10 pm MDT
Unrest In Belarus -- News Updates August 18, 2020
*Reuters:* *Belarus opposition sets up council; Lukashenko decries 'attempt to seize power'* MINSK (Reuters) - The nascent political opposition in Belarus set up a council inside the country on Tuesday, a move President Alexander Lukashenko denounced as an attempt to seize power 10 days after an election that has triggered mass demonstrations. Many of Belarus’s major opposition figures are either in jail or in exile, including presidential candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who fled the country after the vote her supporters say she won. Thousands of protesters have taken to the... more »
The survival of Myanmar’s democracy demands instiutional forbearance
Persistent adherence to the written rules makes Mynamar's vulnerable to authoritarian tendencies and threatens a fragile democracy. The post The survival of Myanmar’s democracy demands instiutional forbearance appeared first on New Mandala.
UN Tribunal Convicts Hezbollah Member For The 2005 Assassination Of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri
*France 24:* *Lebanon tribunal convicts Hezbollah member in 2005 Hariri murder but exonerates group's leadership* There is no evidence that Hezbollah's leadership or the Syrian government were involved in the 2005 bombing that killed former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon found on Tuesday. But the tribunal found main defendant Salim Ayyash, a member of Hezbollah, guilty of involvement in Hariri's death. "The trial chamber is of the view that Syria and Hezbollah may have had motives to eliminate Mr. Hariri and his political allies, however th... more »
Has CalPERS Come Clean With Its Board Over Pending $500 Million Carlyle Deal, Tainted by Ownership of Carlyle Shares by Departed CIO Ben Meng?
CalPERS needs to come clean about its Ben Meng mess. A pending Carlyle transaction shows it's still in cover-up mode.
Philosophy and Abstract Thinking
Philosophy lives and dies in abstract thinking. If you have no capacity for abstract thinking, then you cannot make progress in philosophy, but if your entire worldview is founded on abstract thinking, then your philosophy will be rationalistic and utopian. Therefore, while navigating the river of philosophy, a philosopher must keep his feet planted in two boats simultaneously: one foot in the boat of the real world and the other foot in the boat of abstract thought.
IS THIS CHINESE OUTFIT COLLECTING DNA FROM AUSSIE COVID-19 TESTS?
By Tony Mobilifonitis CHINA’S Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI), which collects DNA forcibly harvested from Chinese people, is a major security risk to Australia, according to documents sourced by Melbourne lawyer and activist Serene Teffaha. BGI has sold 10 million COVID-19 testing kits to Australia with the help of Andrew Forrest’s Minderoo Foundation. There has been […]
Republican Senators Misrepresent Their Own Russia Report
Sen. Marco Rubio speaking at Arizona Christian University in Phoenix, Arizona, in 2015. (Flickr/Gage Skidmore, https://flic.kr/p/svtdqR; CC BY-SA 2.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/) To hear Republican members of the Senate Intelligence Committee tell it, you’d think the nearly 1,000 page report the committee released today exonerated President Trump and his campaign. The report, write six of the GOP members, “exhaustively reviews the counterintelligence threats and vulnerabilities to the 2016, but never explicitly states the critical fact: *the Committee found no... more »
August18: Time is Short
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/aug/17/death-valley-temperature-rises-to-544c-possibly-the-hottest-ever-reliably-recorded Not to worry. Oil chiefs and their expert premiers - as in Alberta and Ontario - have told us nothing is happening. So there. ____________________________________________________________________ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/16/the-plastic-we-use-unthinkingly-every-day-is-killing-our-planet-and-slowly-but-surely-killing-us -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ...and in my home ... more »
Substantive Elements of The Big Story Behind The Mueller Special Counsel Purpose…
Foolishness and betrayal of our country have served to reveal dangers within our present condition. Misplaced corrective action, regardless of intent, is neither safe nor wise. The intelligence apparatus was weaponized against a candidate by those who controlled the levers … Continue reading →
Chris Martenson, "Good News! Up To 50% Of Us May Be 'Pre-Immune' To Covid-19"
Chris Martenson, Peak Prosperity *"Good News! Up To 50% Of Us May Be 'Pre-Immune' To Covid-19"* - https://www.peakprosperity.com/
there's greed, big greed, and then big pharma
5-14-2013 It all seemed to be going so well for the big pharmaceutical companies (big pharma). National governments used to be able to choose whether to grant patents on pharmaceutical products or not. Some countries such as India didn't award any patents at all, literally giving generics drugs companies free licence to copy lifesaving drugs at affordable prices. Then the World Trade Organization's (WTO) agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) came into force, effectively handing Big Pharma exclusive patents in all markets as of 2005. The he... more »
Democrat Convention Insanity: Day 2
So far the highlights are: - AOC endorsing Bernie Sanders for President - Elizabeth Warren being part of the DNC Native American Caucus - Bill Clinton speaking on the day that photos of his getting a massage from one of Epstein's accusers surfaces - A member of the DNC LBGTQ Caucus saying that they're calling for the abolition of the police, ICE, and prisons Democrats think Joe Biden is too moderate, they hate native Americans, they hate women, and they want Blacks to be unprotected from criminals.
Plandemic Indoctornation – Full Documentary
The post Plandemic Indoctornation – Full Documentary appeared first on OYE Alternative News.
Beyond Intellectual Property?
bilaterals.org - 1 hour ago
19-Aug-2020 By David Betancourt There is no doubt that solving this pandemic is the most pressing challenge of our time. This is not a zero-sum game. Below, I elaborate on the four points for effective global solidarity to tackle the pandemic.
