10:04 pm MST
This Christmas Remember — These Companies Fund Planned Parenthood
[image: this-christmas-remember-these-companies-fund-planned-parenthood] During the Christmas shopping season one pro-life group is targeting companies that fund Planned Parenthood.
The Lighthouse
Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse on a light, lovely November 30, delightfully sans tourists By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 1850 The rocky ledge runs far into the sea, And on its outer point, some miles away, The Lighthouse lifts its massive masonry, A pillar of fire by night, of cloud by day. Even at this distance I can see the tides, Upheaving, break unheard along its base, A speechless wrath, that rises and subsides In the white lip and tremor of the face. And as the evening darkens, lo! how bright, Through the deep purple of the twilight air, Beams forth the sudden radiance o... more »
Human Morality: from Mexico's Solution to GHW Bush to AI(!) to Climate Change to SETI
-This time we'll dive into the nature of morality, whether *aliens *might share some of our basic codes... and not share others. But first, let's clear some pressing items... There's been fervid discussion of my previous posting on "things the new, Democratic-run House of Representatives can accomplish, even with a hostile Senate and President." As it happens, there are plenty, like rescinding the 2001 War Powers resolution, restoring the requirement that a president get Congressional permission to go to war. Alas, Blogger ate my followup Part Two, about actual legislation, but I... more »
"Trump and the 'Crazy Man Theory' of Negotiation"
*"Trump and the **'Crazy Man Theory' of Negotiation**"* By Jim Rickards "One topic that has received a lot of attention lately is what some call the crazy man theory of negotiation, which takes on added importance with this weekend’s trade talks in Buenos Aires between Trump and China’s Xi Jinping. This theory says that a rational actor trying to optimize the outcome of a negotiation can benefit from making the other party to the negotiation believe he’s mentally unstable. This perceived instability by one side throws the other side off-guard and confuses their analysis. This confu... more »
Saturday Afternoon Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. - Stephanie Kelton, Andres Bernal and Greg Carlock highlight how a Green New Deal is entirely affordable south of the border. And Clayton Thomas-Muller examines what we could demand in a Canadian equivalent: (I)f we’re going to do what the science says we need to do and stop expanding fossil fuels, we need a plan to transition to 100 per cent renewables within the two decades. For that, we need the federal government to step up and guarantee that every single worker, family and community impacted by this transition will be supported. The b... more »
Taiwan Just said No to the F-35 Stealth Fighter. What Now?
*Michael A. Hunzeker, Alexander Lanoszka* *Security, * How should Taipei's defense strategy evolve with respect to China? Here are some ideas. Amidst the fallout from last week’s “midterm” elections for city and county-level officials last week, news emerged that Taiwan will stop asking the United States to sell it the F-35. The decision could not have been easy for the Tsai administration, especially because the United States has long refused to sell the F-35 to Taiwan even as it readily sells it to Japan and South Korea. Nevertheless, it was the right move. The F-35’s costs va... more »
Future of USMCA could turn on labour rights
bilaterals.org - 9 hours ago
01-Dec-2018 It is unrealistic to expect even the most gold-plated labour provisions in FTAs to redress the vast power imbalance between workers and gigantic, internationally mobile corporations.
Singapore and Argentina to boost economic ties
bilaterals.org - 9 hours ago
01-Dec-2018 Singapore and Argentina Prime Ministers welcomed the progress made on negotiations for a bilateral investment treaty and said they expect to conclude talks by the first half of next year.
Thousands protest in Argentina during G20 Summit
bilaterals.org - 9 hours ago
01-Dec-2018 Members of 70 different groups joined forces to call attention to a range of concerns, from workers' rights to climate change.
Sommes-nous les dindons de la farce?
bilaterals.org - 9 hours ago
01-Dec-2018 L'Accord économique et commercial global (CETA) conclu entre le Canada et l'Union européenne autorise l'exigence de contenu canadien de 25 % dans les projets de transport public octroyés par Québec et l'Ontario, mais pas par le gouvernement fédéral.
