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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.

Thursday, December 19, 2019

19 December - Blogs I'm Following - 1 of 5

11 pm MST

December 20th – 2019 Presidential Politics – Trump Administration Day #1065

sundance at The Last Refuge - 7 minutes ago
In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and … Continue reading →

Friday December 20th – Open Thread

sundance at The Last Refuge - 7 minutes ago
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those … Continue reading →

US Federal Prosecutor Now Investigating Former CIA Director John Brennan On His Role In The Trump-Russia Collusion Investigations

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 18 minutes ago
*Daily Mail:* *Criminal probe into the Trump-Russia collusion investigation zeros in on Obama's CIA director: Prosecutor demands John O. Brennan hand over his private emails and call logs to find out what he told Comey and his thoughts on the Steele dossier* * U.S. Attorney John H. Durham, the federal prosecutor probing the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation, is honing in on former CIA director John O. Brennan * Durham requested Brennan's emails, call longs and other CIA documents * He wants to see what Brennan told other officials, including former FBI director James B. Com... more »

How One Country Loves France's Leclerc Tanks (And Wants More)

Robert Beckhusen at The National Interest - 32 minutes ago
*Robert Beckhusen* *Security, Middle East* The Leclerc's armor is also a blend of armor types -- reactive, composite and steel -- for better protection versus a wider array of penetrating anti-tank shells and guided missiles. *Key Point:* The UAE has adapted futuristic technology for its Leclercs that other countries -- in the region and back in Europe -- will study. There is a saying in the Pentagon that the United Arab Emirates is "Little Sparta," a phrase repeated by outgoing defense secretary James Mattis. The reason is that Emirati troops are experienced and battle-tested fr... more »

A look back on Europe’s 2019 food safety record

Joe Whitworth at Food Safety News - 33 minutes ago
Commentary This year saw the first World Food Safety Day, a large Listeria outbreak in Spain, and another infant formula Salmonella outbreak. Below is a selection of some international food safety stories covered in 2019. South Africa Listeria outbreak I want to start with this. Yes, I know it happened in 2017 and 2018 but... Continue Reading

Scientists document emerging risk from eating raw seafood

News Desk at Food Safety News - 33 minutes ago
A team of researchers says a relatively new foodborne pathogen documented in a man who had eaten raw salmon before becoming ill is all the evidence needed to warn the public against consuming raw seafood. “This case highlights the importance of preventing seafood-associated infections and the need to consider rare human pathogens in elderly or... Continue Reading

California recalls more than 10 tons of fish skins for lack of re-inspection

News Desk at Food Safety News - 33 minutes ago
Alli & Rose LLC is recalling almost 22,000 pounds of SnakYard fish skin snacks because they were not presented for import re-inspection, according to a notice posted by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). “Additionally, the products were imported from Thailand, a country ineligible to export ready-to-eat Siluriformes products to the U.S.,” according... Continue Reading

Israel’s Genocide Advisers and Technicians Return to Latin America in Force

Geopolitics101 at Covert Geopolitics - 45 minutes ago
With the ouster of progressive governments throughout Latin America and their replacement with right-wing neo-fascist regimes, Israeli counter-insurgency advisers, better known as “merchants of death,” have returned to Latin America with fervor. Fascist-oriented regimes in Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Honduras, Paraguay, Guatemala, and Chile, eager to displace indigenous peoples, have invited the Israelis back … Continue reading Israel’s Genocide Advisers and Technicians Return to Latin America in Force →

Never Trust a Falling Empire

Geopolitics101 at Covert Geopolitics - 45 minutes ago
The Washington Post, through documents released through the Freedom of Information Act, has published a long investigation into Afghanistan. Journalists have collected over 400 testimonies from American diplomats, NATO generals and other NATO personnel, that show that reports about Afghanistan were falsified to deceive the public about the real situation on the ground. by Federico … Continue reading Never Trust a Falling Empire →

Impeachment In Limbo As House Speaker Pelosi Refuses To Pass To The US Senate The Articiles Of Impeachment And Congress Heads Home For The Holidays

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 48 minutes ago
*Daily Mail:* *Mitch McConnell threatens to CANCEL Donald Trump's Senate trial if 'scared' Nancy Pelosi does not hand over 'slapdash' articles of impeachment - as Speaker slams him as a 'ROGUE leader' and president gloats he will be cleared by 'default'* * Nancy Pelosi forced the Trump impeachment across the finish line Wednesday * Now the process moves to a U.S. Senate trial but Pelosi said she's in no hurry * She blasted Senate leader Mitch McConnell for saying he's not an 'impartial' juror, and declared she won't hand him the baton without a pledge of 'fairness' * Senate Minorit... more »