The U.S. Anti-China Coalition Isn't Coming Together
*Pak K. Lee, Anisa Heritage* *Politics, Asia* [image: Reuters] The inherent contradictions between the Trump administration’s America First strategy and the current calls for a coalition against China remain a sticking point. As tensions continue to mount in the waters surrounding the contested islands of the South China Sea, a US navy aircraft carrier conducted exercises in the region on August 17. This came after the Trump administration hardened the US’s longstanding neutral position on China’s maritime claims in the South China Sea. In May 1995, following China’s occupation ... more »
Will Donald Trump Sell F-35s and Drones to the UAE?
*Seth J. Frantzman* *Security, Middle East* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2015%3Anewsml_GF20000036662&share=true] The sale of F-35s seems less likely, but drones are a real possibility. Days after a historic bilateral agreement by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to normalize relations with Israel, there are questions in Israel about whether this will mean new arms sales to Abu Dhabi by the United States, potentially eroding Israel’s qualitative military edge. Israel’s leading daily newspaper *Yediot Ahronot *claimed on Tuesday that the Trump ad... more »
Very Bright Meteor Fireball Illuminates Night Sky Over Shandong, China
Very Bright Meteor Fireball Illuminates Night Sky Over Shandong, China by Sott.net The Chinese Meteor Monitoring Organization (CMMO) runs an automated camera in Shandong Province, monitoring meteor activity above the coast of the Yellow Sea. According to Spaceweather.com on Aug. 16th, it caught the brightest fireball in years. A space rock exploded in the atmosphere over …
Alasdair Macleod: An Unexpected Systemic Crisis is for Sure
Emphasis mine: An Unexpected Systemic Crisis is for Sure by Alasdair Macleod, https://www.goldmoney.com/ Downturns in bank credit expansion always lead to systemic problems. We are on the edge of such a downturn, which thanks to everyone’s focus on the coronavirus, is unexpected. – We can now identify 23 March as the date when markets stopped …
Pentagon is Forming New Task Force to Investigate UFO Sightings Over US Military Bases – Defense Officials Say – After US Senators Demand Answers
Pentagon is Forming New Task Force to Investigate UFO Sightings Over US Military Bases – Defense Officials Say – After US Senators Demand Answers by RACHEL SHARP FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and FRANCES MULRANEY FOR DAILYMAIL.COM * Two defense officials said a new task force that hunts and investigates UFOs seen by military aircraft will be unveiled in the …
This is One of The Single Biggest Threats to The Dollar Today
This is One of The Single Biggest Threats to The Dollar Today by Simon Black, https://www.sovereignman.com/ In late November 1943, as World War II raged in Europe and the Pacific, leaders of the ‘Big Three’ allied nations– the United States, United Kingdom, and Soviet Union, held a key strategy meeting in Tehran. – It’s hard …
An Asteroid The Size Of A Tesla Just Made The Closest Fly-By Of Earth On Record
An Asteroid The Size Of A Tesla Just Made The Closest Fly-By Of Earth On Record by Eric Mack, https://www.forbes.com/ , 18 Aug 2020 Nobody saw little asteroid 2020QG coming, but it whipped by our planet as close as anything we’ve ever seen that was able to keep on going. According to NASA’s database of …
BLM And ANTIFA Domestic Terrorists in Portland Drag Man Out of Car And Beat Him Nearly to Death As Crowd Chants ‘Black Lives Matter!’ And Laughs
BLM And ANTIFA Domestic Terrorists in Portland Drag Man Out of Car And Beat Him Nearly to Death As Crowd Chants ‘Black Lives Matter!’ And Laughs by Geoffrey Grider, https://www.nowtheendbegins.com/ While the man sat on the ground apparently texting on his phone, one of the rioters who had initially confronted him ran up from behind and …
MANDATORY “Quarantine Camps” Were Just Rolled Out in New Zealand, A Globalist Testing Ground
MANDATORY “Quarantine Camps” Were Just Rolled Out in New Zealand, A Globalist Testing Ground by Mike Adams, https://www.naturalnews.com/Index.html (Natural News) After outlawing firearms possession by citizens, New Zealand’s government is now exploiting its power monopoly to roll out mandatory quarantine camps for people who might be infected with COVID-19. And some people will never be allowed to leave …
Most Prestigious Peer-Reviewed Medical Journal (New England Journal Of Medicine) Advocates That “No Man Might Buy Or Sell, Save He That Hath The (Covid-19 Vaccination) Mark” – See REV. 13:17
Most Prestigious Peer-Reviewed Medical Journal (New England Journal Of Medicine) Advocates That “No Man Might Buy Or Sell, Save He That Hath The (Covid-19 Vaccination) Mark” – See REV. 13:17 by SkyWatch Editor, https://www.skywatchtv.com/ A new paper published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) attempts to make the case that people who …
People Are Dumping Houses On The Market In The Mass Exodus From Cities, New California Wealth Tax
Silver Report Uncut People have begun dumping houses on the market that’s the only way to describe it because there are not enough buyers coming in to meet the swelling Supply. San Francisco is one of those markets it has been one of the hottest housing markets in the US in recent years however people …
Another Perspective on Planet X with Scott C’one
Israeli News Live Another Perspective on Planet X with Scott C’one We wanted to bring Scott on to share his views on Planet X. Our sources in the Pentagon and FEMA as you know have very grim outlook and the events we are facing on our Earth and although Scott knows we are going to …
Peter Schiff | Endgame for the Dollar: Government Tries to Replace the Economy with Printing Press
MoneyShow In response to unprecedented economic collapse brought on by the government’s nonsensical response to the coronavirus pandemic, the powers in Washington have decided that the Federal Reserve’s ability to create money out of thin air is a sufficient substitute for an actual economy. Few in power are showing the slightest concern regarding the nearly …
Australian bank branches and ATMs are vanishing
The coronavirus ‘crisis’ has sparked the closure of a record number of ATMs and bank branches across Australia, as digital payments significantly outperform physical transactions. The move signifies a new chapter in Australia’s ongoing push towards a cashless society. [...Continued]
Biden's long foreign-policy record signals how he'll reverse Trump, rebuild old alliances and lead the pandemic response
Klaus W. Larres, Richard M. Krasno Distinguished Professor; Adjunct Professor of the Curriculum in Peace, War and Defense, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill at Politics/Election '20 – The Conversation - 2 hours ago
How would Joe Biden engage a world upended by Trump? A diplomacy expert explains what Biden's history says about his foreign policy priorities.
