sun shine? Do we breath air?* *The obvious answer to each of those 4 questions is, of course, YES!* The 'only democracy' in the ME has a military that thrives on child abuse and murder. A fact the IDF seems to we... more »

spaceship earth

Oberon at GlobaLove Think Tank - 5 hours ago
We are all astronauts Buchminster Fuller conversation

From Anti-Capitalism to Little Englandism

Phil at All That Is Solid ... - 5 hours ago
I'm not an avid follower of Paul Kingsnorth's work, but I do remember his *One No, Many Yeses*. This was a contribution - some may say cash-in - to the burgeoning library on the internationalist, anti-capitalist, and fashionably networky movement of sundry NGOs, anarchists and occasional Trots of the early part of the last decade. As something of a radical travelogue, our Paul flitted from country to country giving us the low down on the Zapatistas (of course), the G8 summit in Genoa, hung out with gold miners in New Guinea, and all other kinds of things. It was an uncritical celeb... more »

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- March 20, 2015

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 5 hours ago
*Ellias Groll, Passport/Foreign Policy:* *Twin Suicide Bombings in Yemen May Mark Islamic State Foray Into Yemen* A barrage of suicide bombings struck two mosques in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa on Friday killing at least 137 and wounding some 350 others who attended the typically crowded Friday prayer sessions, according to media reports. Twitter accounts linked to the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, according the SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks online jihadi activity. The attacks targeted Houthi mosques in the capital, and online statements called them... more »

Alas, poor Judas

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 5 hours ago
This week's *Start the Week *certainly got my brain going - despite it being, in many ways, the epitome of a BBC left-liberal-biased programme. Its theme was shame and betrayal. Under the chairpersonage of its impeccably left-liberal presenter Tom Sutcliffe (of the *Guardian/*BBC), self-proclaimed left-winger Jon Ronson, anti-'corporate' academic/campaigner Jennifer Jacquet, liberal Catholic Peter Stanford, and Michael Buffong, artistic director of *Talawa* (on to talk about left-leaning playwright Arthur Miller), discussed those very matters. My listening experience ran, roughly...more »

Dexys Midnight Runners - Burn It Down

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 6 hours ago
Dexys Midnight Runners - Burn It Down: https://youtu.be/8OgTNCeW3sU The best intro ever?

World News Briefs -- March 20, 2015 (Evenig Edition)

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 6 hours ago
*Daily Mail*: *Massacred as they prayed at two mosques: Suicide bombers kill at least 142 after blowing themselves up in Yemen* * * WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: Four bombers launch two attacks* Badr and al-Hashoosh mosques in Sanaa targeted during midday prayers* A further 351 people have been wounded, medical officials reported* Islamic State claimed responsibility and said it was a 'blessed operation'Multiple suicide bombings on two mosques in Yemen's capital today have left hundreds killed or injured. Four bombers wearing explosive belts targeted the Badr and al-Hashoosh ... more »

Apache Leaders Guard Sacred from McCain's Copper Mining

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 6 hours ago
Photo courtesy/Sandra Rambler Censored News On March 18, San Carlos Apache Tribal Vice-Chairman Tao Etpison and Peridot District Councilman Wendsler Nosie, Sr., stand guard at Gaan Canyon at one of the most sacred and holy dwelling places of the Apache Mountain Spirit Dancers while tribal members are joined by Indigenous Peoples in occupying Chi'Chil'Bilda'Goteel (Oak Flat) in southeast

A Simple Trick on How to See Without Glasses

WTStaff at Waking Times - 6 hours ago
*Video -* This video shows a simple trick on how to see clearly without glasses and explains the science behind it. The post A Simple Trick on How to See Without Glasses appeared first on Waking Times.

We want to keep Ian Welsh slaving away at his computer, don't we?

KenInNY at DownWithTyranny! - 6 hours ago
*"I am fundraising to determine how much I’ll write this year. If you value my writing, and want more of it, please consider donating."* *-- Ian Welsh, during his just-about-doneianwelsh.net fund-raising drive* *by Ken* It's time (actually, almost past time) to show Ian Welsh how much we value his blog-writing. Apologies for my bad timing -- I should have gotten to this a couple of weeks ago, and in this case timeliness would have been a boon. Because while I'm sure Ian Welsh isn't going to turn away contributions that come in after he's rung the gong on this year's fund-raising... more »

UK Judge Dismisses Pandora's Box

D ... Breaking The Silence at Removing The Shackles - 6 hours ago
Well my friends, I said to watch how this rolls out. This is the first official salvo to the public to try and negate the Hampstead Heath Childrens story. This is exactly what I suspected they would do: the paedophilia aspect to this case is not "questionable", it is the SATANIC CULT aspect that is what terrifies not only the controllers of the paedophiles.... but makes the media have a complete freak out. The public has seen enough of the paedophilia cases being brought forward - albeit, "old" cases, from "before"- that the accusations of these two children of sexual assault... more »

Flash Crash of the Dollar: Unicorns still Farting Rainbows

D ... Breaking The Silence at Removing The Shackles - 6 hours ago
According to the Western Media economists, everything is just sun shine and moon beams, unicorns are farting rainbows and the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is called "The Stock Market", and "Economic Recovery"..... Meanwhile....... http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-03-20/when-worlds-reserve-currency-flash-crashed-i-haven%E2%80%99t-seen-anything-it-financial-cris When The World's Reserve Currency Flash Crashed: "I Haven’t Seen Anything Like It Since The Financial Crisis’ [image: Tyler Durden's picture] Submitted by Tyler Durden on 03/20/2015 14:23 -0400 On Wednesday afte... more »

Islamic State: The liberal-left's take (via the BBC)

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 7 hours ago
Tonight's *PM *discussed Islamic State and its seemingly relentless advance, with gruesome terrorist IS attacks in recent days in Libya, Tunisia and Yemen. I made notes...and, for the sake of not wasting them, here they are... To my mind Islamic State *is* now a (terrorist) state, no longer 'so-called', indubitably Islamic, and Iran-like in its exporting of terrorism and Nazi Germany-like in its viciousness, genocidal instincts and sheer evil...(please feel free to disagree)... Strongly left-wing but often astute *Independent* columnist Patrick Cockburn was one of the guests on... more »

Aisha North: An Equinox update

Obi-Wan Kabuki at AMERICAN KABUKI - 7 hours ago
An Equinox update as channeled by Aisha north March 20, 2015 Once again we are delighted to have the opportunity to commune with you in this manner. For we come with a message of joy, one that will be called out from the mountain tops, not just in your realms, but in ours as well. For now, the waters have parted and the risen will arise, the New will come forth and the old will fade away for never to return. The advancement of the light is such, no like has ever before been seen, and so, what you have sown, you will finally harvest. For you are the ones who brought the light ... more »

Transpicuous News Midweek: March 18, 2015: Museum Madness, CERN Dances, and China's AIIB Steals the Show

D ... Breaking The Silence at Removing The Shackles - 7 hours ago
Good evening everyone. Here is the Video archive of Transpicuous News Midweek Report from Wednesday, March 18th, 2015. I will say in advance.... not my best report. Between choking on a potato chip for the first 20 minutes and being slightly distracted by ... well, let's just say "distracted" and leave it at that. lol. I promise I'll pull my socks up and get my act together for Sunday's TN report. d TUNISIA: Hostages and shootings at Bardo Museum..... perhaps? http://removingtheshackles.blogspot.ca/2015/03/tunisia-hostages-and-shootings-at-bardo.html News Links for this r... more »

Our government has been cooking the books on employment for many months now. So the 100 thousand Americans who cannot find a decent paying job are blaming themselves for their predicament. In the meantime, Janet Yellen, is planning the Fed's next move based on the false data exposed here. Whatever this leads to can't be good for anyone but the top 1%.