"Fukushima Update Dec. 1, 2018: 18,176.1 Hiroshima Bombs Today, More Tomorrow"
*"Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.”* - Shiva *Updated Dec. 1, 2018: Fukushima Equals 18,176.1 Hiroshima Bombs Today, More Tomorrow; There is No Place On Earth to Escape the Rad: *The 3 melted-through cores of the destroyed reactors, now melted together into a single "corium" totaling over *600 tons*, at Fukushima *daily* release the radioactive equivalent of 6.45 Hiroshima bombs directly into the atmosphere and the Pacific Ocean. As of Dec. 1, 2018 - 2,818 days since the disaster began - this equals the detonation of *18,176.1 *Hiroshima atomic bombs and it is still... more »
CrossTalking: Assange and The Criminalization of Journalism
*CrossTalk* | A powerhouse panel discussing the dire straits of real journalism in our times.
It’s barbaric, but these pioneers turned that travesty into opportunity
Hidden deep within an archipelago of uninhabited islands in Indonesia lies a resort that combines private enterprise with conservation. Misool Eco Resort is a special kind of paradise, doubling as a luxurious beach getaway and a marine reserve that’s home to one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. The featured documentary, “The Last […] The post It’s barbaric, but these pioneers turned that travesty into opportunity appeared first on Health Nut News.
Intermittent Internet Connection...
*proudly brought to us by Frontier.* So............posting and comment answering will also be intermittent. But, not to worry. A technician will be out to the house in no time at all on *December 13th!* Yeah, you read the correctly.
Study: Eating Chocolate and Drinking Red Wine Could Help Prevent Aging.
https://theheartysoul.com/chocolate-red-wine-prevent-aging/?utm_source=WUW Advertisements
Sweet Smell
https://hms.harvard.edu/news/sweet-smell?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=hms-twitter-general
Curiosity Rover Just Spotted This Super-Shiny Object on Mars
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/curiosity-rover-just-spotted-this-super-shiny-object-on-mars/ar-BBQjGRh?ocid=ob-fb-enus-580
This Bill Gates-Backed Company Is Developing a Possibly World-Changing Nuclear Reactor
https://www.sciencealert.com/a-bill-gates-backed-energy-company-is-developing-what-could-be-a-game-changing-nuclear-reactor
2 Handfuls of Cashews is the Therapeutic Equivalent of a Prescription Dose of Prozac.
https://www.organichomeremedies.com/2018/10/28/2-handfuls-of-cashews-is-the-therapeutic-equivalent-of-a-prescription-dose-of-prozac/?utm_source=AHS&utm_medium=AHS&utm_campaign=AHS
7 Benefits of Eating Walnuts.
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/05/19/amp/7-walnuts-benefits.aspx?__twitter_impression=true
NEJM Journal Watch: Summaries of and commentary on original medical and scientific articles from key medical journals
https://www.jwatch.org/NA47965?ijkey=otU8a7smf
Hydroxyurea for Children with Sickle Cell Anemia in Sub-Saharan Africa.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1813598
Dates Are The Healthiest Fruit And Also A Natural Cure.
https://www.healthyfoodhouse.com/dates-are-the-healthiest-fruit-and-also-a-natural-cure/
U.S. Government Wants To Microchip All Kids ‘Sooner Rather Than Later’
https://www.social-consciousness.com/2017/06/did-you-know-us-government-wants-microchip-all-kids-sooner-rather-than-later.html?m=1
Will there be an Ice Age Tax?
Today it's known as the Maunder Minimum, it occurred between 1645 and 1715, during a longer span of time when parts of the world became so cold that the period was called the Little Ice Age, which lasted from about 1300 to 1850. Though it's not progressive to bring this up. The determining factor on how much global warming we experience in the climate is THE SUN. If the sun throws less energy out, the climate cools. I'm sure that if we see another ice age develop that *a tax will be proposed* that will encourage the Sun to shine brighter. It will reward countries for generating car... more »
Meet IARPA: Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity
By Patrick Wood The Pentagon has its Technocrat scientist operation with DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. The intelligence community has its own version... more »
Neil deGrasse Tyson Investigated by Fox, NatGeo Networks
Renowned astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson will be investigated by Fox and National Geographic Networks after allegations of sexual misconduct were leveled against him.