Why the Abraham Accord Likely Won't Bring Peace to the Middle East
*Dov Waxman* *Politics, * For Palestinians, in fact, the Israeli-Emirati agreement is seen as a major setback, weakening their bargaining position with Israel. The heralded recent agreement to normalize relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates may not be the grand achievement it was made out to be. The White House-brokered deal, which was announced with much fanfare on Aug. 13, is undoubtedly a diplomatic win for U.S. President Donald Trump and for Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who declared its signing a “historic day.” But the United Arab Emirates an... more »
The Collateral Damage of a Postal Service Shutdown
*Patty Heyda* *Politics, Americas* [image: Reuters] As the Postal Service teeters – economically sabotaged and on the brink of being sold off – it’s all-the-more needed to preserve the durable, social, accessible, sustainable and beautiful cities and towns that citizens deserve. The U.S. Postal Service is under threat of collapse and privatization. This comes after years of federal political maneuvering that has effectively depleted revenues and staffing – issues now amplified by new cuts to overtime worker pay and slowed delivery. This matters now more than ever as the COVID-19... more »
Could An Old Iranian F-14 Tomcat Bring Down A U.S. F-22 Raptor?
*TNI Staff* *Security, * We take a look. *Here's What You Need To Remember: * If by some bizarre circumstance the F-22 is embroiled in a dogfight with the F-14, the chances are the Raptor will kill the Tomcat unless the American pilot suffers from extremely bad luck or makes a serious error. The Raptor holds all of the cards in terms of instantaneous and sustained turn rates—which in the F-22’s case is greater than 30 degrees per second—and energy addition. With the United States withdrawing from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear deal with Iran, a war with Tehran se... more »
Who Should Donald Trump Choose For the Supreme Court Next?
*John G. Malcolm* *Politics, Americas* [image: U.S. President Donald Trump greets Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts as he arrives to deliver his State of the Union address to a joint session of the U.S. Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S. February 4, 2020. REUT] Here's fourteen good picks. President Donald Trump recently announced that by Sept. 1 he would release “a new list” of conservative Supreme Court nominees, “which may include some, or many of those already on the list.” If presented with the opportunity to nominate someone to fill ... more »
Does Vaping Make Coronavirus More Dangerous?
*Jeffrey A. Singer* *Politics, Americas* [image: A woman exhales after vaping in Times Square, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in New York City, U.S., March 31, 2020. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid] Probably not, but that isn't stopping unscientific fearmongering. There is no link between nicotine in e‐cigarettes and E‐cigarette of Vaping Product‐Use Associated Lung Injury (EVALI). EVALI cases have been traced to vitamin E acetate, used as a solvent for THC in black market vaping products. Flavored vaping products are preferred by adults who switch from combusti... more »
Regular Upgrades Have Kept America's M16 Rifle Shooting Strong For 50 Years
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, Americas* The story of the M16 post-Vietnam is the story of how a mature, successful weapon design can be adapted to suit a variety of needs and missions. *Here's What You Need To Remember: *The M16 series of weapons has been in continuous use by the U.S. Military for more than fifty years. A mature, reliable weapon design, there is still room for growth in the form of a change in caliber and to a gas piston operating system. Such improvements could ensure the M16 family remains on the front lines for another twenty years or more, making it one of the l... more »
Scientists Say Greenland’s Melting Ice Sheet Has Passed the Point of No Return
*Ethen Kim Lieser* *Environment, Europe* [image: Reuters] The ice sheet is expected to lose mass ninety-nine out of every hundred years. Even if global warming were miraculously put to a complete stop right now, Greenland’s fast-melting ice sheet still wouldn’t recover to the levels seen just last week. The study, published in the journal Nature Communications Earth and Environment, tapped into nearly forty years of satellite data from more than two hundred large glaciers to settle on the troubling findings—which revealed that Greenland’s massive ice sheet has indeed passed the ... more »
The Navy Almost Bet Big On Seaplanes To Carry Out Its Nuclear Mission
*Steve Weintz* *Security, * Throughout the 1950s, the Navy explored various technologies in an attempt to give the service an advantage in the nuclear era. *Here's What You Need To Remember: *After spending more than $500 million—in 1950s money—on the Seaplane Striking Force, the concept sank out of sight. The military scrapped its remaining Tradewinds and SeaMasters, and only a few Sea Darts remain today as museum displays. After World War II, the U.S. Navy found itself in uncertain waters, despite its enormous successes in the Pacific and Atlantic theaters. Blame the atomic bo... more »
Increasing serious Covid-19 cases in Osaka and Tokyo
Increasing serious Covid-19 cases in Osaka and Tokyo Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The number of serious coronavirus (Covid-19) cases in Osaka and Tokyo are on the rise once more. Hence, the local governments of Osaka and Tokyo need to step up the protection of the most vulnerable. In truth, the […]
Mali mutiny is morphing into a coup after Political leaders held
Mali mutiny is morphing into a coup after Political leaders held Sawako Uchida and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Since the June 5 Movement occurred in Mali endless protests have hit the capital. Indeed, even when ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) sought political dialogue, opposition forces refused to relent. Therefore, it isn’t […]
Midnight Meme Of The Day!
