Nancy Pelosi, Representative from California. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Finland (Photo credit: robynejay)What was Roy Hodgson's space monkey joke?
NASA decided they would finally send a man up in an capsule after sending
only monkeys in the earlier missions.
They fire the man and the monkey into space.
The intercom crackles "Monkey, fire the retros".
A little later, "Monkey, check the solid fuel supply".
Later still "Monkey, check the life support systems".
The astronaut takes umbrage and radios NASA. "When do I get something?"
NASA replied – in 15 minutes, feed the monkey.
Racist when comparing Andros Townsend to the NASA monkey? I think not, but
it helps to sell newspapers.
What Makes a Great Scholar?
I attended a celebration of the life of Kenneth Waltz held at Columbia
University last weekend. The service was organized and hosted by Robert
Jervis, Robert Art, and Richard Betts and included sixteen speakers —
family members, scholars, and former students who gave wonderful tributes
based on their own personal reflections on his life, research,
Continue reading
First In-School Reform? Teacher Autonomy
The reform agenda has focused almost entirely on in-school only so-called
reforms. That paradigm is essentially flawed since the greatest barriers to
in-school learning by students and effective teaching by teachers are
out-of-school poverty and inequity. However, once we address social reform,
in-school reform must begin with teacher autonomy; consider this about
Finland: Teachers in […]
First In-School Reform? Teacher Autonomy
The reform agenda has focused almost entirely on in-school only so-called
reforms.
That paradigm is essentially flawed since the greatest barriers to
in-school learning by students and effective teaching by teachers are
out-of-school poverty and inequity.
However, once we address social reform, in-school reform must begin with
teacher autonomy; consider this about Finland:
Teachers in Finland – trusted professionals
Finnish teachers have a lot of professional freedom and opportunities to
influence their work and the development of their schools. They decide on
the teaching methods... more »
WE THE WALKING DEAD: A very slow walk on the New York Times side!
*THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2013*
*Part 3—Also on Meet the Press:* It happened yesterday morning. We sat
there minding our own business, reading the New York Times.
In fairness, the byline belonged to Ashley Parker. That should have served
as a warning.
Parker had written a front-page report about John Boehner’s role in the
debt limit crisis. She had chosen a colorful theme for her piece:
In the last few weeks, Boehner has been “herding cats” as he tries to deal
with his fractious Republican caucus. The framework appeared in the
headline of the report, on the front page of the Times.
... more »
Pelosi Had an Easy Job This Time
During and after the vote last night, numerous pundits and passers-by were
praising Nancy Pelosi, contrasting her "ability" to keep her caucus unified
with the chaos on John Boehner's side of the aisle. Here, for example, is Ian
Millhiser:
Nancy Pelosi controls 198 votes in the House.
John Boehner controls 87.
#leadership
Hogwash.
Nancy Pelosi was an excellent Speaker -- as I've said, I rank her second
only to Tip O'Neill in the modern era, and that's giving him points because
he had to figure it out for the first time (since he was the first of the
true modern Speakers; the refor... more »
Carl Campeau- Canadian Legal Advisor to UN kidnapped 8 months ago; Freed
This is a follow up to a posting here, probably, 8 months ago. Let's
see.........
Carl Campeau was kidnapped February 7/2013. But, that kidnapping was not
reported on until February 25/2013
Carl Campeau was first reported as being an Austrian citizen, but, that was
corrected or changed later.
The original post *: UN Staff at Golan Missing- The story changes*
*Here is the latest via CBC: *
*
**He doesn't look emaciated or dehydrated after 8 mos of captivity**
*
A Canadian UN worker abducted eight months ago in Syria appeared on Syrian
state television a free man after reportedly managi... more »
Internal Republican Congressional Politics-- A Madhouse
The *Wall Street Journal* editorial page, the GOP version of the *NY Times*,
warned the congressional Republicans Wednesday morning, "It's time to wrap
up this comedy of political errors… 30 or so Members were tired of getting
kicked around by Heritage Action and Senator Ted Cruz and want the whole
thing settled… Republicans can best help their cause now by getting this
over with."