David L Griscom at Cherchez la Verite - 7 hours ago
------------------------------ Something Strange Is Going On With Nonfarm Payrolls [image: Tyler Durden's picture] Submitted by Tyler Durden on 03/17/2015 17:30 -0400 Let's start with the basics: why is there a majority consensus that the Fed will hike rates after it removes its "patient" language tomorrow? One simple reason: non-farm payrolls. As reported earlier in the month, following the report of March's expectations smashing 295,000 jobs added, there have now been a 13 consecutive months of 200K+ payroll months... ... something which together with the 5.5% unemployment ra... more »

The U.S. Tallys The Cost In It's War Against The Islamic State

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 7 hours ago
*Reuters*: *U.S. has flown 2,320 strikes against Islamic State at a cost of $1.83 bln -official* *(Reuters) - The U.S. military has flown 2,320 air strikes against Islamic State militants since Aug. 8 at a cost of $1.83 billion, hitting thousands of targets including tanks, oil infrastructure and fighting positions, the Pentagon said on Thursday.* *The strikes by U.S. forces amounted to about 80 percent of the total number carried out by a multinational coalition. In all, the partners have flown 2,893 air strikes, with 1,631 in Iraq and 1,262 in Syria, hitting 5,314 targets.* *M... more »

SupGaleano 'Sobre Homenaje y Seminario'

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 8 hours ago
Sobre Homenaje y Seminario. El SupGaleano Traduzione italiano :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: March 19, 2015 (Sup Galeano, formerly known as Marcos, says despite military buildups, and lies in the media, Zapatistas events will be held as planned during May 2015. Check back for English translation.) EJÉRCITO ZAPATISTA DE LIBERACIÓN NACIONAL. MÉXICO. Marzo del 2015. A loas compas de

The Islamic State War -- News Updates March 20, 2015

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 8 hours ago
*The Economist*: *The war against Islamic State* *The caliphate cracksThough Islamic State is still spreading terror, its weaknesses are becoming apparentWHEN the jihadists of Islamic State (IS) seized Mosul and the Iraqi army fled last June, they became the world’s most dangerous terrorist organisation. Sweeping out of Syria and north-western Iraq, they stormed southward, and came close to taking Baghdad. They murdered male prisoners in gory videos and enslaved female ones. Groups from Nigeria to Libya and Afghanistan pledged allegiance to them. Devotees attacked innocent civ... more »

The Battle For The Iraqi City Of Tikrit Has Stalled

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 8 hours ago
*Daily Beast:* *The Big Offensive Against ISIS in Tikrit Has Stalled* *What was supposed to be a rapid triumph is shaping up as a prolonged siege, according to Pentagon officials.Iraqi politicians and military commanders have said repeatedly the self-proclaimed Islamic State’s grip on the city of Tikrit was about to end in the face of an overwhelming Iraqi military and militia offensive.Just last week, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al Abadi reportedly declared that victory was near and “achieved totally by Iraqi hands.” And in an interview with ABC’s This Week that aired March ... more »

Fresh Nagorno-Karabakh Clashes Between Armenian - Azerbaijan Forces

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 8 hours ago
(Click on Image to Enlarge) *Reuters:* *Armenian soldiers killed in clashes with Azeri troops near Karabakh* *(Reuters) - At least three Armenian soldiers were killed and four wounded in clashes with troops from Azerbaijan on Thursday near the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region, but the two sides gave conflicting death tolls and disputed who was to blame.* *Nagorno-Karabakh lies inside Azerbaijan but is controlled by its majority ethnic Armenians and is a regular point of friction between the two neighbors, who fought a war over it in the early 1990s.* *Renewed violence this yea... more »

North Korea's Kh-35 Anti-Ship Cruise Missile Is Spooking The U.S. Navy

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 8 hours ago
A missile is fired from a naval vessel during the test-firing of a new type of anti-ship cruise missile to be equipped at Korean People's Army (KPA) naval units in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang February 7, 2015. Reuters/KCNA *Kyle Mizokami, War Is Boring:* *Mystery Threat to American Warships Is Likely North Korean* *More precisely, it’s a new anti-ship cruise missile* *In 2013, the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Fleet hinted at a mysterious and “newly discovered threat” to American warships. Whatever it was, it was serious — and... more »

Top U.S. Commander Of U.S. Nuclear Missile Forces Confirms That North Korea Is Developing A Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM)

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 8 hours ago
North Korea tests a submarine-launched ballistic missile / Arirang *Washington Free Beacon*:* U.S. Confirms North Korean Sub Missiles* *China building new multi-warhead ICBMThe commander of the U.S. Strategic Command, in charge of U.S. nuclear missile forces, confirmed on Thursday that North Korea is developing a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM).Adm. Cecil D. Haney, the commander, also told Congress that China is developing a new multi-warhead, road-mobile missile.The four-star admiral made the comments in prepared testimony for the Senate Armed Services Committee.... more »

North Korean Diplomat: We Have Nuclear Missiles And We Are Prepared To 'Fire Them At Anytime'

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 8 hours ago
*SKY News*: *North Korea 'Prepared' To Fire Nuclear Missile* *North Korea's ambassador tells Sky News his country has a nuclear capability and can use it at "any time" if it feels threatened.* *North Korea is ready to launch a nuclear war if it feels threatened, the country's ambassador to the UK has told Sky News.* *In a rare interview, the senior official told us North Korea has nuclear weapons and is ready to use them.* *"We are prepared," he said. "That is why I say if a sparkle of a fire is made on the Korean peninsula, it will lead to a nuclear war.* *More News On North Kor... more »

President Obama Called To Congratulate Re-Elected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Thursday

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 8 hours ago
*USA Today*: *Obama makes call to Netanyahu* *WASHINGTON — President Obama called to congratulate re-elected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Thursday, amid continuing tensions over the status of negotiations with the Palestinians, Iran policy and Netanyahu campaign tactics.* *"The president emphasized the importance the United States places on our close military, intelligence, and security cooperation with Israel, which reflects the deep and abiding partnership between both countries," the White House said in a statement.* *WNU Editor*: Yup ... the Israel - U.S. allian...more »

The Perfect Person for Imperfect Circumstances (the AvalonSensei, Martha Infante)

Robert D. Skeels * rdsathene at Schools Matter - 8 hours ago
[image: The Perfect Person for Imperfect Circumstances. Photo: Martha Infante, by David B. Cohen] *The Perfect Person for Imperfect Circumstances* by David B. Cohen ------------------------------ The Perfect Person for Imperfect Circumstances @AvalonSensei http://t.co/fIByPw09yg h/t @K12NN @CohenD #LAUSD #edu pic.twitter.com/x2VLTi73Io — Robert D. Skeels (@rdsathene) March 20, 2015 My commentary: I count myself among the lucky people to know this outstanding educator. My wife and I even attended one of her fundraisers for her students’ D.C. trip. Her essays on her various blogs a... more »

Ayotzinapa, Mexico USA

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 9 hours ago
Photo: Read more at Las Cruces Sun News March 20, 2015Ayotzinapa, Mexico USA By Frontera NorteSur Feature Censored NewsAyotzinapa has come to the United States. Three groups of relatives of the Mexican university students who were attacked and forcibly disappeared last September by police in the state of Guerrero are currently crisscrossing El Norte as part of a campaign to raise public

A secular state respects religious differences, it does not seek to extinguish them

James C Morton at Morton's Musings - 9 hours ago
Loyola High School *v.* Quebec (Attorney General), 2015 SCC 12: [43] The context before us — state regulation of religious schools — poses the question of how to balance robust protection for the values underlying religious freedom with the values of a secular state. Part of secularism, however, is respect for religious differences. A secular state does not — and cannot — interfere with the beliefs or practices of a religious group unless they conflict with or harm overriding public interests. Nor can a secular state support or prefer the practices of ... more »

A belated St. Patrick Moore's Day

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 9 hours ago
The 4th March is my St. Patrick's Day. It marks the birthday of the late Sir Patrick Moore, patron saint of all of us amateur astronomers. Patrick Moore was the Jeremy Clarkson of the BBC in the years before Jeremy Clarkson (minus the punching of minions, of course - unless Chris Lintott knows otherwise). He even, golly gosh, liked UKIP. The blessed Sir Patrick, monocle-in-eye, would often warn us *never *to use our telescopes and binoculars to stare directly at the great sun god in the sky. And, as a result, I never did - and never will. The BBC has been super-informative in th... more »

U.S. Priorities Are Screwed Up!

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 9 hours ago
Post by Brave New Films: Justice. Plenty of *$$$$$ *for war but virtually nothing else across the USA these days! The people are clearly the enemy unless they are willing to put on a uniform and perform US-NATO war making on various countries that happen to sit on, or near, vast stocks of fossil fuels or other precious natural resources..... give me a f#@*ing break!