COP 25: Paris Accord Destroyed

PA Pundits - International at PA Pundits – International - 54 minutes ago
By David Wojick, Ph.D. ~ “Action Now!” radicalism has destroyed the slow moving, consensus based Paris Agreement. It is not just COP 25 that failed; the UN climate change machinery has collapsed. This is good news, even though the reason is bad news. I have been writing about the climate alarmism movement tearing itself apart […]

Trump Impeachment

PA Pundits - International at PA Pundits – International - 54 minutes ago
A Dry Bones Cartoon ~ Has the old saying “If you can’t beat ’em, Join ’em” been replaced by “If you can’t beat ’em, Impeach ’em” ? Read more by Yaakov Kirschen at Dry Bones . http://drybonesblog.blogspot.com/

Evangelicals Finally Turning Against Trump?

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 1 hour ago
I don't think many people expected *Christianity Today*, evangelicalism's flagship magazine, founded over 6 decades ago, by Billy Graham, to call on the U.S. Senate to remove Trump. But that's what its more than two and a half million readers saw today when they opened the print edition or read it online. "In our founding documents," wrote editor-in-chief Mark Galli, "Billy Graham explains that *Christianity Today* will help evangelical Christians interpret the news in a manner that reflects their faith. The impeachment of Donald Trump is a significant event in the story of our re... more »

Widespread Protests Continue In India Despite Ban On Public Gatherings

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 hour ago
*CNN*: *Three dead in widespread protests across India despite bans on public gatherings* Deadly protests erupted in at least 15 cities in India Thursday, despite strict bans on public gatherings in several areas, as public anger over a controversial new citizenship law considered by many to be discriminatory against Muslims continues to build. At least three people died in the violence, as thousands took to streets across the country. Two people died from injuries sustained during a protest in the city of Mangalore, in the southern state of Karnataka, a senior doctor at the Hi... more »

AG Bill Barr Full Interview Covering Horowitz Report, Durham Investigation and Impeachment…

sundance at The Last Refuge - 1 hour ago
Attorney General Bill Barr had an extensive sit down interview with Fox News host Martha MacCallum on Wednesday, December 18th. The interview was broadcast this evening. . On August 30th, 2019, Devin Nunes submitted eight criminal referrals to the DOJ. … Continue reading →

This veteran curator is '99.99 per cent' sure the Boxing Day Test will be one to watch

Peter Lusted at Just In - 1 hour ago
The MCG pitch has provided several years of dull draws and even an abandoned match due to safety concerns, but curators say removing the concrete slab underneath the pitch will rectify the problems.

Couple grieving death of baby devastated after IVF clinic scraps services

April McLennan at Just In - 1 hour ago
Sarah and Ben Hodder's baby died earlier this year after their second round of IVF and say TasIVF's decision to close part of the Launceston fertility clinic will add to their difficulty in trying to conceive again.

Car explodes near Brisbane's CBD

Rebeka Powell at Just In - 1 hour ago
A car turns into a fireball on one of Brisbane's busiest roads, with the incident backing up traffic on North Quay and the Riverside Expressway.

'It has really taken its toll': How farmers and their animals are coping with heatwave

Just In - 1 hour ago
Sheep stay cooler with long wool, and pigs need mud which is scarce in the drought. Farmers are working to spare livestock from the baking heat.

This man wanted to know what the smoke was doing to his pregnant wife, so he built his own forecaster

Jake Evans at Just In - 1 hour ago
As much of Australia continues to wheeze through thick smoke haze, Canberran Shalev Nessaiver has taken it upon himself to find out just when, where and how badly the smoke will hit the city.

As temperatures soar across Victoria, the state has a new heat record for a December day

Elise Kinsella at Just In - 1 hour ago
Victoria is experiencing its hottest December day on record, with temperatures as high as 47.4 degrees Celsius in the state's north-west, as bushfire smoke from NSW blankets Melbourne in a grey haze.

Volkswagen given biggest ever fine for contravening consumer law

Rachel Pupazzoni at Just In - 1 hour ago
The motor vehicle manufacturer is hit with a double whammy in one day — fined $125 million for misleading consumers about its diesel emissions and hit with allegations that it broke responsible lending laws.

A fudge, a fib and a family holiday ruined: Morrison’s recall damages his brand

Andrew Probyn at Just In - 1 hour ago
The marketing man behind Australia's "Where the bloody hell are you?" tourism campaign has soiled his own brand by jetting abroad as Australia burns, writes Andrew Probyn.

Simon Overland denies covering up Lawyer X legal concerns to protect his career

Sarah Farnsworth at Just In - 1 hour ago
Former police chief Simon Overland is accused of keeping warnings about the use of Nicola Gobbo hidden from then-chief commissioner Christine Nixon, in order to protect his career.