Georgia Senator Saxby Chambliss, on NPR, explained that the radicals in the
House had left Boehner and Cantor in the awkward position of having to turn
to Nancy Pelosi to save the country from their own... more »
Iraqis Enjoy Eid al-Adha Holiday
-->
Eid al-Adha, the Feast of Sacrifice, just began on October 15, 2013. As
part of the holidays many Iraqis are going to amusement parks as seen in
these photographs from Baghdad on October 16 taken by AFP photographer
Ahmad al-Rubaye.
(*AFP*)
(*AFP*)
(*AFP*)
(*AFP*)
(*AFP*)
(*AFP*)
(*AFP*)
(*AFP*)
HISTORY / Bob Feldman : A People's History of Egypt, Part 11, Section 1
Egyptian
students demonstrate on February 21, 2012, to mark anniversary of 1946
student and worker uprising. Photo by Mai Shaheen / Ahram Online.
A people's history:
The movement to democratize Egypt
Part 11: 1945-1946 Period/Section 1 -- Worker and student struggles lead
to general strike.
By Bob Feldman / The Rag Blog / October 17, 2013
[With all the dramatic activity in Egypt, Bob
U.S government shutdown ends but at what cost
It is estimated that the government shutdown cost the U.S $24 billion.
Moreover, the country's credit rating is in doubt and international
confidence in U.S credit is in doubt. Will this drama be repeated come next
year?
*Mark Wilson / Getty Images*
*Open for business, but the shutdown cost plenty. The U.S. Capitol building
*
*is shown on the morning after a bipartisan bill was passed by the *
*House and the Senate to reopened the government and raise*
* the debt limit, on October 17, 2013.*
*"The shutdown also forced non-government business losses, temporary
layoffs and other interr... more »
When Love Becomes
LOVE..... it's a physical frequency. The frequency of love is an energy
that creates and draws to itself EXPONENTIALLY.
LOVE is unconditional.
WITHOUT BOUNDARIES.
When you LOVE, unconditionally, there is nothing you cannot achieve,
nothing you cannot DO.
When you BE, be LOVE.
When you DO, do LOVE.
Then the Universe and all it's perceived dimensions are yours.
I DO LOVE
I am I
LOVE
Lucas – When Love Becomes… – A Poem – 17 October 2013
*
http://lucas2012infos.wordpress.com/2013/10/17/lucas-when-love-becomes-a-poem-17-october-2013/
*
* *
[image: Heart-beat]When love becomes… b... more »
Read Stuff, You Should
Happy Birthday to Michael McKean, 66.
Good stuff; not too much, since some of you are going back to work today:
1. I've said that Ross Douthat has the hardest job in America: his job is
to be a representative of real conservatives but also to tell the truth as
he sees it, and even in the best of times those are going to clash, and
these are not the best of times for the GOP (no NYT columnist is charged
with being a real liberal; the point of having Tom Friedman on the op-ed
page isn't lost if liberals disown him). Keep that in mind, and this one is
extremely impressive. Also this o... more »
8 Pink Foods that Fight Breast Cancer by Jamie Kiffel- Alcheh
8 Pink Foods that Fight Breast Cancer
By Jamie Kiffel-Alcheh
Green Med Info, 14 October 2013
*There are plenty of "pink" products in support of breast cancer awareness,
but why not just cut out the middle man and eat naturally pink anti-breast
cancer foods?*
It's *Breast Cancer Awareness Month*, when companies love to showcase pink
packaging...but sometimes, what's inside those packages isn't so healthy.
So we've rounded up 8 *naturally* pink foods that have all been shown to
help keep away breast cancer. Always choose organic to avoid pesticides and
toxins. Go, Mother Nature... more »
4 Ways to Detox GMOs from Your Body to Minimize Damaging Effects by Elizabeth Renter
4 Ways to Detox GMOs from Your Body to Minimize Damaging Effects
by Elizabeth Renter
Natural Society, 14 October 2013
Genetically modified organisms are hiding throughout the U.S. food
supply.