Rules, Shmules: CONs Flout 'Em Again for Religious Pals

noreply@blogger.com (fern hill) at DAMMIT JANET! - 9 hours ago
We know this: the Contempt Party of Canada breaks rules. Actually, more often they don't even acknowledge that there *might* be rules that apply to them or their pals. The examples are legion, but here at DAMMIT JANET! we pay particular attention to transgressions relating to reproductive rights and/or religion (and it's drearily often "and," isn't it?). Back in December, we reported that the Dominionist Association for Reformed Political Action got "special permission" to stage their garish little gasline flag stunt on Parliament Hill. (This MASSIVE event was intended to call att... more »

Petr Vopěnka: 1935-2015

Luboš Motl at The Reference Frame - 9 hours ago
Sadly, the Czech newspapers informed us about the death of Prof Petr Vopěnka, a prominent Czech mathematician whom I knew in person (as a student). Incidentally, in recent years, he was affiliated with the regional university here in Pilsen but I never met him here; he mostly used the affiliation to write some mostly historical books, and he wrote many books. As Google Scholar tells you, he wrote some papers that were famous, relatively to what was usual in Czechoslovakia. He was born in 1935 in a village in Central Bohemia and like your humble correspondent, he has studied the... more »

Is This TEPCO's Way of Admitting the Reactor Core from Unit 1 is in the Atmopshere and Under the Reactor Building

Majia's Blog at Majia's Blog - 9 hours ago
TEPCO recently announced that muon detections failed to disclose the location of reactor 1's core. The status of the spent fuel pool is rarely discussed. No one can get close to the building: TEPCO believes nearly all nuclear fuel melted in Fukushima reactor March 20, 2015 By TSUYOSHI NAGANO/ The Asahi Shimbun, http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201503200050 Tokyo Electric Power Co. said almost all the nuclear fuel in the No. 1 reactor at the Fukushima plant likely melted in the aftermath of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami. The plant operato... more »

Poroshenko Yells at Laid-Off Workers

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 9 hours ago
*Translated from Russian by J. Hawk* Ukraine’s president Poroshenko made threats against the about to be laid off Borispol airport workers. He yelled at the assembled workers, then said that if they raise their voice against him, “they’ll be taken away.” At first Poroshenko issued an emotion-laden explanation of the reasons behind layoffs. He said that they are not illegal, and that if the airport workers believe they were laid off unlawfully, they can turn to the courts. Courts whose impartiality will be ensured by…Poroshenko himself. “Right now the government is economizing. Yan... more »

Filming the Jeju Story

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 10 hours ago
Today I taped another edition of my public access TV show This Issue with Paco Michelson and Hee Eun Park (Silver) about the Navy base resistance on Jeju Island in South Korea. Thanks to my crew of veterans Eric Herter and Dan Ellis for their work in the engineering booth and on the camera. The guests did a great job of telling the heartbreaking story about the eight-year long struggle in Ganjeong village to resist the base that will host US Navy destroyers, aircraft carriers, and nuclear submarines. Silver concluded the show with a moving appeal to the American people to help s... more »

Mohawk Nation News 'Belly of the Beast'

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 10 hours ago
BELLY OF THE BEAST Posted on March 19, 2015 Please post & distribute. Nia:wen. MNN. 19 Mar. 2015. The Admiralty matrix is the beast, with its banks, corporations and courts. It’s all about money. We are being eaten, but not digested yet. Without us they have no energy. We will become the most deadly stomach flu virus ever and kill the beast from inside. Imagine we are in a big

Dineh 'Journey for Existence' begins again March 21, 2015

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 10 hours ago
"We are starting the second leg of our walk March 21 at sunrise at the Prewitt chapter house. Send us your prayers and come join us if you can as we journey from Tsodzil to Dook'o'osliid!" Nihígaal béé Íina: Our Journey For Existence Nihígaal béé Íina: Our Journey For Existence The Navajo Nation sits on one of the richest energy corridors in the United States, and for close to a

A strange collaboration Rihanna, Kanye West and Paul McCartney

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 10 hours ago
Rihanna, Kanye West and Paul McCartney - FourFiveSeconds Over one hundred million views before I manage it, what has happened to me and my relationship with popular music? *Considerable amounts of Rihanna sideboob in that video. *

Shakeup Coming At MSNBC

KenInNY at DownWithTyranny! - 10 hours ago
*Analysis you'll never hear on MSNBC* *by Gaius Publius* I don't know what to make of this news — in the sense that I don't know for sure what it augurs — so I'll just present it. I do know what to make of MSNBC — it's the Party-first equivalent of the Movement-first Fox News (note the difference) — though that varies from host to host. That is, some hosts will be more aggressive in criticizing Democrats than others, but only on narrowly selected topics. Ed Schultz, to my knowledge, is the only one covering the biggest billionaire-fueled wealth-transfer story of the day — TPP — th... more »

Flemish 'Indian' Selling Spirituality

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 10 hours ago
A 'FLEMISH INDIAN -- SELLER OF INDIAN SPIRITUALITY' IN OUR BACK GARDEN! By A.Holemans (English and Dutch) NAIS Original in Dutch As we said before: “it is that time of the year again”. Our attention was drawn to an article entitled: “Johan, the  indian of Schoten.” in the newspaper HLNB/Regio. The article was written by journalist Nina Bernaerts. From journalists one might expect

Budget Shock & Awe

Karen Garcia at Sardonicky - 10 hours ago
Spring is here, and so is another season of Budget Kabuki in the Feudal States of America. This is the horror show where the extreme right wing attacks and sucks up all the oxygen in the media room, forcing the gasping pseudo-journalist class to treat them seriously because they talk about personal responsibility and sharing the sacrifice. This is the movie where only the lonely Paul Krugman has the courage to call them out on their fraud and perfidy and end yet another column admonishing the liberal class to feel some outrage. Feel Krugman's outrage: *One answer you sometimes he... more »

The BBC's 'foreign policy'

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 10 hours ago
Sometimes we bloggers about BBC bias write as if we believe that the BBC has its own independent foreign policy. (As if it's the Vatican City). We say thinks like: "The BBC is soft on China", "The BBC is hostile to the Israeli government", "The BBC is anti-Putin" (or "pro-Putin", to taste), "The BBC is soft on Obama", "The BBC is rooting for the Arab Spring", "The BBC favours a rapprochement with Iran", etc, etc. Even though we hear people being interviewed on the BBC arguing in favour of *and* against such and such a position, it still sometimes strikes us that the BBC interview... more »

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Backtracks On His Refusal To Support A 'Two-State Solution'

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 10 hours ago
*Washington Post:* *Netanyahu steps back from full opposition to Palestinian state* *JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu backtracked Thursday from a clear campaign statement that as long as he was the leader of Israel there would be no independent Palestinian state.* *“I don’t want a one-state solution. I want a sustainable, peaceful two-state solution. But for that, circumstances have to change,” Netanyahu, who won reelection Tuesday, told MSNBC in an interview.* *Earlier this week, in the heat of the Israeli campaign, with pre-election polls suggesting that he... more »

U.S. Congressional Objections To Current Iranian Nuclear Talks Grows

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 10 hours ago
*Washington Times*: *Democrats join fight against Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran as details emerge* *Bipartisan resistance to the Obama administration’s push for a nuclear deal with Iran surged on Capitol Hill on Thursday, even as details emerged about a potential agreement that would allow Tehran to retain up to 6,000 uranium enrichment centrifuges while getting immediate relief from international economic sanctions.* *Administration witnesses got an earful from representatives of both parties over the administration’s handling of nuclear negotiations involving the U.S., Iran a... more »

Netenyahoo breaks Hypocrisy Instrumentation

Steve at Thinking Aboot - 10 hours ago
Netenyahoo breaks Hypocrisy Instrumentation the world gets whiplash but its clear to see there is no two state solution in Benji's heart Maybe he just finished watching Seaons three episode five of Vikings settlers change everything To put it mildly he walks a crooked path both Goggle Maps and the NSA would surrender trying to track his toucan He makes Frank Underwood look trustworthy he is a superb politician who won his country the number one old fashioned way scare the hell out of the people and frame it in a way you and you alone can keep the evil away The voters are always right a... more »

Requiem for an Equinox

WakingTimes at Waking Times - 11 hours ago
*Soren Dreier & Chautauqua* - We humans are a pretty resilient bunch. We can absorb a tremendous amount of setback or grief without giving in to the negativity. The post Requiem for an Equinox appeared first on Waking Times.