*by Noah* First they erected a wall around the White House. Now they've erected a wall around your neighborhood mailbox. Next they will build a wall around you. Republicans don't like our taking down statues of their racist traitors like Robert E. Lee who they idolize, so now they are erecting what amount to industrial art pieces that symbolize their goal of fascist totalitarianism. That's exactly what tonight's meme shows. Former Republican National Committee Deputy National Finance Co-Chair Louis DeJoy, now Trump's Postmaster General, has temporarily stopped "stealing" mailboxe... more »
"They’ve Done It Again"
*"They’ve Done It Again"* by Brian Maher "The stars are back in their courses. The angels are back in the heavens. And the Perfections are back within sight... For merely 148 trading days after bottoming… the S&P returned to record heights today. The index closed the day at 3,389 - eclipsing its February 19 height of 3,386. Thus Jerome Powell’s maniacal persistence has yielded a reward truly fantastic. He has successfully reflated the bubble. The Federal Reserve has itself become the market. Shannon Saccocia, Boston Private’s chief investment officer: "Equity markets are reflectin... more »
Sudan May Have Banned FGM, but the Harsh Practice Continues
Global Issues News Headlines - 3 hours ago
Aug 18 (IPS) - Just four months ago, Sudan took the monumental step to ban female genital mutilation, a painful, unnecessary and dangerous procedure that leaves lasting scars. Generally carried out on girls before they reach puberty, genital mutilation is now punishable in Sudan by up to three years in prison and subject to a fine. Read the full story, “Sudan May Have Banned FGM, but the Harsh Practice Continues”, on globalissues.org →
Hundreds more sick in outbreak traced to Thomson International onions
More than 200 patients have been added to the tally in a Salmonella outbreak traced to certain fresh onions. Meanwhile, federal officials are testing water and other possible sources of the contamination. Since the previous update on Aug. 7, an additional 229 ill people have been confirmed, including nine from four new states: Arkansas, Hawaii,... Continue Reading
Organic soup recalled after consumer complaints, mistakes at Faribault Foods
Minnesota’s Faribault Foods Inc. has recalled 15,134 pounds of canned soup because of misbranding and undeclared allergens, according to USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The product contains milk and soy, known allergens, as well as beef and pork, which are not declared on the product label. The cans labeled as chicken noodle soup... Continue Reading
Trudeau prorogues Parliament — and another Liberal promise is broken
When he was sworn in nearly five years ago, most Canadians wouldn’t have believed that Trudeau was capable of such skulduggery National Post Updated: August 18, 2020 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks to reporters as Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, also newly appointed as finance minister, listens on Aug. 18, 2020. Trudeau has asked … Continue reading Trudeau prorogues Parliament — and another Liberal promise is broken →
Trudeau accused of attempting to cover up scandal by proroguing parliament
Move to ‘reset’ government due to coronavirus comes amid committee investigations into WE charity affair Tracey Lindeman in Ottawa Wed 19 Aug 2020 Justin Trudeau listens to a question during a press conference in Ottawa, Canada, on 18 August. Photograph: Canadian Press/REX/Shutterstock Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, is facing accusations that his decision to … Continue reading Trudeau accused of attempting to cover up scandal by proroguing parliament →
Plandemic: The Feature That Started It All – Digital Freedom Platform
Plandemic The Feature That Started It All Watch the feature that started it all. When Plandemic was released earlier this year, there was a huge amount of controversy around its contents which focus on interviews with Dr. Judy Mikovits who has also been a guest on London Real. Exposing the vaccine agenda and the vested … Continue reading Plandemic: The Feature That Started It All – Digital Freedom Platform →
Anquefa Head To Sturgis Biker Rally | Need Police To Protect Them!