And try as you might to avoid them, if you eat at a restaurant, are
forced
to pick up a snack from a vending machine, or even if you take
supplementsthat don’t explicitly state they are GMO-free, you are likely
ingesting
some GMOs. *But the good news is that you may be able to detox these
GMOs
from your body – a few tips are just below.*
Many GMO foods, but specifically corn, have been s... more »
Neil Gaiman Should Be U.S. Secretary of Education: “Things can be different”
Neil Gaiman Should Be U.S. Secretary of Education: \”Things can be
different\”. via Neil Gaiman Should Be U.S. Secretary of Education: “Things
can be different”.
Diane Ravitch and Reformers' Feelings
When Diane Ravitch, in *Reign of Error*, discusses charter schools, she
makes it clear that not all charters impose a “no-excuses” mentality. When
discussing the reformers’ public relations machine and its “well-honed
message,” she analyses their language and writes, “when they speak of
“no-excuses,” they mean boot camp culture.”
In a rational world, Ravitch’s careful distinctions, as in the above
sentences, would be noted. After all, she has decades of experience as a
scholar of unsurpassed distinction.
Ravitch is attacked, however, because she bilingual. She can easily switch
ba... more »
Great Shakeout Drill today - scheduled for 10:17 local time in California ( Also in various other states ) Just in case something " unexpected " occurs in California later today !
*
Millions to take part in global earthquake drill *
Email this Story
Oct 17, 12:36 AM (ET)
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Hoping to survive an earthquake, many Californians and
people in earthquake prone regions around the world were gearing up for a
major earthquake drill.
More than 24 million people, including 9 1/2 million in California, have
signed up to duck under their desks at 10:17 a.m. local time Thursday,
cover their heads and hold on to something sturdy.
The exercise allows first responders to dust off their emergency response
plans and transportation departments to practice slowin... more »
The US Internment Camps: How the US manufactures history
The
US Internment Camps: How the US manufactures history
By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
Updated
While walking across America this week, the Longest Walk 4 walked past
one of the Japanese internment camps where Japanese were placed in
concentration camps during WW II in the United States. The secrecy
surrounding these camps -- and the spin the US government and its media
put on those camps --
Greece political shockers - Are opinion polls reflecting the collapse of the Coalition ( with both New Democracy and Pasok hammered , Syriza and Golden Dawn surging ? ) Samaras losing support of New Democracy ? When do the endless bailouts in Greece end anyway ? How can Europe have Banking Union when half of the Eurozone is insolvent ? When does the ten percent IMF plan to loot European assets kick in - and why was it leaked ahead of time ?
http://hat4uk.wordpress.com/2013/10/17/greece-exclusive-double-shock-for-samaras-government-in-new-polls-party-rumblings/
GREECE EXCLUSIVE: DOUBLE SHOCK FOR SAMARAS GOVERNMENT IN NEW POLLS &
PARTY RUMBLINGS
BY JOHN WARD OCTOBER 17, 2013 NEW DEMOCRACY SPLIT DISLOYAL TO SAMARAS NEW
POLL PUTS GOLDEN DAWN NAZIS IN 2ND PLACEPASOK DISAPPEARS UP VENI'S BUM SAMARAS
NOW LIES THIRD
**Pasok collapses, Syriza leadsGolden Dawn surges into 2nd placeNew
Democracy diehards set to desert Samaras
[image: antosamtitle]*Previously 100% reliable Athens sources this morning
relayed to The Slog findings ... more »
The Birth of a Sports Rivalry
How do we communicate ideas to our audience? What steps can we take to
introduce advanced concepts to our students or the general public? Scholars
work for decades on the content of their arguments but spend very little
time thinking about how to translate their ideas for specific consumers of
information. In Phil Arena’s review
Continue reading
Bread And Circuses
Yesterday's throne speech offered little tidbits to various types of voters
-- cheaper cell phone and cable rates and the right to carry beer across
provincial borders. It's a time honoured political strategy: when the news
isn't good, invite the plebeians to a circus. The truth is, Tom Walkom
writes, that -- when it comes to sound economic management -- the news for
Conservatives isn't good:
The truth is that Canada’s economy is not doing well. Official unemployment
may be hovering around the 7 per cent mark (last month it was 6.9 per
cent). But official unemployment figures do n... more »
Duck Forum on Teaching US Foreign Policy #2
[Note: This is a guest post by Steven W. Hook from Kent State University
and is the second post on the Duck Forum on Teaching US Foreign Policy]
“Teaching U.S. Foreign Policy in an Age of Uncertainty,” by Steven W. Hook
(Kent State University) Students of U.S. foreign policy face a unique
intellectual challenge: to
Continue reading
When Transparency Smacks you in the Face- Even the sleepers have to wake up!