New CREDO Numbers for Special Education and Poverty Don't Match Reality

Jim Horn at Schools Matter - 11 hours ago
The Memphis Corporate Appeal has an article on the announced CREDO study of charter test scores for urban areas, including Memphis and Nashville. The data are from 2006-2012, even though the charteristas in TN and other venues that show higher scores are pretending as if this is new and up-to-date data. For Tennesseans, the first thing to notice is that these numbers show test score comparisons from before the time that the ASD brought its special formula for failure to Memphis and Nashville. Secondly, the report shows charter schools with a larger percentage of special education ... more »

Latest Iranian Nuclear Talks Are Postponed Until Next Week

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 11 hours ago
*New York Times*: *Latest Round of Iran Nuclear Talks Ends* *LAUSANNE, Switzerland — The latest round of talks on limiting Iran’s nuclear program ended Friday without an initial accord, diplomats involved in the talks said.* *The Iranian delegation is leaving for Tehran for the funeral of President Hassan Rouhani’s mother. Saturday is also Nowruz, the Iranian New Year.* *Secretary of State John Kerry plans to travel on Saturday for a meeting in Europe to discuss the negotiations with his counterparts from Britain, France and Germany; the specific location has yet to be announced... more »

LHC insists on a near-discovery muon penguin excess

Luboš Motl at The Reference Frame - 11 hours ago
None of the seemingly strong anomalies reported by the LHCb collaboration has been recognized as a survivor but many people believe that similar events are not being overlooked by TRF and they rely on this blog as a source, so I must give you a short report about a new bold announcement by LHCb. 20 March 2015: \(B^0\to K^*\mu^+\mu^-\): new analysis confirms old puzzle (LHCb CERN website) In July 2013, TRF readers were told about the 3.7 excess in these muon decays of B-mesons. The complete 2011-2012 data, which was just 3 inverse femtobarns because we talk about LHCb (perhaps I sh... more »

Friday Pussy - I didn't do it so...

Demeur at Demeur - 11 hours ago
Hands up don't shoot? Forget it they'll shoot you anyway armed or not. Alcohol agents carrying guns. Since when does a government agent need that to check for false ID? Tanks and UAVs yep that'll keep the peons in line. And don't forget enough fire power to take out a platoon of "enemy combatants". Seems to me we have slowly turned into an entity that we fought against in WWII. complete with secret courts and secret laws. Forget the SS we have the NSA and GPS and cameras everywhere. The Gestapo would be jealous. Careful what you say comrade er... my fellow Americans. You could b... more »

UK to spend even more money to "protect Jewish institutions"

The Realist Report at The Realist Report - 12 hours ago
About a week ago, *we reported* that on a trip to Europe, Ira Forman, America's Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism and a leading Jewish activist, declared that *"many Jewish bodies in Europe are being bankrupted by the growing need for security measures."* While visiting Stockholm, Forman went on to tell European journalists: Every Jewish community in western Europe certainly needs security support. Many of them are being bankrupted by the money they have to spend to protect their institutions. The organized Jewish community and the Jewish owned and controlled mass m... more »

HANDS UP, DON’T REPORT: Ryan’s traumatized daughter and us!

bob somerby at the daily howler - 12 hours ago
*FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2015 Part 5—The things we’d do if we could:* What actually happened when Darren Wilson shot and killed Michael Brown? We can’t exactly tell you. Is the Justice Department right in its assessments about the shooting? We can’t really tell you that either. We can tell you this—the Justice Department’s account of the shooting differs greatly from the account which was widely presented in real time. If the Justice Department is right, that account has been left for dead. To its credit, the New York Times reported this fact in its front-page report about the Justice ... more »

Okay, I'll bite. Let's talk about Starbucks and race...

Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 12 hours ago
*the latest shiny object.* This zany idea of Starbucks wanting their employees to talk about race relations is, well, zany, and not going to end well. If you happen to be in a Starbucks, my first question is; "Why?" I don't "do" Starbucks because the coffee is overpriced, not very good, and I can never remember the difference between a grande and a venti. Our local grocery stores have coffee every bit as good for a quarter of the price and if you want something sweet, the donuts are a steal. Besides, being a simple soul, I can handle, "Do you want a 12oz or a 16oz?" Let's assume ... more »

Pupils 'banned from watching solar eclipse' for cultural and religious reasons per ITV News

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 12 hours ago
ITV news report http://www.itv.com/news/london/2015-03-20/children-banned-from-watching-solar-eclipse-for-cultural-and-religious-reasons/ that: 'A headmaster has admitted primary school children were banned from watching the eclipse for 'cultural and religious' reasons.' The school is in Southall so I'm guessing the religion isn't Judaism. Probably not Christianity or Buddhism either. So it's Hinduism, Sikhism or Islam. I wonder which.

Study: Global Medical Expansion Has “Made Us Sick”

WakingTimes at Waking Times - 12 hours ago
Heather Callaghan, Contributor Waking Times The burgeoning “health” care industry has made people see themselves as sickly… Researchers from Ohio State University had a hunch that the expansion of the medical industry has made people overall view themselves as unwell – in need of help. First psychologically, then physically. For all the medical advancements, people […] The post Study: Global Medical Expansion Has “Made Us Sick” appeared first on Waking Times.

Fighting Escalates In Yemen As Houthis Launch Airstrikes

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 12 hours ago
*Washington Post:* *Fighting escalates in Yemen as Houthis launch airstrikes* *BEIRUT — Intense clashes erupted Thursday in southern Yemen between forces loyal to the beleaguered president and the Shiite rebels whose assaults have pushed the Arabian Peninsula country into chaos.* *Airstrikes targeted the palace of Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi in the southern port city of Aden, to which he fled last month after escaping captivity by the rebels, known as Houthis. The rebels now control the capital, Sanaa.* *The air raids followed a siege earlier in the day at the airport in Aden, where ... more »

Oldest Human Fossil Found, Redrawing Family Tree

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 12 hours ago
Here we go again. We have scant evidence all grossly insufficient to draw conclusions at all, yet off they go. It is completely possible that dozens of sub species emerged with massive variation into different geographies and ecological niches. We expect as much for others. At least the time line is showing some direction toward filling in. In the end we need hundreds of samples over vast geographies and for that we will have to wait patiently. In the meantime it reawakens interest in the region of much of our present fossil record. * Oldest Human Fossil Found, Redra... more »

Giant Asteroid Collision May Have Radically Transformed Mars

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 12 hours ago
This sort of works, but i am very skeptical. It needs to be a large impact, it needs to be on the pole and it needs to happen in such a way to conserve dynamic motion. In short it demands engineering. So we either have proof of another intervention or the wrong explanation. We also have the one and only super mounmtain on Mars which also begs explanation. This makes two geological anomalies. I have also suggested that Mars' crust was removed by gravity work and sent out to form the asteroid belt. That is another anomaly. Add in Phobe and we have a space habitat as wel... more »

Ancient University of Nalanda

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 12 hours ago
The Islamic barbarians destroyed it 800 years ago. Not unusual for most societies. The difference here was the sheer scale of the unmdertaking. 10,000 students is huge and properly matched only i think in the modern world. After all the mass of humanity was illiterate. universities were small. Revival is present to hear and that is a short step to full vesting as a major institie. . *The ancient university of Nalanda, and its revival in the modern day* *1 JULY, 2014 - 15:09 DHWTY* *http://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-asia/ancient-university-nalanda-and-its-reviva... more »

This Is Why Chinese Communists Control the Army (and Why They Absolutely Shouldn’t)

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 12 hours ago
This item informs us that the rot runs deep in the upper echelons of the Chinese officer corp ant that they cannot be trusted to run a war without a huge shakeup. It should not be surprising of course because they have not fought a war in decades. The real question is the quality of training for the men and the junior officers who actually do all the fighting. That i cannot comment upon. History only tells us that they got chewed up in both Korea (1950 to 53) and Vietnam (around 1980). This should have caused a complete overhaul but htere is zero evidence of any of that. ... more »

Drug-Delivering Nano "Drones" Prevent Heart Attacks

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 12 hours ago
This is possibly the first protocol that truly attacks the plaques which is excellent news. Otherwise we have delivery system specific to plaques allowing other options as well. It becomes possible to believe that we can resolve this disease. Since ninety percent of men at age sixty are victims and the same for women at age seventy, it is obviously a huge public health concern. Add in the rapid life extension that is now kicking in and we no longer will want to tolerate having the elderly living in a seriously weakened condition. Now should we. Thus unwinding the damage ... more »

World's Best Guacamole

Debra Hawkins at Housewife Eclectic - 12 hours ago
[image: The World's Best Guacamole | HousewifeEclectic.com] Guacamole is one of my all time favorite foods. I make it for pretty much every occasion. Is is perfect for Taco Tuesdays and I love it with breakfast burritos, I knew my guacamole would be the perfect combination with the El Monterey Breakfast Burritos. When we lived in Texas, I set out to find the world's best guacamole. Something simple without all of the extra stuff, but amazing. We tried recipe after recipe and we finally settled on one we love. This recipe is fresh and just needs avocados, a onion, jalapeños and a li... more »

Magic and The Power of Words

WakingTimes at Waking Times - 12 hours ago
*Pao L. Chang* - Words are not just elements of speech or writing, because they can be used to affect how energy travels through space. The post Magic and The Power of Words appeared first on Waking Times.