This baseball player was about to sign a $470 million contract, but first he had to shave

Simon Smale at Just In - 1 hour ago
The New York Yankees offer pitcher Gerrit Cole a $470 million, nine-year contract. But before he takes up the offer, he is forced to shave off his beard.

Santa Claus is driving a cattle truck, pushing a pram, riding a tractor in Isisford's Christmas challenge

Damien Larkins And Cathy Van Extel at Just In - 1 hour ago
A Santa competition has been so successful that this drought hit town has run out of red suits, but raised enough money to celebrate Christmas.

Extinction Rebellion climate activists escape punishment after gluing themselves to London train

Just In - 1 hour ago
A court rules that three Extinction Rebellion climate activists who disrupted commuters in London by gluing themselves to a train or climbing on its roof will face no punishment.

Cairns father fined with no conviction after son used his gun to shoot sister

Jesse Thompson at Just In - 1 hour ago
After pleading guilty and expressing his remorse, a Cairns father is fined but not convicted after his nine-year-old son found his loaded gun and accidentally shot his younger sister.

China's Navy Is The Next Naval Behemoth America Must Worry About

David Axe at The National Interest - 1 hour ago
*David Axe* *Security, Asia* And there isn't much time. *Key Point:* China's Navy is becoming far larger than people think. The Chinese fleet is much bigger than most people think. And that should compel the United States to reconsider its Pacific maritime strategy, one expert argued. The People's Liberation Army Navy by 2020 will possess between 313 and 342 warships, the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence *estimated*. By comparison, in mid-2018 the U.S. Navy possessed 285 warships. But the PLAN accounts for only a fraction of China's maritime power, according to Andrew Erickson... more »

These 5 Aircraft Carriers Aren't Worth The Steel It Took To Build Them

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 1 hour ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, * Not every vessel can be great. *Key Point:* *Kuznetsov* is old and needs to be retired, but as Russia’s only carrier that likely won’t happen any time soon. Aircraft carriers are, with the possible exception of submarines, the most complicated naval vessels afloat. Not only do carriers have the traditional concerns of warships to deal with, they must also safely manage a fleet of aircraft which are often complicated in their own right. Despite these complications, carriers are among the most useful and lethal of warships. Even now, 100 years after th... more »

This Is What Makes America's B-2 Bomber So Powerful—And Deadly

Sebastien Roblin at The National Interest - 1 hour ago
*Sebastien Roblin* *Security, * Soon to be replaced by the B-21 Raider. *Key Point:* The B-2’s ability to deliver such devastating weapons deep within the most well-defended airspace makes it a premium, highly specialized war machine without equivalent. Should you venture out to one of the airshows periodically held near Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, you may be so fortunate to spot one of the world’s most otherworldly aircraft, the manta-like B-2 Spirit stealth bomber. The Spirit’s swept wings measure fifty-two meters across—half the length of a football field—and its co... more »

This Is How You Can Bring Down America's Feared Stealth Fighters

Sebastien Roblin at The National Interest - 1 hour ago
*Sebastien Roblin* *Security, * One country figured it out. *Key point:* Stealth aircraft are not truly ‘invisible’ to detection, and that sufficiently cunning adversary may find ways to ambush or corner them. At 8 p.m. on March 27, 1999, a bizarre-looking black painted airplane cut through the night sky over Serbia. This particular F-117 Nighthawk—a subsonic attack plane that was the world’s first operational stealth aircraft—flew by the call sign of Vega-31 and was named “Something Wicked.” Moments earlier, it had released its two Paveway laser-guided bombs on targets near the... more »

The U.S. Navy Faces a New and Dangerous Foe: China's 'Long-Range Fires' (Think Missiles)

Robert Clifford at The National Interest - 1 hour ago
*Robert Clifford* *Security, Asia* Adapting the current force construct to today’s threat is vital before our enemies make our biggest, most expensive military assets obsolete. By 1914, artillery, machine guns, and ammunition were relatively cheap and could blow gaping, irreplaceable holes in enemy ranks. World War I and the advent of industrial age warfare brought an end to massed troop formations associated with Napoleonic warfare and the American Civil War, with the use of massed artillery and machine guns. Today the United States Navy faces a different but similar economy of ... more »

Russia Built Its Object 279 Tank To Win A Nuclear War Against NATO

Robert Beckhusen at The National Interest - 1 hour ago
*Robert Beckhusen* *Security, * But it had some serious problems. *Key Point:* It didn't make it to the battlefield. Enter the Object 279 tank, a curious oddity from the late 1950s which was obsolete — despite its design principles deliberately reflecting the fear of a nuclear battlefield — by the time it was produced. It was certainly not a success, as the Soviet Union only manufactured a handful of prototypes. But the fact that it appeared at all is indicative of an obsession among a small number of Red Army military planners dating back to World War II. As the Nazis and Sovi... more »

Reports Indicate Michigan Man May Be Baby Abducted in 1964

AP News at Snopes.com - 1 hour ago
When a woman posing as a maternity-ward nurse snatched a newborn from its mother’s arms more than 55 years ago, the case made headlines nationwide and led to a massive search by FBI agents and police.