In the past couple of weeks we've seen huge amounts of data and
transparency being brought out to the people. I sat down last night and
started reviewing the literally hundreds of links that the research team
have pulled up in just the month of October so far and the task of trying
to organize them into an article was so daunting.... that I decided to read
a book instead, lol.
I will put a few of the links below for you to wade through at your leisure.
The last few days we've had several very interesting conversations in the
various Skype rooms, one of which is directly linked to t... more »
Shut up and calculate, especially if you're a lousy thinker
*...and if you can't calculate, please leave hard science...*
I was led to see a preprint by a Spanish anti-quantum zealot on steroids
called Pablo Echenique-Robba called
Shut up and let me think. Or why you should work on the foundations of
quantum mechanics as much as you please (August 2013)
which is nothing else than an inconsistent, dishonest, and demagogic
assault against quantum physics and everything fundamental we know about
it, and against many pillars of the scientific method. This Spanish rant
has elevated my adrenaline level substantially but even now, once the level
h... more »
Untitled
*Jindal surprises everyone, names three new members to levee board who
oppose suit against oil companies ~Jeff Adelson, New Orleans Advocate*
*Major changes to Sewerage & Water Board on Saturday's ballot ~Tania Dall *
*Marigny, Bywater residents criticize plan to allow 75-foot buildings in
their areas ~Jaquetta White*
*Federal Government Shutdown Ends, 4 La. Reps Vote Against Deal ~NOLA
DEFENDER*
*ACLU calls on Plaquemines Parish school district to lift controversial
book ban ~WDSU*
*High-wire performer plunges 30 feet during Slidell show ~WVUE*
*@Editilla**~@VargVargas Calliope &... more »
Mohawk Nation News '1997 NYS Attack Haudenosaunee'
1997
NYS ATTACK HAUDENOSAUNEE
Posted on October 16, 2013
Mohawk Nation News
MNN. Oct. 16, 2013. In May 18, 1997, members of the Haudenosaunee from
our communities converged on Onondaga Nation land next to NYS Thruway
81. Most were women, children and babies, as well as some of our men.
It was to be a joyous celebration with a tobacco burning, feast, dancing
and singing. At 3.00 pm 200
BP's forgotten victims from the 2010 Gulf oil spill disaster - documenting the legacy of psychological an social problems !
BP's silent disaster
2010 oil spill has left a legacy of psychological and social problems among
residents in the impact zone.
Dahr Jamail Last Modified: 16 Oct 2013 13:47
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John Gooding has suffered physical problems and now struggles with
depression as well [Erika Blumenfeld/Al Jazeera]
*New Orleans, US* - Most people believe only those who have experienced war
can know post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). But those living in the
impact zone ... more »
MORE ON RELAXED WEAPONS SALES STORY
In a boon for military contractors, the Obama administration is relaxing
controls on military exports, allowing some U.S.-made military parts to
flow to nearly any country in the world with little oversight. ProPublica
reports that beginning this week, thousands of parts for military aircraft
can be sent freely around the world, even to some countries currently under
U.N. arms embargoes. Previously, military firms had to register with the
State Department and obtain a license for each export deal. That allowed
U.S. officials to screen for issues including possible human rights
vio... more »
China's rating Agency Dagong downgrades US Sovereign rating to A- and explains the downgrade in detail - noting in part ".... while a default has been averted by a last minute agreement in Congress, the fundamental situation of debt growth outpacing fiscal income and GDP remains unchanged. "Hence the government is still approaching the verge of default crisis, a situation that cannot be substantially alleviated in the foreseeable future." ! S&P offers its views on the Government shutdown and impact on the US economy !