This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 1
1918 UK PM George asked Fr PM Clemenceau to renegotiate Sykes-Picot giving Mosul to British England got France to agreed to give it most of Mosul in return France got stake in Iraqi oil and Syria (Musings On Iraq article on how Mosul province became part of Iraq) 1971 Iraq broke relations with Iran and UK Expelled Iranian nationals Turned to Soviet Union for support Iraq argued with Iran over Shatt al-Arab and Tehran funding and arming Kurds in alliance with US and Israel 1987 Iran attacked Fakeh area north of Basra 1997 Weekly Standard special issue on removing Saddam featured ... more »
Jp Cortez: Gold and Silver Are Still Money
By Rory Hall Once in a while it seems everything aligns just right and the world spins in the orbit we choose. This happened recently... more »
GISS Makes a Useful Reference Disappear from their Land-Ocean Temperature Index Data Page
Originally posted on Bob Tisdale - Climate Observations: The bottom of the data page for the GISS Land-Ocean Temperature Index used to (past tense) include a useful reference. But that reference was deleted in January 2016 and has been gone ever since, as far as I can tell. The data page for the GISS Land-Ocean…
The US Congress Has Final Say On Trump’s NAFTA 2.0 – Kaptur Statement On “Staged” Signing Of US, Mexico & Canada Trade Agreement By Trump
“Kaptur statement on signing of U.S., Mexico and Canada trade agreement by President Trump November 30, 2018 Press Release Washington, … Continue reading →
Chicago’s New PlayStation Tax Shows How Greedy Politicians Can Be
By Brittany Hunter “If it moves, tax it.” That’s government’s eternal motto, as Ronald Reagan quipped. To this, the city government of Chicago has added,... more »
The Forgotten Legacy of George H.W. Bush That the Media Won’t Tell You About
[image: bush] As the mainstream media celebrates his legacy, they won't be telling you about the crimes and corruption of George HW Bush. The post The Forgotten Legacy of George H.W. Bush That the Media Won’t Tell You About appeared first on The Free Thought Project.
CIA Intercept Reveals Saudi Crown Prince Sent 11 Messages to Khashoggi Hit Team Hours Before Murder
[image: khashoggi] Two months after Jamal Khashoggi was butchered at the hands of the Saudis, the evidence implicating the Crown Prince in his murder is now overwhelming. The post CIA Intercept Reveals Saudi Crown Prince Sent 11 Messages to Khashoggi Hit Team Hours Before Murder appeared first on The Free Thought Project.
How Private Banks Create Bubbles — With The Help Of Central Banks
By Frank Shostak With meagre resources at his disposal, an individual is likely to allocate these resources (i.e., his wealth) towards essentials such as food,... more »
Bizarre Seismic Waves Rippled Around the World – and Nobody Knows Why
*Emma Fiala* - Something very unusual rumbled across planet Earth on November 11th,
Toys for us and others
This will be the first Christmas in a long while without retailer Toys R Us, who went out of business. Or, as my youngest son aptly called it when he was a younger, “Toys for us.” The “Toy Story” movies … Continue reading →
Local Council By-Elections November 2018
This month saw 46,377 votes cast over 22 local authority (tier one and tier two) contests. All percentages are rounded to the nearest single decimal place. Just two council seats changed hands in total. For comparison with October's results, see here. Party Number of Candidates Total Vote % +/- Oct +/- Nov 17 Average/ Contest +/- Seats Conservative 22 17,189 37.1% +4.2% +0.6% 781 -1 Labour 22 15,975 34.4% +6.6% +10.2% 726 +1 LibDem 22 9,410 20.3% +0.0% -4.7% 423 +1 UKIP 5 572 1.2% -1... more »
'Grid' (again)
It is interesting looking back at that leaked 'grid' ("a note passed to the BBC") that the Government tried to dismiss ("Downing Street says it's not Theresa May's plan and the childish language in the notes shows it's not an official document"), for I'm seeing more on more of the things on the 'grid' happening, and the BBC duly reporting them. The Japanese PM has popped up today (a few days late admittedly), and the "lots of former foreign secs" spoke out in concert the other day (and got interviewed on *Today*), "Jeremy Hunt on Marr" happened on the exact day stated, and we learn... more »
Post-Khashoggi US-Saudi Ties Become Iffy
Make no mistake, Trump is going out of the way to help MBS survive and is not taking chances. He even blocked the CIA Director from attending a US Senate hearing on Khashoggi murder, fearing that it might provoke Saudi retaliation against American interests on vital issues such as the world oil market. The post Post-Khashoggi US-Saudi Ties Become Iffy appeared first on OrientalReview.org.