World News Briefs -- March 20, 2015

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 13 hours ago
*CNN: Yemen:* *120 killed in 2 mosque attacks in capital* *Sanaa, Yemen (CNN)Suicide bombers on Friday attacked two mosques frequented by Houthi rebels who recently seized control of the capital, killing 120 people and injuring more than 300 others, two Houthi officials said.* *The blasts happened at Al Badr mosque and Al Hashoosh mosque in Sanaa, both of which serve members of the minority Zaidi sect of Shiite Islam -- the sect followed by the Houthi rebels who recently took control of the capital and forced President Abdu Rabu * *MIDDLE EAST* Tikrit battle in Iraq *not over y... more »

The Daily "Near You?"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 13 hours ago
Wasilla, Alaska, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- Mach 20, 2015

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 13 hours ago
As tensions rise with the West over Ukraine, Russian bombers forced NATO to scramble jets to intercept Russian military aircraft over 400 times last year. Yevgeny Stetsko / Vedomosti *Moscow Times:* *Russia's Strategic Bomber Fleet on Global Intimidation Drive* *Russia is expanding strategic bomber flights around the globe in a bid to intimidate other nations and assert its geopolitical influence.* *As tensions rise with the West over Ukraine, Russian bombers forced NATO to scramble jets to intercept Russian military aircraft over 400 times last year — more than twice as often as... more »

harpercons' Ignorant Ravings About War Again

thwap at thwap's schoolyard - 13 hours ago
The last time was when harpercon scum, right-wing ignoramuses, and other assorted idiots condemned Thomas Mulcair for having the effrontery to ask why a Canadian soldier was killed on the front-line when harper had stated that we would not be sending ground troops to fight in Iraq. Well, there was more of the same when Mulcair came right out and said that harper had lied. "Well here's the problem. Mr. Harper has not told the truth to Canadians. That's the nicest way to put it. In the fall, *I* asked him ... it's not something I read about or saw on tv, ... I asked him, will Canadi... more »

The BBC and half the story

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 13 hours ago
The headline on the BBC News website is one of those BBC headlines that can, if you come at it unprepared, read like a cryptic crossword clue: Soldier beheading plan teen jailed The Sky News headline, in contrast, makes sense straight away: Teen Gets 22 Years For Plot To Behead Soldier Sky publishes the shocking letter Brusthom Ziamini wrote declaring his intention to behead a British soldier. In it, he quotes Surah 2:216: "Jihad holy fighting in Allah's cause is ordained for you Muslims though you dislike it and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you..."; he t... more »

A spat on Twitter

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 13 hours ago
I feel rather like a low-budget gossip columnist here, but hey... Here's a 'robust exchange of views' on Twitter between the BBC's Jon Donnison and one of his readers: ****** Jon Donnison ‏@jondonnisonbbc Mar 19 *I don't know this little girl's name who I met in Vanuatu. But I think "mischief" or even Miss Chief quite suits.* pic.twitter.com/eaQIh9nUmd View photo The Intelect! ‏@_Inteligent Mar 19 @jondonnisonbbc @BBCWorld *Another journo using a disaster to hone their craft, rather than just report the facts. Spare us the corny lines.* Jon Donnison ‏@jondonnisonbbc Mar 19 @_In... more »

"A Plague On The Earth..."

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 13 hours ago
If Earth was a truck... “We are a plague on the Earth. It’s coming home to roost over the next 50 years or so. It’s not just climate change; it’s sheer space, places to grow food for this enormous horde. Either we limit our population growth or the natural world will do it for us, and the natural world is doing it for us right now.” - David Attenborough

President Obama: Regrets Not Closing Guantanamo On First Day In Office

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 13 hours ago
*Washington Post: **Obama regrets not closing Guantanamo on first day in office* *President Obama said Wednesday that he wished he had brushed aside Republican objections and closed the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, during his first days in office.* *Obama's remarks on the controversial prison, which was opened in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, came in response to a seventh-grader's question following a speech at the City Club of Cleveland. She asked what do-over he would like from the first day of his first term as president.* *"I think I would hav... more »

March 20: The story of the day

Graeme Decarie at The Moncton Times@Transcript - Good and Bad - 13 hours ago
But you won't see it in the Irving press. I'm quite sure of that even though my breakfast paper has not yet arrived. (It's noon.) Before Bush and Blair went to war against Iraq, they said, very publicly, that they were going to war because Saddam Hussein was working on, possibly already had, a nuclear bomb. He also had vast stockpiles of chemical weapons. They said they knew that because it had been confirmed by the CIA and other intelligence agencies. A few days ago, the CIA declassified its files on that subject. According to those files, the CIA and other agencies actually said H... more »

Climate Change: “Arctic Sea Ice Hits Record Low Winter Maximum"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 13 hours ago
*“Arctic Sea Ice Hits Record Low Winter Maximum*, *Points To Evidence Of Long-Term Climate Change”* by Alister Doyle “Arctic sea ice this year is the smallest in winter since satellite records began in 1979, in a new sign of long-term climate change, U.S. data showed on Thursday. The ice floating on the Arctic Ocean around the North Pole reached its maximum annual extent of just 14.54 million square kms (5.61 million sq miles) on Feb. 25 - slightly bigger than Canada - and is now expected to shrink with a spring thaw. "This year's maximum ice extent was the lowest in the satellite ... more »

Do Republicans Plan To Keep Drowning Students In Unconscionable Debt?

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 14 hours ago
Elizabeth Warren has reintroduced the Student Loan Debt Bill that Republicans managed to filibuster last year when every single Democrat supported it, long with both Independents and even three Republicans. But 56 votes wasn't enough to break the GOP filibuster and it failed. At the time Senator Warren explained that "Rising student-loan debt is an economic emergency. Forty million people are dealing with $1.2 trillion in outstanding student debt. It's stopping young people from buying homes, from buying cars and from starting small businesses. We need to take action." Speaking f... more »

New Review of Disasters & Climate Change

noreply@blogger.com (Roger Pielke, Jr.) at Roger Pielke Jr.'s Blog - 14 hours ago
Here’s my review of new book by @RogerPielkeJr in @weeklystandard An even shorter review: I like it. http://t.co/cXYGXRT31v — Robert Bryce (@pwrhungry) March 20, 2015 The Weekly Standard has a positive review of Disasters & Climate Change, by Robert Bryce. Here is an excerpt: In The Rightful Place of Science, Pielke acknowledges the massive challenges, and inherent conflicts, in the energy/climate debate—and in so doing, he reveals himself to be both rationalistic and humanistic. I’ll take those stances over religious zealotry every day of the week. See the wole review here. Oth... more »

A Tale Told By An Idiotic Orwellian

Owen Gray at Northern Reflections - 14 hours ago
http://the-mound-of-sound.blogspot.ca/ Remember when Stockwell Day used to lead the cabal which today passes for the Conservative Party of Canada? Those were the days when Day insisted that the St. Lawrence River flowed into Lake Ontario, not the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Well, the party has returned to the days of yore. The prime minister and his acolytes have returned to their bedrock base and are spouting all kinds of idiocy. Michael Harris writes: Conservative MP John Willamson offered his insights on the competition between “whities” and ... more »

Suicide Bombers Kill 137 In Yemen

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 15 hours ago
*Bloomberg:* *Suicide Bombers Attack Shiite Mosques in Yemen Killing Dozens* *(Bloomberg) -- Suicide bombers attacked two mosques in Yemen’s capital Sana’a during Friday prayers, the local Al-Azal television channel said, amid spiralling sectarian clashes.* *At least 55 people were killed in the attacks on the Badr and al-Hashoosh mosques, Agence France-Presse reported, citing emergency services. The mosques are controlled by the Shiite Houthi group that seized the capital in September after consolidating their grip on the north of the country.* *The attack came one day after Pr... more »

China Takes on World Bank

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 15 hours ago
Michael Hudson Report: Britain, German, France and Italy among those who joined Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, it is an expression of discontent over World Bank polices that force developing countries to depend on the US.