China's Dagong Downgrades US To A- From A
[image: Tyler Durden's picture]
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 10/17/2013 06:38 -0400
- China
- Creditors
- Debt Ceiling
- default
- Fitch
- Gross Domestic Product
- Housing Bubble
- Monetary Policy
- National Debt
- Nominal GDP
- Quantitative Easing
- Rating Agencies
- Rating Agency
- ratings
- Reserve Currency
- Sovereign Debt
inShare
Since all US rating agencies (Fitch is majority French-owned) have been
terrified into submission and will never again touch the rating... more »
Government Shutdown Day 14 , October 14 , 2013 - Differing views as to whether progress is being made in ongoing talks to reopen the government and address debt ceiling situation.....BTW , despite the spin regarding the US Government having never defaulted - the fact is that the US has defaulted in the past ....Speaking of Default , US Territory Puerto Rico is angling for a US bailout in some form or fashion and with 87 Billion in debt ( including pensions ) floundering , something has to give there !
Catharsis Ours - 4 hours ago
Waiting for Godot......
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-10-14/treasury-bills-reopen-and-arent-buying-it-one-bit
Treasury Bills Reopen... And Aren't Buying It One Bit
[image: Tyler Durden's picture]
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 10/14/2013 21:39 -0400
inShare1
Having been closed during the ebullience of the US equity trading session
today, we are assured by any and all prognosticators that Treasury-Bills
would open to a glorious fanfare of buying as the world their pet rabbit
scooped up the 30bps yield for a few days work - since a deal was about to
be inked... Not so fast... ... more »
A picture of desperate confusion; the Throne speech
Yesterday's Throne speech paints a picture of a government in confusion,
desperate to regain the favour of the Canadian public. The government that
came to power professing the power of the market promises increased
government interference in business, more government giveaways. The
government which promises to balance the budget promises to reduce revenues
before relieving debt. This is the Throne Speech we expect of a
Conservative government readying itself for a Liberal government to come in
and clean up its decade of financial irresponsibility.
At thorough review of this speech... more »
Geneva II- Peace Talks set for Nov 23 & 24/13
Containing info from 2 news article-
*Ria Novosti -Geneva-2 Talks to Start November 23 – Syrian Office*
* Syrian deputy PM says Geneva peace conference planned Nov. 23-24*
An international* peace conference* on Syria backed by Russia and the
United States will take place on November 23-24, a senior Syrian
governmental official said Thursday. The Geneva-2 conference will proceed
despite leading Syrian opposition groups’ continuing reluctance to
participate, Deputy Prime Minister Qadri Jamil said at a press conference
in Moscow
Jamil named the dates when asked at a news conference i... more »
“The Backfire Effect”
*“The Backfire Effect”*
By Craig Silverman
"Which of these headlines strikes you as the most persuasive:
.
“I am not a Muslim, Obama says.”
“I am a Christian, Obama says.”
"The first headline is a direct and unequivocal denial of a piece of
misinformation that’s had a frustratingly long life. It’s Obama directly
addressing the falsehood. The second option takes a different approach by
affirming Obama’s true religion, rather than denying the incorrect one.
He’s asserting, not correcting. Which one is better at convincing people of
Obama’s religion? According to recent rese... more »
“Americans Have Lost VIRTUALLY ALL of Our Constitutional Rights”
* *
*“Americans Have Lost VIRTUALLY ALL of Our Constitutional Rights”*
by George Washington
"This post explains the liberties guaranteed in the Bill of Rights – the
first 10 amendments to the United States Constitution – and provides a
scorecard on the extent of the loss of each right. (This is an updated
version of an essay we wrote in February. Unfortunately, a lot of
information has come out since then.)"
I can’t, within the constraints of this blog, do this post justice, so
please read it in it’s entirety at the following link. - CP
- http://www.zerohedge.com/
“The ‘Average’ EBT User May Not Be Who You’d Expect”
* *
*“The ‘Average’ EBT User May Not Be Who You’d Expect”*
by Daisy Luther
“When people think of the average EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) card
user, they envision a career welfare recipient who has 12 kids by 11
different prison-residing fathers. Because of this notion, when the story
broke this weekend about the EBT system failure, many of the responses were
quite cold, callous, and even downright spiteful.