Defections to expulsions: Future Forward Party’s internal turmoil

Aim Sinpeng at New Mandala - 2 hours ago
"Very few MP candidates actually call themselves “true believers” in the Future Forward ideology." The post Defections to expulsions: Future Forward Party’s internal turmoil appeared first on New Mandala.

Shooting Near FSB Intelligence Offices In Moscow Kills One, Injures Five (Update)

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 2 hours ago
*RT: **‘Volleys of automatic fire’: Kalashnikov-armed attacker killed 1, injured 5 in shooting on busy Moscow street * A festive December evening turned deadly as a man armed with an assault rifle opened fire in the very heart of Moscow, killing one and injuring five people just across the street from a children’s department store. It is just after 6pm on Thursday, twelve days before the end of the year. The city is all strung up with holiday lights and Muscovites are leaving work to shop for food and gifts for the upcoming New Year and Christmas holidays. The Central Children’s... more »

Ervebo Is First FDA-Approved Vaccine For Prevention Of Ebola

News Staff at Science 2.0 blogs - 2 hours ago
Merck has received approval for Ervebo, the first F vaccine for the prevention of Ebola virus disease (EVD), caused by Zaire ebolavirus in individuals 18 years of age and older. Cases of EVD are very rare in the U.S., only acquired by individuals in other countries who then traveled to the U.S., or health care workers who became ill after treating patients with EVD. “While the risk of Ebola virus disease in the U.S. remains low, the U.S. government remains deeply committed to fighting devastating Ebola outbreaks in Africa, including the current outbreak in the Democratic Republic ... more »

At 386 Million Years Old, New York Has The World's Oldest Forest

News Staff at Science 2.0 blogs - 2 hours ago
Scientists have discovered remnants of the world's oldest fossil forest in of all places, a sandstone quarry in Cairo, New York. It is believed the extensive network of trees is around 386 million years old and spread into Pennsylvania and beyond. read more

New York Times Report: John Durham Seeking CIA Director Brennan Communications….

sundance at The Last Refuge - 2 hours ago
…and CTH has a pretty good idea exactly what “communications” Durham is looking for. It sounds like U.S. Attorney Durham is looking for what Comey’s outlined in the “crown material” discussion. First, the article from the New York Times (emphasis … Continue reading →

Russian President Putin Hints That He May Stay Beyond His Present Term That Ends In 2024

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 2 hours ago
Speculation about what will happen when Putin’s current two-term limit runs out in 2024 has intensified. Andrei Nikerichev / Moskva News Agency *RFE*:* A Signal Or A Slip Of The Tongue? Putin Remark Adds To Speculation About His Future * Somewhere before the request for more money for Yekaterinburg’s subway, but after the question about the high cost of flying to the faraway Kamchatka Peninsula, President Vladimir Putin got a couple of politically vital questions during his marathon annual news conference on December 19. "Is it time to change to constitution?” he was asked by a rep... more »

Hidden Evidence Regarding Ukrainegate (Trump Impeachment)

Eric Zuesse at The Duran - 2 hours ago
Eric Zuesse, originally posted at strategic-culture.org On November 22nd, a 100-page Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) data-dump was made by the U.S. Department of State, to the Democratic-Party-aligned nonprofit “American Oversight,” which had been founded in March 2017 by liberals (really by some of the main billionaires who fund the Democratic Party) after the 2016 […] More The post Hidden Evidence Regarding Ukrainegate (Trump Impeachment) appeared first on The Duran.

Russian Putin Names Terrorist Attacks As Most Difficult Moments Of His Presidency

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 2 hours ago
© Sputnik / Sergey Guneev *RT: **‘I will never forget it’: Putin names terrorist attacks as most difficult moments of his presidency* Russian leader Vladimir Putin said the deadly terrorist attacks in Beslan and Moscow which occurred during the early years of his presidency were the hardest moments for him to bear as the head of state. During Thursday’s Q&A session in Moscow, reporters asked Putin what events affected him the most during his years in power. The president said that the “most difficult” moments for him personally were the two major terrorist attacks in Moscow and t... more »

Russian President Putin's 15th Annual Press Conference

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 2 hours ago
*RT*:* Ukraine, China & 2024 retirement plans: Key takeaways from Putin's 15th annual press chat * At his annual year-end press conference, Vladimir Putin addressed his presumed retirement in 2024, the situation in Ukraine, domestic issues around healthcare and demographics, and relations with China, among many other topics. Thursday's Moscow event was the 15th in as many years of Putin's presidency, and finished up as one of the longest. The Russian president sat for four hours and 18 minutes, taking around 80 questions from 57 journalists, of which he answered about 77. Some ... more »