'Viewpoint'
The BBC News website's 'Viewpoint' articles from non-BBC people are often revealing. The latest one, newly tweeted about by BBC News, is this: Comments could be going better. The top one reads, "Taking the texture, joy and beauty out of life one column at a time."
BBC coyness
There's a striking difference in the reporting this evening of the resignation of Labour shadow minister Kate Osamor between Sky's online report and the BBC's online report. The BBC says: Ms Osamor's resignation follows allegations of misconduct made by a national newspaper. Sky goes much further: The Times also said Ms Osamor told a reporter who approached her for a comment at her home this week that she "should have come down here with a bat and smashed your face in". She allegedly told him to "f*** off" before throwing a bucket of water on him and calling police. Curious.
Missiles, Fighter Jets And Much More: How China Just Showed Off Its Military Muscles
*Wendell Minnick* *Security, * All thanks to one big airshow. TAIPEI – Think tanks normally do not put the fear of God in you, but a new report from the London-based International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) does the job. The report, “AirShow China 2018: ‘China Dream,’ Air Power and Deterrence,” demonstrates that China’s defense modernization and industrial efforts are “underscoring the role the sector has in President Xi Jinping’s broader nationalist vision of turning China into a great power.” Officially known as the China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibiti... more »
Leaked Google Emails Reveal Internal Discussion On Burying Articles From Conservative Outlets
By Tyler Durden Google – which was exposed trying to help Hillary Clinton win the 2016 election, and who were beside themselves after she lost – discussed whether to... more »
Alzheimer’s – a Mad Hatter’s Tale?…
There’s an expression in English which has gone somewhat out of usage over the last few decades; “As mad as a hatter…” From Germany By Karma Singh When I first heard it in junior school, my thought was “why should hatters be mad?” When I went on to grammar school (I think that’s high school … Continue reading Alzheimer’s – a Mad Hatter’s Tale?… The post Alzheimer’s – a Mad Hatter’s Tale?… appeared first on BolenReport.
How Did The Dems Win 7 Red GOP Seats? Ben Ray Lujan And His Band Of Incompetents Want The Credit— But Kevin McCarthy (And Trump) Did More Than The DCCC Did
California made a big difference to the new Democratic majority in the House. With the final reversal in the Central Valley’s 21st district yesterday, a total of 7 Republican incumbents are being replaced by Democrats: *•* CA-10- Josh Harder replaces Jeff Denham *•* CA-21- T.J. Cox replaces David Valadao *•* CA-25- Katie Hill replaces Steve Knight *•* CA-39- Gil Cisneros replaces Ed Royce *•* CA-45- Katie Porter replaces Mimi Walters *•* CA-48- Harley Rouda replaces Dana Rohrabacher *•* CA-49- Mike Levin replaces Darrell Issa There is no question that Ammar Campa-Najjar would be re... more »
The Many Ways Governments Create Monopolies
By Mike Holly Politicians tend to favor authoritarianism over capitalism and monopoly over competition. They have directly created monopolies (and oligopolies) in all major industrial... more »
Democrats Hate It When We Do That
It has been thirty years since Ronald Reagan last Made America Great Again. Now that President Trump is undoing the damage caused by the previous four people in the White House, Democrats are really angry.
BREAKING: The pleasurable embellishment rules!
*SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2018Goodbye to [most of] this:* We raised this question yesterday, at the end of our post. Is the highlighted statement true? That was the question we asked: "The reason I'm being a little snarky is because all this comes just as Nancy Pelosi led her party to an electoral victory that will return them to power in the House *with the largest margin victory in the popular vote of any party ever in the midterm election.* No party ever in the history of the country has won a midterm election by a larger margin than Pelosi's Democrats just did in the House." Is... more »
US Congresswoman Kaptur On What’s Wrong With NAFTA And Trump’s NAFTA 2.0
“These are the numbers just for the year of 2016. You can see how big the trade deficit is with … Continue reading →
Trump Said G-20 Meeting With Putin Cancelled; Russia Said Not; Putin Warmly Greets Saudi Crown Prince; Trump Meets With Crown Prince
Putin warmly greets Saudi Crown Prince MBS, video: http://youtu.be/rXiSafSqXAY According to Bloomberg, Trump and Putin shook hands ca 8:25 pm. … Continue reading →
Alaska M 7.0 Earthquake Hits Near Anchorage, Nov. 30, 2018; M 9.2 Megathrust Earthquake Occurred In 1964
Location of November 30, 2018 M 7.0 earthquake, compared to 1964 M 9.2 earthquake. Zoom in of yesterday’s earthquake. Liquefaction … Continue reading →
THE MEDIA'S PRAISE FOR POPPY BUSH SHOWS US WHAT POST-TRUMP MAINSTREAM JOURNALISM WILL BE LIKE
I'm old enough to remember the days when a thing called "the blogosphere" existed and seemed vital, largely because it wasn't polite -- the blogosphere, without hesitation, would tell you that the Emperor was wearing no clothes, unlike the mainstream press, which would ignore the Emperor's nakedness or would minimize it with euphemism. Blogging faded, but some of the blogosphere's sensibility began to seep into the mainstream media. And then Donald Trump came along and it seemed as if much of the media had finally left politeness and euphemism behind, because calling Trump a liar an... more »
Sometimes the jokes just write themselves
I couldn't help laughing when I read that a man accidentally shot himself . . . in a rather unfortunate location, in more ways than one. The ... incident occurred at around 6:30 p.m. after a semiautomatic handgun that was being held in the man’s waistband began to slip. The gun, which was not in a holster, discharged as he attempted to reposition it, the man told cops. The Arizona Republic reported when police officers responded to the gun shot the man was found in the meat section of the Walmart store with “survivable injuries.” Officers said they filed a report for the unlawful ... more »
The Awesomeness of Nature
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Objective Review of the US Climate Report
People’s names are attached to that report. They should be called in front of Congress to defend their conclusions. There needs to be consequences for misleading the public and wasting public tax dollars. Activists tend to exaggerate the impacts of climate change while underestimating the costs of tackling it. The reception to the new US … Continue reading "Objective Review of the US Climate Report"
The Week in Pictures
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George H.W. Bush Has Entered the Void
And has almost - almost! - replaced Donald Trump and his scandals as the number one topic of discussion among the corporate media resistance fighters. You see, although Trump's publicists put out the obligatory statement mourning the Passing of Poppy, media outlets are scrambling to broadcast the time when Trump mocked this beloved elder statesman. See here and here to get the handwringing drift of the manufactured outrage. Thank goodness Trump didn't mock Bush's wartime exploits as he did John McCain's. Otherwise he might have been barred from attending another star-studded funeral... more »
Why we'll miss George H.W. Bush, America's last foreign policy president
James Goldgeier, Professor at the School of International Service and Visiting Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations, American University School of International Service at Politics + Society – The Conversation - 14 hours ago
The first President Bush had some impressive foreign policies wins, but could he be best remembered for getting the US entangled in Iraq?
Untitled
From Jenna Orkin EXCLUSIVE: FBI RAIDS HOME OF WHISTLEBLOWER ON CLINTON FOUNDATION, LAWYER SAYSHow Your Pet Contributes to Climate Change 500 million Marriott customers have had their data hacked after staying at hotels including W, Sheraton, and Westin Russia is gathering tanks on our border, says Ukraine, as it activates sweeping martial law powers GoFundMe Page Seeking $920 Million To Replace Malfunctioning New Jersey Bridge Rogue Gene-Editing Scientist Claims New Pregnancy; Government Probe Launched As Hospital Disavows Ukraine Bans Russian Men From The Country; Russia Says Will N... more »
Gun Problems: Why Russia and China Struggle to Make World-Class Pistols
*Charlie Gao* *Security, * Making a successful pistol design is hard. Unlike rifles where most moving parts are relatively spaced out, pistols have all their moving parts packed into a small area. Making a successful pistol design is hard. Unlike rifles where most moving parts are relatively spaced out, pistols have all their moving parts packed into a small area. The modern trend of trying to stuff more and more ammunition into smaller and smaller guns only exacerbates the difficulty of making a quality design that works right. Russia and China have found this out the hard way,...more »
Revealed: The Navy Explained to Us How It Responds When A Submarine Disappears