US Propaganda Op in Korea Exposes American TV as Social Engineering Tool

Land Destroyer at Land Destroyer - 15 hours ago
If American TV is used to brainwash North Koreans, wouldn't that suggest it was used to brainwash Americans too? *March 20, 2015* (Tony Cartalucci - NEO) - When Wired published its article, "The Plot to Free North Korea with Smuggled Episodes of 'Friends,'" it probably hoped that its impressionable, politically ignorant audience would not pick up on the underlying facts and their implications, and simply see a "cute" anecdote poking fun at the besieged East Asian country while inflating their own sense of unwarranted cultural superiority. What they missed, of course, is the fact ... more »

Tunisia Bardo Museum Massacre: A News Roundup

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 15 hours ago
*Al Jazeera:* *Tunisia says museum attack plotters trained in Libya* *Security chief reveals gunmen who killed 21 people in Tunis left country for training in neighbouring Libya in December.* *The two gunmen who killed 21 people in an attack on foreign tourists at a museum in Tunisia's capital trained at a camp for fighters in Libya, the country's secretary of state for security said. * *"They left the country illegally last December for Libya and they were able to train with weapons there," Rafik Chelly told the private AlHiwar Ettounsi television channel. * *The two gunmen were... more »

MENA Report ( March 20 , 2015 ) - Iraq / Syria Regional War in focus ...... Iran Nuclear Talks - Working toward the Outline for a Deal ....... Yemen has a bloody few days as its Civil War continues ...... Libya instability continues......

Fred Walton at Catharsis Ours - 16 hours ago
Links.... *Tunisia Has NATO to Thank for Recent Woes* *CIA Declassifies Iraq War Justification Document* *Tunisia Has NATO to Thank for Recent Woes* *2,320 US Airstrikes, $2 Billion, and Not Much to Show for It* *Tunisia Says Militants in Museum Attack Trained in Libya* Mass Grave Discovered; 74 Killed in Iraq Speculation Mounts Over the US' Stance on the Syrian Regime US 'Deeply Disturbed' by Reports of Chemical Weapons in Syria: Kerry 9 Detained in Connection to Museum Attack Yemen President's Southern Stronghold Attacked by Rivals Yemen Clashes Force Closure of Aden Airport ... more »

You Too Can Live with No Electricity Bills

WTStaff at Waking Times - 16 hours ago
*Video - *The idea of the Zero Energy House is a simple and appealing one: building well-sealed, well-insulated houses, that supply their own electricity and heating. Just watch and see. The post You Too Can Live with No Electricity Bills appeared first on Waking Times.

GAIA PORTAL: Malfeasance paradigms are corrected within individual Hue-Beings

Obi-Wan Kabuki at AMERICAN KABUKI - 16 hours ago
*Malfeasance paradigms are corrected within individual Hue-Beings* by ÉirePort Malfeasance paradigms are corrected within individual Hue-Beings. Transference occurs rapidly via increased hu-being awareness. Foundations of New Time come to the fore. Feathering of the ancients leads to Freedom. Interspersions of Light continue at all dimensional levels. Practical plans are drawn and approved. ÉirePort | March 20, 2015 at 11:41 | Categories: Uncategorized | URL: http://wp.me/p2sFUY-uy

Economic News and Views ( March 20 , 2015 ) - Europe Summit as to Greece ( in one sentence ) Greece told to submit new list of reforms and implement them fast - for more cash ......Odds and ends from Asia

Fred Walton at Catharsis Ours - 16 hours ago
Tweets..... *Holger Zschaepitz* ‏@Schuldensuehner 2m 2 minutes ago Capital flight from Greece accelerates. Bank of Greece liabilities (Target2) rise to €104bn in Feb, highest since '12 [image: Embedded image permalink] *Holger Zschaepitz* ‏@Schuldensuehner 29s 29 seconds ago Greece can receive funds as early as Apr8 if it presents bold package of reforms by end of next wk that will convince Eurogroup, MNI reports *Kathimerini English *‏@ekathimerini 8m 8 minutes ago Varoufakis discusses Greek-German relations on his blog http:// dlvr.it/92mwBp *Holger Z... more »

"How It Really Is"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 16 hours ago

A neat story on SUSY in Business Insider

Luboš Motl at The Reference Frame - 16 hours ago
A large percentage of the people and the "mainstream media" have all kinds of crazy opinions, often combined with downright hostility towards science in general and modern theoretical physics in particular. Supersymmetry has been a frequent target of numerous outlets in recent years. But the 2015 LHC run is getting started and it's an exciting time – surely not a good time for bitterness – and one sometimes finds newspapers that turn out to be great surprises. Today, I need to celebrate the story Here's how proving supersymmetry could completely change how we understand the universe...more »

U.S. Drone Strike Has Killed The al Shabaab Leader Who Was The Mastermind Of The Westgate Mall Massacre

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 16 hours ago
*Reuters:* *U.S. drone strike killed al Shabaab leader Garaar in Somalia: Pentagon* *(Reuters) - A U.S. drone strike in southern Somalia has killed Adnan Garaar, an al Shabaab leader believed to be the mastermind of a 2013 attack on a Nairobi shopping mall that killed 67 people, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.It said in a statement that the strike last Thursday hit a vehicle carrying Garaar, a top official of the al Shabaab militant group, which the Pentagon says targets U.S. and other Western interests to further al Qaeda's goals.* *More News On Reports That A U.S. Drone Strik... more »

U.S. Drones Are Proving To Be Deadly Against The Islamic State

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 16 hours ago
REUTERS/U.S. Air Force/Tech. Sgt. Effrain Lopez/Handout *Arthur Herman and William Luti, Defense One:* *How America’s Drones Can Defeat ISIS* *Critics of airstrikes over Iraq and Syria should give credit where it’s due: US sustained drone strikes are doing the job.* *As Defense Secretary Ashton Carter settles into office, a formidable challenge awaits him: eradicating the menace of the Islamic State, or ISIS, in Syria and Iraq. In his Senate confirmation hearing, Carter reiterated that he and the Obama administration hope “with our air power and other kinds of assistance, [to] in... more »

U.S. Forces Have Confirmed That They Have Destroyed For The First Time An Enemy Drone And Its ISIS Operators In Iraq

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 16 hours ago
Image from a video taken by an ISIS drone flying over Syria. *Yibada* *Daily Beast*:* Is ISIS Building A Drone Army?* *As U.S.-led coalition forces confirm they shot down an ISIS drone this week, experts warn the extremists could soon adapt the technology for battle purposes.The self-proclaimed Islamic State—also known as ISIS or ISIL—has added drones to its arsenal, and for the first time, the U.S.-led coalition took one of their drones out, officials announced Wednesday.“Near Fallujah, [Iraq,] an airstrike destroyed an ISIL remotely-piloted aircraft and an ISIL vehicle,” sa... more »

Disappearing Car Door - undercar concept from 2007 - dated sure but delicious

Mike Philbin at Mike Philbin's free planet blog - 16 hours ago
cars of the future... they have all sorts of crazy design features built into them, usually involving ultra-exotic doors... so forget height-restricted gullwing doors, forget rain-restricted jet canopy sliding roof canopy, forget doors that fold back to the rear of the cars like pigeon wings that would function as both sliding canopy and umbrella once they'd reformed above and behind the driving compartment (my own exotic future car-door idea, lol). Here is how the doors on all cars should work -¦today¦- I bet some crazy Health & Safety dictat banished this excellent car-door conc... more »

Untitled

New Orleans Ladder at New Orleans Ladder - 16 hours ago
*Wild Is Free: Tree Sitter Protests New Orleans Golf Course Construction ~NPR* *Artist addresses controversial Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival poster ~Tyler Wing, WGNO* *City officials ask federal judge to void health care contract at Orleans Parish Prison ~Jim Mustian, N.O. Advocate* *Opening of new University Medical Center delayed ~Dawn Ostrom, WVUE* *Crawfish plentiful; prices lower with warm weather ~Megan Wyatt, The Advertiser*

Iraq's 1st Anti-ISslamic State Hero Is Known As The 'Archangel Of Death'

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 17 hours ago
Facebook *BBC:* *'The Archangel of Death' fighting Islamic State* *The fight against Islamic State in Iraq is raging in Tikrit, where government forces are being helped by dozens of Shia militias. One soldier in particular has gained thousands of fans online - but his story is also a revealing insight into Iran's propaganda machine.* *He wields an axe, a sword and a machine gun and his battlefield pranks have become as legendary as his fighting against Islamic State - but who is the man that thousands online have called "father of the archangel of death"? * *WNU Editor:* This is... more »