Salty Cracker Aug 17, 2020 via Anquefa Head To Sturgis Biker Rally | Need Police To Protect Them! – YouTube
4Chan Finds BLM “Security” That Kicked White Man In Head
Salty Cracker Aug 17, 2020 via 4Chan Finds BLM “Security” That Kicked White Man In Head – YouTube
Microsoft Tries To Hide Their New Ad Promoting a Satanist
Salty Cracker Apr 14, 2020 via Microsoft Tries To Hide Their New Ad Promoting a Satanist – YouTube
Joe Biden Does an Interview With a Stripper & Still Messes It up
Salty Cracker Aug 18, 2020 via Joe Biden Does an Interview With a Stripper & Still Messes It up – YouTube
New Pics of Bill Clinton On Lolita Express Drop Today As He Speaks At DNC
Salty Cracker Aug 18, 2020 via New Pics of Bill Clinton On Lolita Express Drop Today As He Speaks At DNC – YouTube
“This is Happening Around The World” David Icke
JustMotivation Premiered Aug 8, 2020 “This is Happening Around The World” David Icke via “This is Happening Around The World” David Icke – YouTube
ROSE/ICKE V: THE ANSWER – Digital Freedom Platform
David Icke ROSE/ICKE V: THE ANSWER We are in the midst of a high stakes INFORMATION WAR unlike anything ever seen in human history. Censorship is rife. Oppression of FREE SPEECH is now commonplace. We have two choices: 1. To accept it, to acquiesce, to comply and hope for better days OR 2. To educate … Continue reading ROSE/ICKE V: THE ANSWER – Digital Freedom Platform →
Trump Was Right To Fire Brad Parscale... But It Won't Help Him Avoid His Destiny
One of the most discussed pieces of reporting over the weekend was Olivia Nuzzi's *New York* Magazine look inside the chaotic, desperate last-minute Trump 2020 reboot. She goes beyond the reasons why Trump fired his rarely present campaign manager, Jared-puppet Brad Parscale, while noting the " tiny Tulsa rally Parscale had organized-- which followed weeks of massive hype-- preceded a spike in coronavirus infections in the city that, local officials said, was probably born of the event, where the guest list included Herman Cain, who later died... The campaign was in a hole so deep ... more »
Israeli forces fire missiles into Gaza, kill people, set cars ablaze, etc.
Some Israeli actions in the Palestinian Territories August 15 - 18 demolish homes, kill people, fire missiles into Gaza, kill people, set cars ablaze - reports from IMEMC
Will Higher Education Take Center Stage at Democratic National Convention?
As the Democratic National Convention kicks off, experts speculate about what role higher education policy will play in the proceedings and what a Biden-Harris ticket could - and should - mean for higher education reform.
A Message to Black Women Scholars and Our Allies
We see you. As Black Women scholars ourselves, we are with you and our sisters in our communities – responding to the differential physical, mental, and socioeconomic impacts of this "double pandemic" on our community. Society, however, doesn’t always see the pain of Black women.
Report: Colleges Must Revise Standardized Tests to Foster Equity
A new National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) report calls on colleges and universities to examine and revise their standardized testing policies so that “regardless of location and circumstance, such tests foster equity and access for their applicants.” “This is a year to be as economical as possible in uses of standardized testing,” said […]
Colleges and Universities Celebrate Women’s Vote Centennial
Even as colleges and universities grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic and the return to a new school year, many are finding ways to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment that gave White women the right to vote.
Washington’s Supposed Gift to President Putin
[image: undefined] One of the comments made following Trump’s decision to relocate some 12,000 troops from Germany was made by retired Admiral James (‘Zorba’) Stavridis, who in 2009-2013 was US Supreme Allied Commander Europe (the military commander of Nato). He declared that the action, among other things, “hurts NATO solidarity and is a gift to Putin.” This was a most serious pronouncement, which was echoed by Republican Senator Mitt Romney, a rich Republican and Mormon cleric, who said the redeployment was a “gift to Russia.” These sentiments were well-reported and endorsed by US... more »
They Were Just 7 Years Off
The United States laid waste by an apocalypse, followed by racist, nativist violence carried out by anti-government militias. The destruction of the US Postal Service. Sound like latter-day America? Well, it's the 2013 of David Brin's *The Postman*, turned into a film in 1997. Kevin Costner played the titular role, a drifter and erstwhile Shakespearean actor who delivered monologues by the Bard in exchange for food. He was essentially rechristened a lowkey, less harmful Elmer Gantry when he found the skeleton of a postal worker who'd died while making his rounds. Our other... more »
Operation Legend now expanded to TEN cities
FBI Agents and Resources Supporting Operation Legend Efforts Are Targeting an Increase in Violent Crime FBI Press Release August 14, 2020 In support of Operation Legend, the FBI is combining resources with its federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in nine cities where there has been a troubling uptick in violent crime. The initiative was named after a 4-year-old boy, LeGend Taliferro, who was killed by gunfire while asleep in his Kansas City, Missouri, home. LeGend’s city was the first area to receive additional resources when Attorney General William Barr announced th... more »
The Purge of the Anti-Woke
Free speech is under attack from all sides – from illiberal laws, from a stifling climate of conformity, and from a powerful, prevailing fear of being outed as a heretic online, in the workplace, or even among friends, for uttering a dissenting thought. Satirical tweeter accounts like Titania McGrath, created by comedian *Andrew Doyle* as a radical intersectionalist poet and activist who, in spite of her immense privilege, is convinced that she is oppressed, are being censored with extreme prejudice. Twitter is suspending satirical accounts that make fun of wokeness. All this has d... more »
Four Threats: The Recurring Crises of American Democracy
That is the title of a new book by two distinguished political scientists, Suzanne Mettler and Robert G. Lieberman, who teach, respectively, at Cornell and Johns Hopkins. They begin their "Acknowledgments" note by confessing that they had last taught basic courses to undergraduates on "Americcan Government and Politics" in the now long-ago days of the Clinton Administration. On returning to teach such courses eleven years later, during the Obama Administration, they "discover[ed] that it was like teaching a different course, about a transformed nation." What they had absorbed in... more »
Assholery In Academia