CDC reports dozens more people sick in ongoing E. coli outbreak linked to romaine

News Desk at Food Safety News - 3 hours ago
Three dozen more patients and two more states are officially part of an E. coli outbreak traced to romaine, according to a renewed public alert from the CDC. As of this week 138 people across 25 states are on the books in the outbreak that was first announced Nov. 20, the Centers for Disease Control... Continue Reading

Christianity Today editor advocates for removal of Trump

Keith at musingsofanoldfart - 3 hours ago
Per Politico, in article called “Top Evangelical magazine calls for Trump’s removal” by Eli Okun: “The impeachment — and removal from office — of President Donald Trump gained an unlikely supporter Thursday: the country’s top evangelical Christian magazine. Christianity Today … Continue reading →

Snowden Says Don’t Use WiFi — Here’s Why

WTStaff at Waking Times - 3 hours ago
*Naomi Brockwell* - It’s shocking how unsafe it makes your location.

Since 1980s, U.S. Government Agency Has Paid Over $4B for Vaccine Related Injuries and Death. Still Want a Flu Shot?

WTStaff at Waking Times - 3 hours ago
*B.N. Frank* - As of last year, over $4 billion had been paid out for vaccine injuries and deaths.

Canadian Drone Startup Aims To Plant 1 Billion Trees By 2028

WTStaff at Waking Times - 3 hours ago
*Mayukh Saha* - People all over the world are coming up with new and innovative ways to slow down the climate crisis.

100+ Doctors Demand Assange Receive Safe Passage to Hospital “Before It Is Too Late”

WTStaff at Waking Times - 3 hours ago
*Andrea Germanos* - WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange could soon die in prison, doctors warn.

Dec. 19: Let's face it. most of the world, including Canada, is ruled by thieving bastards

Graeme Decarie at The Decarie Report - 3 hours ago
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/wildfires-sydney-nsw-state-of-emergency-1.5402008 Well, that just proves there is no climate change happening. Right? _________________________________________________________________ https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/greece-samos-migrant-camp-1.5402117 And how typical of Christians in the western world! _________________________________________________________________ https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/australia-hottest-day-on-record-1.5400409 Nope. Not a sign of climate change. _______________________________________________________________ https://www.cbc.ca/news... more »

Would Medicare-For-All Come With An Education Bonus?

Peter Greene at CURMUDGUCATION - 3 hours ago
This is the least-read thing I've ever written for Forbes, but I still wonder about the issue. So let me put it out there again. The expansion of Medicare coverage as a path to universal healthcare for the U.S. has unleashed a great deal of debate from think tanks to water coolers. One of the biggest questions remain—how much would it actually cost, and what would the average citizen pay? The answer to the first question is “a whole lot (but remember--we currently pay a large number of whole lots. The second part-- well, there are many possible plans floating around at the momen... more »

Bouazizi’s fire is still lit : It still scares them

egyptianchronicler@gmail.com (Zeinobia) at Egyptian Chronicles - 3 hours ago
Today marks the anniversary of that action Tunisian street vendor called Mohamed BouAzizi decided to take to object the ill-treatment of policemen to him in his town Sidi Bou Zid in Tunisia. He decided to burn himself alive to object how he was slapped by a policewoman earlier in the market who decided to confiscate his goods. Mohamed Bouazizi His action and then his death days unleashed an unprecedented wave of events that have been taking the Arab world as well as the world by storm. It is like when you said “The rest is history”. That street vendor who suffered from unemploymen... more »

The U.S. Marines Have Big Plans For the MV-22 Osprey (Flying Tank?)

Kris Osborn at The National Interest - 3 hours ago
*Kris Osborn* *Security, * [image: https://pictures.reuters.com/archive/MIDEAST-IRAN-TANKER-USA-RC1545876570.html] With heavier guns and rockets, the Osprey would be closer to a flying tank than a helicopter. *Key Point:* These new design plans would make the Osprey a fearsome weapon of war. The U.S. Marine Corps is progressing with a new project to arm its MV-22 Osprey aircraft with new weapons such as laser-guided 2.75in rockets, missiles and heavy guns - a move which would expand the tiltrotor's mission set beyond supply, weapons and forces transport to include a wider range... more »