Belarus to get four Yak-130 aircraft in April

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 18 hours ago
[image: Yak-130]Belarus will get four combat and training aircraft Yak-130 in April, BelTA learned from Oleg Demchenko, President of Irkut Corporation. “We are going to deliver four Yak-130 aircraft to Belarus in April,” said Oleg Demchenko during the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) 2015 in Malaysia. BelTA reported earlier that Minsk expects the first wing of the combat and training aircraft Yak-130 to be delivered by the end of March. The contract on buying these aircraft was signed in late 2012. Read more

Air Force developing new F-16 radars

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 18 hours ago
[image: AN/APG-83 SABR]The Air Force has budgeted $25 million to begin development of new radars for its F-16 fleet, a need especially felt by the service's homeland defense mission. Lt. Gen. Stanley Clarke, director of the Air National Guard, said the upgrade is needed for surveillance and the ability to detect targets. "It's a deficit and we need to address this," Clarke told the House Appropriations defense subcommittee Tuesday. Read more

“Data and Goliath: Four Ways You Can Protect Yourself From Digital Surveillance”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 18 hours ago
*“Data and Goliath: * *Four Ways You Can Protect Yourself From Digital Surveillance”* by Bruce Schneier “If a policeman sits down within earshot, it's within your rights to move your conversation someplace else. If the FBI parks a van bristling with cameras outside your house, you are perfectly justified in closing your blinds. Likewise, there are many ways we can protect our personal data and defend ourselves against surveillance. I'm going to break them down into categories. *1. Avoid Surveillance. *You can alter your behavior to avoid surveillance. You can pay for things in cash... more »

Boeing KC-46 Tanker Suppliers Behind on Deliveries, GAO Finds

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 19 hours ago
[image: Boeing 767-2C (KC-46)]Boeing Co.’s suppliers on its $51 billion KC-46 tanker program have fallen behind in designing and manufacturing the aircraft’s aerial refueling systems, according to congressional auditors. Subcontractors are having difficulty making the boom used to connect to another aircraft for midair refueling, the U.S. Government Accountability Office said in its annual weapons assessment report. The boom for the first KC-46 has been “delayed by eight months due to design changes and late parts deliveries,” according to the agency, which didn’t name the subcontra... more »

Houthi Fighter Jets Bomb Yemeni President’s Palace in Aden

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 19 hours ago
[image: MiG-29 Foxbat]Fighter aircrafts belonging to the Shiite Houthi movement bombarded the presidential palace in the southern city of Aden, seat of the Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, on Thursday, witnesses and officials told Efe. The presidential complex was completely evacuated before the bombing began, so the attack caused no casualties, according to a presidential source. Three attacks were launched, two of them with missiles, one of which hit a secondary building of the complex. Read more

Chris Alexander unplugged

Alison at Creekside - 19 hours ago
David Climenhaga dissects Alexander's speech here and links to the entire Ukrainian Canadian Congress event but I thought I'd extract Alexander's remarks for posterity. Alexander is particularly outraged about any mention that Ukraine might have a neo-Nazi problem, which he blames on : "dangerous ideology. Which is present in our own city of Toronto! Which is present across Canada! Which comes to us through state-sponsored Russian channels that are preaching absolute poison." while evidently being unaware Canada has a Right Sector chapter of its very own. Perhaps he'd rather h... more »

Analysis: Strength of UK's offensive fleet hangs on upcoming SDSR

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 19 hours ago
[image: RAF Tornado]The island state of the UK is positioned – both politically and geographically – within a number of ongoing international conflicts. Its placing within NATO and the impact of tensions in the eastern part of Europe – as Russia continues to advance – make it a target for Russian aggression as the alliance and the UK continue to condemn its actions and impose sanctions on Moscow. Russian military aircraft have flown too close to UK airspace for comfort in recent months, requiring the Royal Air Force to scramble Eurofighter Typhoons to escort the aircraft away from ... more »

Tight budget hampers Malaysia's defense ambitions

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 19 hours ago
[image: F/A-18 Super Hornet]Budget constraints are jeopardizing Malaysia's defense spending plans, which include replacing ageing fighter jets and beefing up its maritime capabilities, at a time when Beijing is growing more assertive in the disputed South China Sea. While Malaysia has traditionally played down any tensions with China over the contested waterway, it has long expressed concern about piracy and security along its land and coastal borders. More recently, the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 after it flew unimpeded across the Malay Peninsula last year expo... more »

Russian Navy Chief: Submarine Patrols Up 50 Percent Over Last Year

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 19 hours ago
[image: RFS Severodvinsk (Project 885 Yasen)]The military leader of the Russian Navy has acknowledged an increase in submarine patrols to “prevent threats to national security” in the last year, according to Russian state media. “From January 2014 to March 2015 the intensity of patrols by submarines has risen by almost 50 percent as compared to 2013,” Russian Navy head Adm. Viktor Chirkov said on Thursday, according to Russian state backed Sputnik International news service. “This is logical and necessary to guarantee the security of the state.” Read more

Upgraded Arleigh Burke-class USS Curtis Wilbur destroyer completes sea trials

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 19 hours ago
[image: USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG-54)]The US Navy's Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54) has completed sea trials following a DDG midlife overhaul extended dry dock shipboard repair availability (EDSRA). The 335-day EDSRA is said to be the longest and most extensive DDG overhaul in the history of Forward Deployed Naval Forces (FDNF). The US Naval Ship Repair Facility in Yokosuka, Japan, conducted and led the first ever availability of DDG EDSRA to upgrade the destroyer's systems and weapons, as well as perform other necessary repairs. Read more

Why The Tu-22M Deployment To Crimea Changes Everything

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 19 hours ago
[image: Tu-22M Backfire]As the Russian Airforce is deploying its Tu-22M3 ‘Backfire’ aircraft into the recently incorporated area that is Crimea, there are several things changing for the NATO and other military forces in the region. While the political situation has everything to do with these being added to the might of the Russian air and sea fleet over there, the relevance to the whole situation is not that important at all. The idea behind this is to show how the Russian military, albeit strapped for cash in more ways than one since the Soviet Union took a nose dive, does have... more »

Russia's Strategic Bomber Fleet on Global Intimidation Drive

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 19 hours ago
[image: Tu-160 Blackjack]Russia is expanding strategic bomber flights around the globe in a bid to intimidate other nations and assert its geopolitical influence. As tensions rise with the West over Ukraine, Russian bombers forced NATO to scramble jets to intercept Russian military aircraft over 400 times last year — more than twice as often as in 2013, according to Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. The flights have infringed on Air Defense Identification Zones — a buffer where foreign aircraft are asked to identify themselves for national security reasons — across Europe and Nor... more »

LCS vessel visits Japan for first time

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 19 hours ago
[image: USS Fort Worth (LCS-3)]The littoral combat ship Fort Worth marked a first Wednesday when it pulled into Sasebo, Japan, becoming the first of the new class of surface combatants to visit the close ally, which hosts the largest number of U.S. Navy ships of any ally. The Fort Worth is five months into its 16-month 7th Fleet deployment, only the second time an LCS has deployed to the region. "We're excited to be in Japan," said Cmdr. Matt Kawas, the ship's commanding officer, in the ship's Wednesday press release. Read more

Fast attack submarine to become Moored Training Ship

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago
[image: USS La Jolla (SSN 701)]Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) recently welcomed USS La Jolla (SSN 701) for conversion from an operational fast-attack submarine into a Moored Training Ship (MTS). The submarine was built by General Dynamics Electric Boat and commissioned in October 1981; MTSs are nuclear training platforms used to qualify new nuclear operators. La Jolla and USS San Francisco (SSN 711) are the next-generation MTSs for the Nuclear Power Training Unit in Charleston, SC. La Jolla's conversion process will require two complete hull cuts, separating the ship into three piece... more »

Admiralty Shipyards lays down submarine Velykiye Luki

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago
[image: Velykiye Luki lay down]Admiralty Shipyards has held a solemn ceremony for keel-laying of the Velykiye Luki , diesel-electric submarine of Project 677 Lada, the shipyard says in its press release. The Velykiye Luki is the third ship in the series of Project 677 submarines being built by Admiralty Shipyards for RF Navy. Project 677 Lada is the forth generation of conventional submarines. The construction of the second and the third submarines of Project 677 was resumed by Admiralty Shipyards in July 2013 and in late 2014 accordingly. Read more

The Secret Submarine Base Norway Accidentally Handed to the Russians

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago
Norway is ruing the day it sold off a key submarine base near the Russian border and now, with President Putin flexing his muscles in the region, there is growing alarm among Nato chiefs that the west has left itself woefully unprotected. Only six years ago, Norwegian politicians decided that Russia no longer posed a significant threat and that it was time to sell its top secret base called Olavsvern, which was hewn into a mountain and equipped with the most sophisticated electronics available. It’s located near the small town of Ramfjord near Norway’s border with Russia. “Our mil... more »