Have you ever behaved like an asshole? Or did you ever have the impulse to do so? Did you ever use your position, your status, your authority to please yourself by crushing some ego? Please answer this in good faith to yourself - nobody is looking behind your shoulders. Take a breath. I know, it's hard to admit it. But we all have. It is, after all, part of human nature. Humans are ready to make huge sacrifices to acquire a status or a position from which they can harass other human beings. Perhaps we have the unspoken urge to take revenge of the times when we were at the receiving ... more »
No, Ivermectin Doesn't Cure the Coronavirus
*Andrew McLachlan* *Coronavirus, World* [image: Reuters] Repurposing existing drugs as possible COVID-19 treatments is a smart strategy, but requires several key principles to be addressed. The head lice drug ivermectin has yet again been touted in the media as a possible treatment for COVID-19. But despite the favourable headlines, huge uncertainty remains about whether this treatment can be safely and effectively repurposed to tackle the coronavirus. In recent weeks the media has been awash with claims ivermectin, when given in combination with the common antibiotic doxycycline... more »
America Once Owned Two Flying Aircraft Carriers (Yes, Really)
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, * Although promising, a pair of accidents destroyed the flying carrier fleet and ended development of the entire concept. *Key Point*: World War II was won without flying aircraft carriers, proving they weren’t a war-winning asset. Nearly a hundred years ago the U.S. Navy asked a question: if airplanes can fly through the air, why couldn’t a vessel carrying them fly through the air as well? The result was the Akron-class airships, the only flying aircraft carriers put into service in any country. Although promising, a pair of accidents—prompted by the ... more »
End Of An Era: The M249 Machine Gun Is Facing Retirement
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, * Since World War II, a fast-firing automatic weapon was the cornerstone of a U.S. infantry squad. *Here's What You Need To Remember: *The M249's time is coming to a close. Each Marine rifle company retains ten weapons in storage just in case the company commander needs them. The Army is researching its Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle, which promises a lighter gun and ammunition while remaining highly lethal. In the early 1990s, the U.S. Army and Marine Corps introduced a new weapon designed to radically boost the firepower of infantry squads. Th... more »
How America Can Save Belarus from ‘Europe’s Last Dictator’
*Agnia Grigas* *Security, Americas* [image: Reuters] Minsk has been little more than Alexander Lukashenko’s personal fiefdom since he won the presidency in the country’s first elections. One of my indelible early childhood memories in Soviet Lithuania was joining hands in a human chain of two million people across the three Baltic States protesting Soviet occupation in 1989. Soon after I moved to Los Angeles, but my first brush with freedom of expression and civil society sparked a lifelong study of democratizing states. This Sunday people will organize another human chain from ... more »
ABC, CBS and NBC See Massive 42 Percent Decrease in DNC Convention Viewership
*Rachel Bucchino* *Politics, * Viewership for the first night of the Democratic National Convention experienced a sizable drop on major broadcast and cable news networks compared to the same night in 2016. Viewership for the first night of the Democratic National Convention experienced a sizable drop on major broadcast and cable news networks compared to the same night in 2016. About 18.8 million people tuned into ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, Fox News and MSNBC -- a 28 percent decline from about 25.8 million viewers four years ago, when former first lady Michelle Obama, Sen. Bernie Sande... more »
State Department Claims Iran Is ‘Deterred’ As Rockets Fall in Baghdad
*Matthew Petti* *Security, Middle East* It was the latest in a series of clashes between Iranian-backed forces and U.S. troops. Rockets slammed into Baghdad International Airport and a U.S. base in Syria on Tuesday afternoon as State Department official Brian Hook claimed that Iran has been deterred by U.S. military pressure. The rocket attacks are part of a series of violent incidents involving U.S. forces and Iranian-backed militants in Iraq and Syria over the past week. But the Trump administration insists that its own maximum pressure campaign has kept Iranian attacks at bay... more »
Coup In Mali -- News Updates August 18, 2020
*New York Times:* *Mali’s President and Prime Minister Arrested in Military Coup* The action came amid a growing protest movement in the West African nation over charges that President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta stole a recent Parliamentary election. DAKAR, Senegal — Mali’s military staged a coup and arrested the country’s president on Tuesday, after weeks of unrest that convulsed the West African nation, diplomats said. President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta and his prime minister, Boubou Cissé, were arrested along with other government officials, according to Moussa Faki, chairman of ... more »
Did Tokyo Set Off Fireworks Meant for 2020 Olympics?
The 2020 Olympics were delayed due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
Is Body Weight Affected by When You Eat?
Some research suggests that our bodies actually use calories more efficiently when consumed in the morning as opposed to the evening.
Activists Blockade Entrance To Chemical Weapons Maker
Jamestown, PA - Five activists blockaded the entrance of Combined Systems Inc. on Monday with giant tear gas cans and gas masks, refusing to move. These five are with a group of 40 activists from cities across the U.S. who are onsite in Jamestown, PA with the goal of shutting down operations at Combined Systems Inc. for the day. Outside the facility, other activists staked over a hundred yard signs, each with the name of a different city where tear gas has been used against people. By shutting down this facility, we are here to put CSI President Jacob Kravel on notice that his com... more »
Jimmy Lai Arrested, And Long Live Hong Kong
The 71-year-old Lai, originally from Mainland China, owns a right-wing tabloid Apple Daily. He is known for dutifully echoing media salvos that are being fired by Western governments and media outlets, salvos against Beijing, and SAR administration, which in turn gained him, in the West, of course, various flattering and unreal titles such as ‘an outspoken pro-democracy figure in Hong Kong who regularly criticizes China's authoritarian rule’ (CBS News). Lies, of course. Obvious lies. The post Jimmy Lai Arrested, And Long Live Hong Kong appeared first on PopularResistance.Org.
Did Trump Pay $35M to Settle Child Rape Claims Against Him?
An "utterly deranged nutter with a mind unclouded by facts, evidence, or reason" may not be the best of sources.