*Task and Purpose, Josh Dean* *Technology, Americas* [image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/usnavy/8770562389/sizes/o/] Acting quickly can save lives. The loss of the ARA San Juan stunned the international submarine community. It was the first sub lost since Russia’s nuclear-powered Kursk went down in 2000, and it demonstrated the rare international unity and cooperation that occurs when a boat is in distress. At least 13 countries participated in the search for the diesel-electric San Juan — helping the Argentines look for what is now a tomb for 44 submariners who’d gone out for ... more »
Russia Might Have a New Way to Kill the Army's 'Big Guns'
*Mark Episkopos* *Security, * Weapons manufacturer Rostec featured the latest iteration of their advanced artillery reconnaissance solution at Russia’s “Army 2018” expo. Rostec is confident that this system, called “Penicillin,” will revolutionize artillery reconnaissance just as its namesake revolutionized the field of medicine. Weapons manufacturer Rostec featured the latest iteration of their advanced artillery reconnaissance solution at Russia’s “Army 2018” expo. Rostec is confident that this system, called “Penicillin,” will revolutionize artillery reconnaissance just as it...more »
The 3 Things Trump and Xi Must Focus on at the G20
*Ted Galen Carpenter* *Security, Asia* [image: Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May, French President Emmanuel Macron, U.S. President Donald Trump, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Argentina's President Mauricio Macri and G20 leaders pose for a family photo during the G20 summit in Buenos Aires, Ar] It is not all about trade. The much-anticipated bilateral session between President Donald Trump and Chinese president Xi Jinping at the G-20 meeting in Buenos Aires has created a rather unique situation. There appears to be more attention to that “sideline” encounter than to the G... more »
Why the Marine Corps and Navy Will Miss the EA-6B Prowler
*Edward Chang* *Security, * The end of an era. In early November 2018, Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron Two (VMAQ-2) “Death Jesters” departed Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar and returned to their home base of Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point, North Carolina. The 250 Marines were not only undoubtedly overjoyed to return home after a deployment that began in April, but were also proud to hold the distinction of having completed the final operational deployment of the Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare (EW) aircraft, set to be retired in 2019. Though... more »
Balkanize Russia?
Russia has the largest land border with the Arctic Ocean. As the ice melts the western oil corporations want control of that vast area. The Rand Corporation has done a study calling for the 'balkanization' of Russia - breaking it up into smaller nations so that the oil corporations can get control. This is why the US keeps saying they want regime change in Moscow. Ukraine is just a sideshow the US-NATO created to excuse major military escalation on Russia's border. Missile defense deployments are being finalized in Romania and Poland and a new regional US base in Poland will ser... more »
More than a million homes will be cut off from the new fully switchable smart meters
By Paul Homewood h/t Philip Bratby The problems mount up for the smart meter roll out. [As an aside, I wonder how much we have all paid the likes of Kirstie Allsop to plug them?] From the Telegraph: More than a million households may be unable to benefit from the new … … Continue reading →
Banning plastics ‘could cause more damage to planet’
By Paul Homewood Hey-ho! An outright ban on plastics could lead to greater environmental damage, according to a group of academics. Campaigners have called for reductions or bans in some areas, with recent programmes such as the BBC’s Blue Planet highlighting the impact of plastics on the world’s oceans. A group of 40 academics … … Continue reading →
The Opposite Of Berniepalooza
I spent the last few days in lovely Burlington, Vermont… at Berniepalooza. It was very inspiring, very forward-looking of course-- with speakers like Stephanie Kelton, Cornel West, Bill de Blasio, Abdul El-Sayed, Ben Jealous, Susan Sarandon, John Cusack, Bill McKibben… talking about the progressive vision for America and the world. ALEC (the American Legislative Exchange Council) had a conference too. It was the exact opposite-- how to abolish Social Security and Medicare kind of thing. Nancy Altman covered it for *Common Dreams*. “Mick Mulvaney, the Trump administration’s direct... more »
Weekend reads: Is science self-correcting?; peer review’s “undue emotional burdens;” retractions at Science
Before we present this week’s Weekend Reads, a question: Do you enjoy our weekly roundup? If so, we could really use your help. Would you consider a tax-deductible donation to support Weekend Reads, and our daily work? Thanks in advance. The week at Retraction Watch featured a dental researcher who is up to 18 pulled papers; … Continue reading Weekend reads: Is science self-correcting?; peer review’s “undue emotional burdens;” retractions at Science
Hot Air
On Thursday, the Ford Government released its environment plan -- the one they claimed would be "better" than the previous Liberal government's plan. Martin Regg Cohn writes: The premier’s climate-change strategy is certainly a change in direction: It scales back Ontario’s obligation to curb carbon pollution by more than 25 per cent — 30 megatonnes — at the very time reductions are most needed. But it also reverses the onus: Rather than imposing a price on carbon pollution as a cost of doing business, the Tories are shifting the burden to taxpayers by making them subsidize big bus... more »
Editor's Note
Taking some badly needed R&R today. Blogging will return later today.