But F-4 Phantom Might Be Over 60 Years Old, But Its Not Done Yet

Sebastien Roblin at The National Interest - 3 hours ago
*Sebastien Roblin* *Security, * [image: https://pictures.reuters.com/archive/BOEING-CENTENNIAL--S1AETPOKTTAA.html] It can still compete with the best fighter planes out today. *Key Point:* The F-4 Phantom has proven endlessly versatile. The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a legendary aircraft — an icon of the Vietnam War and the archetype of the third-generation jet fighter designs that entered service in the 1960s. More than 5,000 of these heavy supersonic fighters were built, and hundreds continue to serve and even see combat in several air forces today. But the Phantom’s... more »

RIP F-22, Hello F-35: 1 Reason Why the Air Force Might Switch Planes

David Axe at The National Interest - 3 hours ago
*David Axe* *Economics, Americas* [image: Reuters] It is all about the money. *Key point:* Bulk orders of the F-35 make is a more affordable plane and it is already better than the F-22 anyway. A new fighter to replace the F-22 Raptor could eat the U.S. Air Force's budget starting in the 2030s, the Congressional Budget Office reported. The Air Force on average spent $12 billion per year, in current dollars, on new aircraft between 1980 and 2018. But replacing the flying branch's roughly 180 F-22s in the 2030s while simultaneously buying new F-35s, cargo planes and tankers, could... more »

Why Bad Customer Service Won’t Go Way

Anthony Dukes, Yi Zhu at The National Interest - 3 hours ago
*Anthony Dukes, Yi Zhu* *Environment, Americas* [image: Reuters] Bad customer service is increasingly good for companies who use it. Some of the most hated companies in the U.S. are also the most profitable. Much of this consumer resentment may stem from poor customer service. In fact, most Americans have fought with phone menus, desperately seeking a live service agent to seek a refund. In 2013, Americans spent an average of 13 hours disputing a purchase or resolving a problem with customer service. As professors of marketing, we have examined why customer service continues to... more »

Giving Antibiotics to Expecting Mothers Could Harm the Lungs of Premature Babies

Kent Willis at The National Interest - 3 hours ago
*Kent Willis* *Health, Americas* [image: Reuters] Premature infants are at higher risk for lung diseases. Born after just 23 of the normal 40 weeks of pregnancy, the extremely preterm baby is small enough to fit in the palm of my hand and weighs just one and a quarter pounds. I am a neonatologist, a physician that cares for these preterm babies in intensive care. Most of these preterm infants, particularly the smallest and sickest who require oxygen to help them breathe, are at high risk of developing lung inflammation and scarring. This early damage will lead to a chronic lung d... more »

Are Israel and Iran preparing for war?

contact@ifamericansknew.org at If Americans Knew Blog - 3 hours ago
U.S. news reports are largely distracted by the Trump impeachment and ignore signs of Israel and Iran's potential for war. Read all about this recipe for catastrophe... The post Are Israel and Iran preparing for war? appeared first on If Americans Knew Blog.

U.S. Says Attack On Saudi Arabia's Oil Facilities In September Came From The North

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 3 hours ago
New analysis from US reinforces what MEE reported earlier this year (Reuters) *Reuters:* *Exclusive: U.S. probe of Saudi oil attack shows it came from north - report* WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States said new evidence and analysis of weapons debris recovered from an attack on Saudi oil facilities on Sept. 14 indicates the strike likely came from the north, reinforcing its earlier assessment that Iran was behind the offensive. In an interim report of its investigation - seen by Reuters ahead of a presentation on Thursday to the United Nations Security Council - Washington... more »

Study: Sleep Cleanses the Brain of Toxic Waste Products Accumulated During the Day

Admin at Health Impact News - 4 hours ago
An insidious kind of brainwashing goes on without your awareness. It continues surreptitiously every hour of the day and night. But not to worry; this brainwashing is intelligently designed, and it’s good for you. In fact, you couldn’t live without it!

Bill Gates’ Plan to Use Invisible Ink to Tattoo Vaccination Status into Children’s Skin

AdminM at Health Impact News - 4 hours ago
Karen Weintraub, writing for the Scientific American, a pro-Pharma and pro-vaccine publication, has just reported that a group of Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers have just developed a method of embedding a person's vaccination record directly into their skin using a special dye that is invisible to the naked eye. Not only does this technology embed medical information into a person's skin, it will also make vaccine deliveries into the body much easier, so that medical professionals are not even needed to administer the vaccines. Bill Gates is reportedly the one wh... more »

Evangelical Magazine Christianity Today: Trump Must Go

AP News at Snopes.com - 4 hours ago
A major evangelical Christian magazine founded by the late Rev. Billy Graham published an editorial calling for President Donald Trump's removal from office.

Is the ‘Ground Zero Mosque’ Project Back?

Bethania Palma at Snopes.com - 4 hours ago
An inflammatory story from back in 2010 has been stirred up again, despite the lack of any significant new information.

Did a Starbucks Manager Threaten to Fire Employees Who Say ‘Merry Christmas’?