Of course, the rioting through Wal-Marts across the nation certainly didn’t
help. Within hours the shelves were razed. The abandoned shopping carts of
melting food an... more »
Musical Interlude: 2002, “Time Stands Still”
2002, “Time Stands Still”
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQoETb06INI
EFN Asia 28: Program of the 2013 Conference in Bangkok
The EFN Asia 2013 Conference is all set next week, Monday and Tuesday, in
Bangkok. The EFN and Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) have
partnered with two think tanks in Bangkok as their co-sponsors.
Here is the program. Department of Justice (DOJ) Assistant Secretary
Geronimo "Indian" Sy will be the keynote speaker. ASec "Indian" is a friend
since about 2001 when he was among the key debaters of the
pilipinasforum@yahoogroups that I co-moderated, with lots of discussions
and debates daily, from 2001 to around 2004. There was no facebook or
friendster or twitter then.
... more »
Lion Rock 10: On Having Centralized or Self-Government
This Saturday, I will attend the Reading Club Salon 2013 of the Lion Rock
Institute in Hong Kong. It is a full day round table discussion with the
theme this year, "Democracy -- Past, Present and Future".
There are dozens of reading materials. Today I read Anti-Federalist Paper
#3. This portion is cool.
*'The only foreign, or at least evil foreign influence, must be obtained
through corruption. Where the government is lodged in the body of the
people, as in Switzerland, they can never be corrupted; for no prince, or
people, can have resources enough to corrupt the majority of a nat... more »
BBC Trust ESC rules: no requirement to translate accurately | BBC Watch
Words fail me but I'm not surprised at what this BBC Watch report reveals.
Read it yourself.
Untitled
Hi Lubos, we've been working on some more cool stuff at ShareLaTeX
recently! Here are some of the highlights that we're pleased to announce:
Advisor program
You can now join the ShareLaTeX team as an official advisor. Selected
advisors will
- Teach introductory LaTeX sessions in your Institution,
- Help us refine our LaTeX learning resources for use in your teaching
sessions,
- Give us feedback and new ideas,
- Let us know the needs of your Institution, and
- Get to know other advisors and the ShareLaTeX team.
There's also some other cool stuff in the works (incl... more »
House of Representatives Stenographer Delivers Impromptu Speech on the Freemason Founding of America
*Stenographer snaps, rants on House floor*
Posted by
CNN's Political Unit
Updated: 12:28 a.m. ET, 10/17/2013
Washington (CNN) – Amid all the chaos of the last-minute deal in
Washington, there was an unusual moment on the House floor moments after
the bill passed.
A House stenographer and well-known employee calmly took to a microphone
and began screaming.
"Do not be deceived. God shall not be mocked. A House divided cannot
stand," she said, according to a House GOP aide. After a few seconds, she
was escorted out by the Sergeant-at-Arms, but an audio recording by Tod... more »
The Universe
“There are some things that are best forgotten. And when I remember what a
few of them are, I'll drop you a line. But a couple of things worth
remembering, that are all too easily forgotten, are the times in your life
when you felt absolutely alone and uncertain. Yet somehow, perhaps beyond
perception, there was a great click, after which suddenly a new friend
appeared, an idea was imparted, or a connection established, causing the
tides to turn and the floodgates to open. And remembering this, should such
"alone and uncertain times" ever revisit you, however dark they may seem,
... more »
PCSK9, Alirocumab, and why high linoleic acid intakes increase vulnerability to Hepatitis C
In ancient times, those suffering from ye surfeit of choleric humours were
prescribed a purgative compounded of tincture of statin. Modern science,
from its evidence-based wisdom, has compounded a new elixir by the name of Alirocumab
(the drug being named after its father, one of the Legions of Satan listed
in the Enochian Book of Revelation).
Music: Rasputina, "The Signs of the Zodiac"
Do you believe in the Signs of the Zodiac?
Haven't you found that the systems for
Planning always fail?
Can you avoid what gave Daddy his heart attack?