Protests And Riots Return To The Streets Of Paris
*NBC:* *Tear gas flies in Paris as French 'Yellow Jacket' protesters clash with police* Police launched tear gas and water cannon at demonstrators angry at President Emmanuel Macron's economic reforms. PARIS — Thousands of French police were deployed Saturday on Paris' famed Champs-Elysee Avenue to contain another round of demonstrations against gas tax hikes. Police launched tear gas and water cannon as some of the so-called Yellow Jackets protesting President Emmanuel Macron's economic reforms tried to force their way across official lines. Hundreds of demonstrators milled a... more »
An Examination of Nozick’s Randian Argument
Robert Nozick, in his essay, “The Randian Argument,” (*Socratic Puzzles*; Page 249 - 264), tries to show that Ayn Rand does not objectively establish the conclusions that she reaches in her work on moral theory. He says that it is not clear to him what Rand’s argument is so he must try to set out the argument as a deductive argument and then examine the premises. So his methodology consists of reducing Rand’s moral theory (his understanding of it) into four arguments or conclusions, each one of which he examines in turn. But his critique of Rand’s argument is not right. Douglas Den... more »
The Destruction Of Science By Al Gore
Dr. Bill Gray Fort Collins February, 2015 At the beginning of Al Gore’s Vice-Presidency, climate scientists knew that the western US was prone to massive droughts, they were natural, caused by shifts in the jet stream, and that the Medieval … Continue reading →
South Korean Train Crosses The DMZ For The First Time In A Decade
*BBC:* *South Korean train crosses DMZ into North Korea* For the first time in more than a decade, a train has travelled from South Korea across the heavily guarded border into North Korea. On board is a team of South Korean experts investigating ways to help North Korea modernise its rail network. The two Koreas have made significant progress in improving their relationship over the past year. The hope is that it will eventually become easier to travel and trade across the border. *Read more* .... *WNU Editor:* This is a major development that deserves more attention than w... more »
The Past Can Help The U.S. Military Modernize
The Pentagon's skunk works is creating technology to build the 'super soldier' of the future. It envisions using augmented reality to help ground troops identify targets, sources of gunfire and help with communication *Lou DiStasi, Defense News:* *Modernizing the US military by learning from the past* “Innovation” and “force modernization” are the Pentagon buzzwords of the day. Strategies are being developed across the Department of Defense enterprise, with these concepts as the foundational pillars. Is this a flawed idea involving competing philosophies? Can the U.S. be truly inn... more »
Concern over civilian casualties as US hits 66 buildings
Newly released data from the US military shows that over 60 buildings were hit last month despite long-standing concerns that these kinds of strikes cause civilian casualties
Kids pursuing climate change lawsuit are being seriously misinformed
“District Court reverses itself, grants the government an immediate “interlocutory” appeal to the 9th Circuit, putting the trial on hold indefinitely, in a case likely to end up in Supreme Court.” click here
23 amazing scientific discoveries found trapped in ice.
https://www.science101.com/amazing-scientific-discoveries-found-trapped-in-ice/?utm_source=faok&utm_medium=S_FB_S101_US_IceDiscoveries_phase2-ranker-mob-v7_v1_2111&utm_content=feed Advertisements
Mycologist Develops Fungi Bricks That Grow Stronger Than Concrete
https://truththeory.com/2017/05/19/mycologist-develops-fungi-bricks-grow-stronger-concrete/
5 Things You Can Do to Reduce Your Risk for Diabetes
https://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/lifestyle/blog/7132/5-things-you-can-do-to-reduce-your-risk-for-diabetes
Study witnesses first moments of star dying in finest detail
http://www.anu.edu.au/news/all-news/study-witnesses-first-moments-of-star-dying-in-finest-detail
10 Quotes From ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ That’ll Make You Crave Success.
https://m.indiatimes.com/lifestyle/10-quotes-from-the-wolf-of-wall-street-that-ll-make-you-crave-success-357474.html
Low rumble off the coast of Africa felt around the Earth.