David Mikkelson at Snopes.com - 4 hours ago
The chimeric "War on Christmas" conflict was neatly characterized in a single tweet.

Do fans help cool you down in a heatwave, or just make it hotter?

Kelsie Iorio at Just In - 4 hours ago
An expert explains whether fans really do bring some relief during sweltering heatwave conditions or whether they are just pushing around hot air.

Mother who deliberately interfered with baby's hospital feeding tube sentenced to 4 years in jail

Ashleigh Stevenson at Just In - 4 hours ago
A mother who deliberately interfered with her baby's hospital feeding tube, leading to the infant's "profound malnutrition", is sentenced to four years in jail wholly suspended in the Brisbane District Court.

'Like mobile phone number portability for your banking': delay hits seismic shift in customer power

Daniel Ziffer at Just In - 4 hours ago
Open banking, one of the most seismic changes to hit the financial services industry, giving customers more power — and better enabling them to switch providers — has been delayed.

'The best in many years': Tasmania's delayed cherry season ripens in time for Christmas

Eden Hynninen at Just In - 4 hours ago
The long and cool spring conditions in Tasmania have delayed the state's cherry harvest — but not all growers are concerned with some starting to harvest for Christmas.

Are hazard reduction burns effective in managing bushfires? The answer is complicated

Just In - 4 hours ago
As bushfires burn in NSW and Queensland, Coalition politicians and One Nation have been pointing the finger at the Greens for preventing hazard reduction burns. RMIT ABC Fact Check lays out the facts on preventing bushfires.

Mine worker buried alive for more than two hours, court hears

Jarrod Lucas at Just In - 4 hours ago
A WA mine is fighting charges it failed to provide a safe environment following a near-fatal accident. The incident saw an excavator operator buried alive as the floor of an open pit collapsed into a massive void.

Impeachment was my first story as the ABC's Washington Bureau chief. Here are the big questions I'm asking now

David Lipson at Just In - 4 hours ago
It's hard to grasp how half of Americans think it's OK for the President to pressure a foreign country, but to understand the United States you have to get to know Mr Trump's voters, writes David Lipson.

Why domestic violence rates intensify the further west you go

Sara Tomevska at Just In - 4 hours ago
Something all NSW areas with domestic violence rates more than two times the state average have in common is their distance from a major city.

Flood victims' payouts in limbo as water authorities move to appeal landmark class action

Matt Wordsworth at Just In - 4 hours ago
The wait for compensation for thousands of victims of the 2011 Queensland floods may be about to get longer as one of the state's water authorities reveals it is taking steps to launch an appeal.

'A disgrace': Members of Nauru 19 jailed over 2015 protests

Richard Ewart at Just In - 4 hours ago
Twelve members of the Nauru 19 pro-democracy group are jailed more than four years after they were arrested and charged following protests outside of Parliament.

Live: Democrats at debate call Trump 'thin-skinned' as he tweets about impeachment

Peter Marsh And Emily Olson at Just In - 4 hours ago
Democrats are continuing their search for a challenger to take on President Donald Trump in at the 2020 election with the sixth debate of the primary campaign.

Convicted paedophile and former NSW Labor minister Milton Orkopoulos released from prison

Rani Hayman at Just In - 4 hours ago
Milton Orkopoulos is released from prison on parole after serving a sentence for 30 drug and child sex offences.

Laa Chol's killer jailed for stabbing murder at Melbourne CBD tower

Karen Percy at Just In - 4 hours ago
The young man who murdered Melbourne legal studies student Laa Chol at a CBD apartment tower is sentenced to 20 years in prison, as a judge describes the stabbing as a "needless act of cowardly violence" against "a decent and caring young woman".

Traditional owners in far north WA partner with cotton giant Cubbie Farming

Courtney Fowler And Rebecca Nadge at Just In - 4 hours ago
Traditional owners in Western Australia's far north Kimberley region have signed a memorandum of understanding with controversial irrigated cotton giant Cubbie Farming.

'A better fit for me': Democrat switches parties after meeting with Donald Trump

Just In - 4 hours ago
US President Donald Trump announces that Jeff Van Drew, a Democrat who broke with his party to vote against Mr Trump's impeachment, is officially switching parties and becoming a Republican.

Man found guilty of murder after pushing wife's wheelchair into Adelaide pond

Meagan Dillon at Just In - 4 hours ago
Adelaide man Peter Dansie is found guilty of murdering his wife by pushing her wheelchair into a pond where she drowned, with a judge declaring he had a "dual motive".

JK Rowling facing widespread criticism from transgender community for Twitter comments

Just In - 4 hours ago
JK Rowling is facing widespread criticism from the transgender community and other activists after tweeting support for a researcher who lost her job for stating that people cannot change their biological sex.