Oleandrin Is a Deadly Plant Poison, Not a COVID-19 Cure
With COVID-19 cases and deaths rising in the U.S. and globally, identifying new therapies to prevent and combat the virus is a top priority.
Does Texting ‘USPS’ to 50409 Send a Letter to Your Political Representatives?
A political crisis surrounding the Postal Service inspired some novel campaigning techniques in August 2020.
Kids Are Bigger Coronavirus Spreaders Than Many Doctors Realized
The first U.S. schools have reopened with in-person classes, and they are already setting off alarm bells about how quickly the coronavirus can spread.
AP: Ballot Drop Boxes Seen as a Way to Bypass the Post Office
With the Trump administration openly trying to undermine mail-in voting this fall, some election officials around the country are hoping to bypass the Postal Service by installing lots of ballot drop boxes in libraries, community centers and other public places.
Were 20,000 Fake IDs Seized at Chicago Airport Part of a Voter-Fraud Scheme?
Fake driver’s licenses grabbed by customs officials since early 2020 became subjects of voting-related rumors.
Musical Interlude: Ludovico Einaudi, “Earth Prelude”
Ludovico Einaudi, “Earth Prelude”
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Massive stars, abrasive winds, mountains of dust, and energetic light sculpt one of the largest and most picturesque regions of star formation in the Local Group of Galaxies. Known as N11, the region is visible on the upper right of many images of its home galaxy, the Milky Way neighbor known as the Large Magellanic Clouds (LMC). *Click image for larger size.* The above image was taken for scientific purposes by the Hubble Space Telescope and reprocessed for artistry by an amateur to win the Hubble's Hidden Treasures competition. Although the section imaged above is known as NGC 17... more »
Chet Raymo, “We Are Such Stuff...”
*“We Are Such Stuff...”* by Chet Raymo “Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises, Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt not. Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments Will hum about mine ears, and sometimes voices, That, if I then had wak'd after long sleep, Will make me sleep again.” "Caliban is talking to Stephano and Trinculo in Shakespeare's “Tempest”, telling them not to be "afeard" of the mysterious place they find themselves, an island seemingly beset with magic, strangeness, ineffable presences. And you and I, and, yes, all of us, find ourselves inexplicably th... more »
"After All..."
"The acceptance of ambiguity implies more than the commonplace understanding that some good things and some bad things happen to us. It means that we know that good and evil are inextricably intermixed in human affairs; that they contain, and sometimes embrace, their opposites; that success may involve failure of a different kind, and failure may be a kind of triumph." And, of course, the universal and inevitable excuse... "A person who is going to commit an inhuman act invariably excuses himself to himself by saying, "I'm only human, after all." - Sydney J. Harris Everyone says "O... more »
Gregory Mannarino, "Today! The Market Shatters Not One, Not Two, But Three All Time Records"
Gregory Mannarino, *"Today! The Market Shatters Not One, * *Not Two, But Three All Time Records"* - https://traderschoice.net/
'Being Alive Means Knowing How to Want'
*"She screamed: 'Now look at me! Take a good look! I was born and I knew I was alive and I knew what I wanted. What do you think is alive in me? Why do you think I'm alive? Because I have a stomach and eat and digest the food? Because I breathe and work and produce more food to digest? Or because I know what I want, and that something which knows how to want—isn't that life itself? And who—in this damned universe—who can tell me why I should live for anything but for that which I want?'"* ~ Kira Argounova, in Ayn Rand's 1936 novel *We the Living* [Hat tip Harry Binswanger, from h... more »
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- August 18, 2020
Joe Biden speaks at a campaign event as Kamala Harris listens. REUTERS/Carlos Barria *Stephen Wertheim, The Guardian:* *The American public wants less war. Can Joe Biden deliver? * Three-quarters of Americans want to bring US troops from Afghanistan and Iraq. The Biden-Harris ticket needs to transform US foreign policy for good Senator Kamala Harris is a “big slasher of funds for our military”, says President Trump. If only. The truth is that Harris, like the person who selected her as his running mate, is a mainstream advocate of globe-spanning US military dominance. Last month s... more »
JONAH RASKIN : BOOKS | ‘All-American Rebels: The American Left from the Wobblies to Today’
There’s hardly an important rebel who isn’t mentioned in the pages of Cottrell’s book. By Jonah Raskin | The Rag Blog | August 18, 2020 SONOMA COUNTY, California — Robert C. Cottrell’s survey of radicalism in the U.S. in the … finish reading JONAH RASKIN : * BOOKS* | ‘All-American Rebels: The American Left from the Wobblies to Today’
Taxes are not a burden: they provide many of the good things in life
[image: Tax cuts] Coalition spending over the past six years has been nearly half that of the past 40 years and is forecast to drop further. With many services already cut to the bone, even the Parliamentary Budget Office has warned such ‘spending restraint’ is likely to be unsustainable. In a post-pandemic world, bringing forward tax cuts that only benefit high earners would be irresponsible, writes Michael Keating.
The Essentially Accurate Point…
Jello gets it mostly correct: Each investigator/team is locked in their own private compartment. They’ve got the info they’re collected on their own, and that’s about it. All they’ve got is a handful of unconnected puzzle pieces. There are many … Continue reading →
RAH Stumbled across this EXCELLENT video. This should be interpreted as a global template.