https://www.thisisinsider.com/africa-earthquakes-are-starting-to-scare-people-2018-11?utm_content=bufferf040c&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer-insider-main
How the EPA and the Pentagon downplayed a growing toxic threat
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/07/09/how-the-epa-and-the-pentagon-downplayed-a-growing-toxic-threat.html?__source=sharebar|facebook&par=sharebar
Scientists Explain What Happens to Your Body When You Drink Green Tea Every Day.
https://www.organichomeremedies.com/2018/09/17/scientists-explain-what-happens-to-your-body-when-you-drink-green-tea-every-day/?utm_source=AHS&utm_medium=AHS&utm_campaign=AHS
Trump: Crazy? Stupid? Venal? Ignorant? Traitorous? All Of The Above?
The other day, in one of his delusional twitter ranks, the cornered rat was screeching that Mueller’s meticulous investigation into Putin-Gate is an “illegal Joseph McCarthy style Witch Hunt” that wasted $40,000,000. For those who keep track of this sort of thing, Eric Levitz, writing for *New York* Magazine, noted that Trump had his numbers wrong. Trump, who was always ran his businesses very badly and was in and out of bankruptcies for his whole career, was off by $40,000,000. Levitz speculated that it was likely that the illegitimate fake “president” just picked a large number ... more »
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*The Right Way to Cut College Costs* College students must realize that only conservatism can save higher education Total student debt hit an astronomical $1.48 trillion this year. The average graduate now leaves school with $40,000 in loans hanging over his head. So is it really a surprise that Senator Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) won over millions of young people in 2016? After all, he campaigned on student-loan bailouts and “free college.” Many students desperate for an answer now support this agenda — in the hope of escaping crushing amounts in debt. Yet government interventio... more »
Meet the World War II 'Rifle' that Tried to Kill Hitler's Tanks
*Warfare History Network, Bob Cashner* *Security, * Although the Boys antitank rifle rapidly became obsolete during World War II, it served its purpose as a stopgap defense against marauding Axis armor. When the first tanks appeared in World War I, they were relatively lightly armored and protected the crews only against small-arms fire. In addition, much of the armor was riveted. Projectiles striking the exterior of the armor could pop off rivet heads or flake armor from the internal surfaces, creating fragments that would fly around the vehicle interior, causing injuries or dea... more »
5 Times America Used Military Force (And It Backfired)
*Daniel R. DePetris* *Security, * Another reason why realism and restraint are sorely needed in our foreign policy choices today. The United States of America has been and continues to be the most powerful nation on the planet. Its $19 trillion economy is the envy of the world; the professionalization of its armed forces is second to none; and its system of alliances and partners (while sometimes strained in the era of Donald Trump) extends from the farthest corners of the Western Hemisphere to the waters of the Persian Gulf. Even superpowers, however, make mistakes that can lea... more »
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*Obama Touts Climate Change Legacy, Then Takes Credit For US Oil Boom* *This has no contact with reality. At the end of Obama's second year unemployment was at 8%. The only thing that restored American jobs was the fracking boom, which Obama had absolutely nothing to do with. He was not even aware of it until the boom became too big to ignore. The work took place on private land and no permits for it were either sought or given* Former President Barack Obama said he was “extraordinarily proud of the Paris accords” before, rather ironically, taking credit for booming U.S. oil an... more »
Lost that "new vehicle" smell in a hurry, I guess . . .
A brand-new Airbus A321neo airliner, delivered only two weeks ago on November 14th, had an altogether too close - or, rather, too hard - encounter with the earth yesterday. A VietJet A321neo lost both nosegear wheels during a hard landing at Buon Ma Thuot, with passengers and crew evacuating via slides. Images ... show the aircraft with emergency slides deployed and its nosegear wheels completely shorn off. One image shows what appears to be the remains of firefighting foam under the right engine cowling. The aircraft was operating flight VJ356 on the Ho Chi Minh City-Buon Ma Th... more »