SA bushfires burning out of control amid catastrophic conditions

Just In - 4 hours ago
Up to 70 fires have broken out throughout South Australia on a day of catastrophic conditions, threatening townships and forcing residents to seek shelter. Bushfires in the Adelaide Hills and Maitland are burning out of control.

Pat Cummins's extraordinary windfall

Just In - 4 hours ago
Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins smashes the record for the biggest cheque handed out to an overseas player in the IPL auction, being acquired by the Kolkata Knight Riders for $3.17 million.

World Bank Warns That A Massive Debt Wave Could Crash On Developing Countries

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 4 hours ago
*AFP: **Massive debt wave could crash on developing countries, World Bank warns* Washington (AFP) - A wave of debt in emerging and developing nations has grown faster and larger than in any period of the last five decades and could end with another crisis, the World Bank warned Thursday. And if the wave breaks, it could be more damaging since it would engulf private companies in addition to governments, at a time when economic growth is sluggish, according to a new report that covers four debt surges from 1970-2018. "The size, speed and breadth of the latest debt wave should conce... more »

PBS/Politico Democrat Presidential Candidate Debate – 8:00pm EST Livestream…

sundance at The Last Refuge - 4 hours ago
The last Democratic primary debate of the year takes place tonight. Seven Democrats will take the stage: •Entrepreneur Andrew Yang; •South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg; •Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts; •Former Vice President Joe Biden; •Sen. Bernie Sanders of … Continue reading →

Senator Lindsey Graham: “I just met with the President, he is mad as hell and demanding his day in court”…

sundance at The Last Refuge - 4 hours ago
Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham appears on Fox News after a meeting with President Trump in the Oval Office. Senator Graham states President Trump is “mad as hell” and “demanding his day in court” in the Senate.

A Visit From Nadler Claus

Diogenes Sarcastica™ at Diogenes' Middle Finger - 4 hours ago
*By Seamus Muldoon* *(with apologies to Clement Moore)* 'Twas the week before Christmas, and all through the House Not a critter was stirring, not even a louse; The Articles were filed in committee with care, In hopes that Impeachment soon would be there; The Democrats were nestled all snug in their beds; While visions of quid pro quo danced in their heads; And Nan with her Botox, and Schiff Pencil-neck, Had just wrapped their heads 'round th' impending train wreck, Then on the South Lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter. On my way to the stairs... more »

Video

Robert Reich - 4 hours ago

Would You Believe Me If I Told You Orthodox Jews Are More Supportive Of Trump Than Evangelicals Are?

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 5 hours ago
As Yossi Gestetner explained in a *Wall Street Journal* OpEd last week, Hasidic Jews are much more likely to be living in poverty than other Jews or than most Americans. Gestetner was trying to claim that Hasidics aren't poor because their yeshivas fail to prepare students for life in the real world but are poor because they have much larger families than non-Hasidics. His case is spurious and he failed miserably. Hasidics live in a parallel universe. Just look at the new poll from *Ami Magazine*, a mouthpiece for far right Jews around the world. In America, Ami is more delusional ... more »

Thank goodness Trump is no longer president...

Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 5 hours ago
*seriously.* I bumped into this cute guy on a video over at *IOTW Report *and this is just too funny not to share. So - I stole it... Not only is Tyler Zed cute, but he lives in Minneapolis. Do you have any idea of how difficult being a conservative in Minneapolis must be? He started his YouTube channel a little over a year ago and already has over 200K subscribers. Good for you, Tyler! *Compilation of people who think Trump is no longer president after impeachment:*

Gabbard Faces Heat Back Home for Present Vote on Impeachment

AP News at Snopes.com - 5 hours ago
Long-shot presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard is facing some heat in her heavily Democratic home state of Hawaii for voting "present" on two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump.

Did the US List Fictional Wakanda as a Trading Partner?

David Mikkelson at Snopes.com - 5 hours ago
That the nation is fictional and its precise location unknown is apparently no barrier to free trade.

Did Pelosi Approve $4.8 Million in ‘Impeachment Consulting Fees’ to the Clinton Foundation?

Snopes Staff at Snopes.com - 5 hours ago
A routine review of content labeled satire.

Live Blog: Democrat Presidential Primary Debate #8 in Los Angeles, California

Lambert Strether at naked capitalism - 5 hours ago
Candidates! Candidates! Candidates! ★★★ Seven candidates on one stage! ★★★ Come on down!

President Trump Welcomes Jeff Van Drew to Republican Party – Video and Transcript…

sundance at The Last Refuge - 5 hours ago
Earlier today President Trump held a press availability in the oval office to welcome former democrat representative Jeff Van Drew into the republican party. Congressman Van Drew left the Democrat party as a result of the House impeachment fiasco. [Video … Continue reading →

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