Russia to develop 5th-generation submarines

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago
[image: RFS Vladimir Monomakh (K-551)]The Russian Navy gave the defenсe industry an assignment to develop 5th-generation submarines, Navy Chief Viktor Chirkov said on Thursday. "We have formulated the task for the defenсe and industrial sector to develop fifth-generation submarines. This work is ongoing. There will be no pauses in the development and designing of new submarines," the Russian Navy commander-in-chief said on occasion of Submariner Day Russia is celebrating on Thursday. The need for the development of such submarines is prompted by the "objective timeframe and the cyc... more »

An evening at Golkonda (Hyderabad) - A Photo by Lovell D'souva

Stranger in a Strange Land at Stranger in a Strange Land - 20 hours ago
[image: An evening at Golkonda (Hyderabad)]Photo by: Lovell D'souva *Source:* *Happy Feet*

Russian Navy Carries Out Mock Attack on Nuclear Submarine

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago
[image: Tu-142 Bear F]Russian naval units launched an air-and-sea practice offensive on a nuclear submarine today in the Barents Sea, which Russia shares with Norway. The drill is part of Russia’s massive snap military drills which are due to continue until 21 March. The ‘strike and search group’, as the Russian Ministry of Defence referred to it, from the navy’s Northern Fleet comprised of Tu-142 ‘Bear’ naval aviation reconnaissance bombers and Il-38 ‘Dolphin’ maritime patrol jets as well as two small anti-submarine ships and support vessels. The practice attack on one of the North... more »

Improve Garden Yields With Simple Crop Rotation

Stranger in a Strange Land at Stranger in a Strange Land - 20 hours ago
Spring garden planning: Rotate your veggies to reduce garden pests and weeds and increase yields. By following simple crop rotation methods, any potential build-up of soil-borne pests and diseases will be filtered out and the need to rely on non-organic herbicides, insecticides, or fungicides will never be necessary. Some other benefits of crop rotation are improved yields and workability of the soil, a reduction in soil crusting and erosion, and the recycling of plant nutrients, according to the USDA. ROTATE! *READ: http://www.motherearthnews.com/…/simple-crop-rotation-for-o…* *... more »

Solar eclipse coming to Europe in few hours

Luboš Motl at The Reference Frame - 22 hours ago
If you're somewhere in Europe, expect the partial solar eclipse sometime between 9 am (the Moon will first bite into the "2 o'clock" place of the solar disk) and noon local time (the Moon will leave the Sun at the place "9 o'clock" or so). For example, Czechia will see the eclipse to peak around 10:47 am Prague Winter Time when about 75% of the area of the solar disk will be hidden by the Moon (France will peak at 80% etc.) and the remaining Sun will be U-shaped (the shadow will be close to "noon" of the solar disk). A babe explains the solar eclipse in 2 minutes We the Europeans w... more »

Greg Hunter, "Weekly News Wrap-Up, 3/20/15"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 22 hours ago
*"Weekly News Wrap-Up, 3/20/15"* By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com "The big story this week is the election win of Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel, and the implications for the Middle East. I predicted that the meddling Obama supporters were doing in Israel would backfire, and it did–big time. Netanyahu won, so now what? A Palestinian peace deal has moved to a back burner. Some in the press have reported Netanyahu has cancelled the so-called two state solution to form a Palestinian state. That is not really accurate. Netanyahu said that “under prevailing conditions” the two state pea... more »

China Watch 20: Fortify PH Garrison?

Nonoy Oplas at Government and Taxes - 1 day ago
A friend, Dr. Bong Mendoza of the UP Political Science Department, posted yesterday in fb and tagged me with this note, *I agree with Sen. Sonny Trillanes that we should fortify our garrisons on the islands we actually hold or control in the West Philippine Sea (sometimes known in China as the smaller South China Sea). **However, that will take a lot of money and quite some time before we can build and deploy minimum credible deterrence systems on these same real estate.* I commented that I approve of that proposal. More military spending if necessary -- but money should NOT come f... more »

13 Eco-Friendly Tips For Spring

Small Footprints at Reduce Footprints - 1 day ago
[image: 13 Eco-Friendly Tips For Spring] Spring has finally arrived!! After a long, cold winter, I'm ready for warm weather, blue skies, and gardening. This time of year is perfect for sprucing up our green routine. And with these tips, you'll be well prepared for the warm months ahead! Eco-Friendly Tips for Spring 1. Join a *CSA (Community Sponsored Agriculture)* and try new fruits and vegetables. Most CSAs offer recipes so experiment and discover new and wonderful meals. 2. Clean your home from top to bottom using natural, Eco-friendly cleansers. There are a t... more »

Why Everything Tastes Good, but Nothing Satisfies

WakingTimes at Waking Times - 1 day ago
*Frank Giokas* - Nothing external seems exciting as it once used to. Even things that do inspire are more fleeting than ever before and seem to lose their luster in so short a span. The post Why Everything Tastes Good, but Nothing Satisfies appeared first on Waking Times.

EX MACHINA

Oberon at GlobaLove Think Tank - 1 day ago
Kara Girl Robots Making of a Cyborg

Long-Run Planning Watch: Finally somebody asks, "What is this 'long run' people keep harping about?"

KenInNY at DownWithTyranny! - 1 day ago
*From Dilbert's CEO, the eternal question (more or less)* *by Ken* Probably the first thing you want to know is the context for the above frame. How did the subject of the "long run" come up? Where exactly does a CEO hear tell of such things? The immediate answer lies in this past Monday's *Dilbert* strip. Note that you can click on any of today's strips to enlarge -- and they should look real nice! Okay, here goes: *DILBERT by Scott Adams -- Monday, 3/16* *IT ALL BEGAN LAST WEEK* *And as you may have divined from the above, it all began with Wally. This two-week story arc is ... more »

W A S T E L A N D

Oberon at GlobaLove Think Tank - 1 day ago
wasteland documentary

Musical Interlude: Adiemus, “Adiemus”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
Adiemus, “Adiemus” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aL8kZ-iVk90&html5=1

"A Look to the Heavens"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
"A gorgeous spiral galaxy some 100 million light-years distant, NGC 1309 lies on the banks of the constellation of the River (Eridanus). NGC 1309 spans about 30,000 light-years, making it about one third the size of our larger Milky Way galaxy. Bluish clusters of young stars and dust lanes are seen to trace out NGC 1309's spiral arms as they wind around an older yellowish star population at its core. *Click image for larger size.* Not just another pretty face-on spiral galaxy, observations of NGC 1309's recent supernova and Cepheid variable stars contribute to the calibration of the... more »

Free Download: Walt Whitman, "Leaves Of Grass"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
*“Song of the Open Road” * by Walt Whitman, “Leaves of Grass” “Afoot and light-hearted, I take to the open road, Healthy, free, the world before me, The long brown path before me, leading wherever I choose. Henceforth I ask not good fortune- I myself am good fortune; Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing, Strong and content, I travel the open road. The earth- that is sufficient; I do not want the constellations any nearer; I know they are very well where they are; I know they suffice for those who belong to them. (Still here I carry m... more »

Paulo Coelho, “Obsession Arrives And Says...”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
*“Obsession Arrives And Says...”* by Paulo Coelho “Obsession arrives and says: ‘Your fate now belongs to me. I will make you look for things that do not exist. From now on, your heart will know no peace, because I will drive out enthusiasm and take its place. I will allow fear to spread throughout the world, and you will always feel afraid, but without knowing why. You don’t need to know, you just need to stay afraid. Work harder, then you won’t have to think. Work harder than you need to, so that you can stop living altogether. Your Love, which was once a manifestation of the Divi... more »

Chet Raymo, “The Wind In The Willows”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
* “The Wind In The Willows”* by Chet Raymo "Childhood has two seasons: the anticipation of summer and summer. Or so it seems in memory. And memory is all that matters in the long run. Stickball in the meadows. Messing about in drainage ditches. Long warm twilights on green lawns, catching fireflies in our cupped hands. Camping out in the back yard under the brilliant summer stars- Arcturus, Vega, Deneb, Altair- lulling us into sleep made fitful by the day's unfinished projects, tomorrow's beginnings. And no days of summer sweeter than the last few weeks of August, with school just... more »

The Daily "Near You?"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago
Greenwood, California, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

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