[image: File:Flag-map of Australia.svg - Wikimedia Commons] *Flag/Map of Australia* *RAH* Stumbled across this *EXCELLENT* video. This should be interpreted as a global template. *An Amazing Zoom Meeting to * *Discuss Australian Lockdown* This ZOOM meeting has a *young female activist lawyer*who lays it out why many of her peers don't get involved...(ie spoiled rich kids and/or with big firms that work for Gov't) but she lays out the legal issues. *Another person* more into health lifestyle nails it when stating what Gov'ts are doing is compromising our immune systems with mask and ... more »
Democrats not only want to defund the police they want more felons in government
Today’s Dems look at America and say, you know what we need? (1) No more police, and (2) More felons working for the government. Strange world-view. https://t.co/upp37x8vRc — Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) August 18, 2020 Do we really want felons working in the government? Don't we have enough Democrat politicians working in the government already?
The World’s Best Pensions Are Canadian
Christine Idzelis of Institutional Investor reports the world's best pension funds are Canadian: Canada’s pension funds are beating peers globally in investment performance and are stronger at hedging against liability risks, according to research from McGill University and CEM Benchmarking. Their success is partly explained by the fact they are more likely to manage their assets in-house, McGill researchers Sebastien Betermier and Quentin Spehner, along with CEM’s Alexander Beath and Chris Flynn, wrote in a July paper. The authors’ findings are based on a study of pensions, en... more »
Hezbollah & Syria CLEARED In Hariri Tribunal- A FACT the Spinnin' Media is ignoring
*Sky News* *The judges believed that "Syria and Hezbollah may have had motives to eliminate" Mr Hariri, because Lebanon at the time was effectively controlled by Syria and Mr Hariri had publicly aligned himself against the country.* *My opinion has always been that Syria had next to no motivation to eliminate Hariri. * *However, the court did not find sufficient evidence to link either Hezbollah or the Syrian leadership to the assassination.* *The Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which has been in session for more than 10 years in The Hague, heard evidence from 297 witnesses, many of... more »
Russia takes Europe’s support to calm Belarus
The mercurial Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has not been an easy ally for the Kremlin. But the growing interference by Belarus’ “New European” neighbours is setting the stage for a “colour revolution” with potentially anti-Russian orientation. Poland, egged on by the US, has convinced itself that it has become a regional heavyweight and eyes Belarus as a valuable piece of real estate that could shift the military balance on Russia’s western borders.
Belarus News Links 18 August 2020
18 August 2020 — The New Dark Age Open Appeal by the Belarusian Independent Trade Union to workers http://www.europe-solidaire.org/spip.php?article54410 U.S., Fascists Set Scopes On Socialist-Leaning Belarus https://popularresistance.org/u-s-fascists-set-scopes-on-socialist-leaning-belarus/ Russia takes Europe’s support to calm Belarus https://indianpunchline.com/russia-takes-europes-support-to-calm-belarus/ Chihuahuas Start Barking. https://smoothiex12.blogspot.com/2020/08/chihuahuas-start-barking.html Poland and Lithuania are escalating events in Belarus as they did with Maidan ... more »
Meet points announced – August 24: London-wide day of action against evictions!
Join the London-wide day of action against evictions on 24 August – we’ll be taking action outside courts across London on the day that eviction hearings restart.
The Latest TikTok Order: Comparing the New CFIUS Order to the Prior IEEPA Order
TikTok in the App Store. (Credit: Quinta Jurecic) Does it matter that President Trump last Friday night issued a Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) order directing ByteDance to divest itself from TikTok, given that a week earlier he already had levied sanctions on the company? Yes, indeed it does matter, as I’ll explain in this, the third in our ongoing series of primers on TikTok tensions. *1. I Need Context* No problem. Here is the primer on the August 6 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) sanctions against TikTok and WeChat, and here ... more »
TLC, vacunas y pandemia
bilaterals.org - 5 hours ago
18-Aug-2020 Aunque el candidato Iván Duque se comprometió a no suscribir más TLC, acaba de dejar en firme uno con Israel y tramita otros con el Reino Unido y Japón, tratados que le imponen a Colombia perder en los intercambios económicos, con consecuencias destructivas para el empleo y la producción nacionales.
El mal sabor que deja el TLC de Colombia con Israel
bilaterals.org - 5 hours ago
18-Aug-2020 "La discusión se encamina al carácter legalmente discutible del texto del tratado y a la decisión colombiana de abrir una oficina de innovación en Jerusalén".
¿A quién protegen los "Tratados de Protección de Inversiones"?
bilaterals.org - 5 hours ago
18-Aug-2020 Entrevistada en InterCambio la politóloga Natalia Carrau, asesora de la Confederación Sindical de las Américas e integrante de REDES – Amigos de la Tierra, explicó cómo los denominados “Tratados de Protección de Inversiones” vulneran la soberanía de los países, atentan contra las democracias y empobrecen a los Estados.
World News Briefs -- August 18, 2020 (Evening Edition)
*Reuters:* *Mutinying soldiers detain Mali president and PM, worsening crisis* BAMAKO (Reuters) - Mali President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and top government officials were detained on Tuesday by mutinying soldiers in the capital Bamako, plunging a country already facing a jihadist insurgency and mass protests deeper into crisis. Keita’s detention followed hours of uncertainty after soldiers mutinied in the morning at the Kati military base outside Bamako and rounded up a number of senior civilian officials and military officers. Images on social media showed Keita, and Prime Minis... more »
Another side of the story….
“An investigation concluded the NIAID’s AIDS research division that reported to Fauci had failed in many cases to provide patient advocates to monitor the foster kids’ health as promised, and in some cases, as required by law.” click here