Have you tried everything, anything
All to no a... more »
"Amazing Interactive Space Map Lets Users Navigate The Galaxy In Incredible Detail"
* *
*"Amazing Interactive Space Map Lets Users*
* Navigate The Galaxy In Incredible Detail"*
By Ellie Zolfagharifard
"If you ever need a reminder of just how tiny we are relative to the
universe, then take a look at this. The interactive Google map called ‘100,000
Stars’, provides a spectacular fly-through of our galaxy. Taking users on
an inspiring journey, it reveals, in incredible graphic detail, the vast
distances which lie between our home and alien planets. Zooming out
provides a dizzying look at the galactic plane and the Milky Way, which is
home up to 400 billion stars - ... more »
Disaster Narrowly Averted (For Now): The Plan All Along Was To Get Rid of Medicare/Medicaid/Social Security/Public Service Agencies (Not Just ObamaCare) So We Can Await That Drama
"Whew," said the crowd of anxious onlookers. But it's hard to know whether
to breathe easily yet. Obama signs bill to avert default, open government
From the pages of the New York Times we finally learn the truth about the
Koch Plan (and, no, it's not only to defund Obamacare). I, and many others
like myself, have said all along that it seemed fairly obvious that the
real goal of the
"Not You..."
"Let others lead small lives, but not you.
Let others argue over small things, but not you.
Let others cry over small hurts, but not you.
Let others leave their future in someone else's hands, but not you."
- Jim Rohn
Update on the upcoming trip to Morocco
By American Kabuki (Bill)
Just an update on the Morocco trip, my traveling friend has been delayed so
I've decided that his time lines are probably not going to coincide with
mine. He'll probably come along later once he gets his projects
finished. I know he wants to meet Heather. He has obligations he can't get
out of right now that prevent him from traveling. So time for me to move
forward with what I need to get done. I am going to attempt to raise some
funds for the $1500 airfare I need to get there on my own. I know he'd buy
it if he could go, but he can't right now.
... more »
The Crying of Flight 655:The Washington Post and the White-Washing of a War Crime
Mourners
carry coffins through the streets of Tehran, July 7, 1988, during a
mass funeral for victims who died when Iran Air Flight 655 was blown out
of the sky by the USS Vincennes.
(Associated Press)
Here's how Washington Post foreign affairs blogger Max Fisher tells the
story - virtually unknown here in the United States - of the downing of
Iran Air Flight 655, which occurred 25 years ago
ASPERGER'S
[image: African Boy with Asperger syndrome]
Photo by kingdomany.
"This boy was born with Asperger's syndrome.
"He was often bullied by older kids and even grown-ups.
"We bought some biscuits for him but the older kids and grown-ups came to
rob him every several minutes when we were not beside him.
"I protected him until he finished the biscuits.
"That last day, when we were leaving, that boy saw me in the minibus and
waved his hands excitedly.
"I was so happy he remembered me."
*Take the online Aspergers Test | Aspergers Test Site*
*
*
*Autism and Asperger syndrome - Treatment... more »
Musical Interlude: David Schombert, “A Space Journey”
David Schombert, “A Space Journey”
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Un5SEJ8MyPc
The arXiv, Aaronson adopt Mathjax
*ArXiv authors expected to use dollar signs in abstracts*
This blog, the world's most important personal physics blog, celebrated its
9th birthday last week. Because it has always been focusing on
mathematically heavy topics, there has always been the question whether the
dominant expert method to type mathematical formalism – \(\rm \TeX\) and/or
\(\rm\LaTeX\) – should be implemented.
For long years, there would be many solutions but all of them had some
serious bugs that made me sure rather quickly that I wouldn't get used to
them. Or you, the readers, wouldn't get used to them.
T... more »
“10 Life Lessons You Should Unlearn”
* *
*“10 Life Lessons You Should Unlearn”*
by Martha Beck
“In the past 10 years, I've realized that our culture is rife with ideas
that actually inhibit joy. Here are some of the things I'm most grateful to
have unlearned:
*1. Problems are bad.* You spent your school years solving arbitrary
problems imposed by boring authority figures. You learned that problems-
comment se dit?- suck. But people without real problems go mad and invent
things like base jumping and wedding planning. Real problems are wonderful,
each carrying the seeds of its own solution. Job burnout? It's steering... more »
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Large, dusty, spiral galaxy NGC 4945 is seen edge-on near the center of
this rich telescopic image. The field of view spans nearly 2 degrees, or
about 4 times the width of the Full Moon, toward the expansive southern
constellation Centaurus.
Click image for larger size.
About 13 million light-years distant, NGC 4945 is almost the size of our
own Milky Way Galaxy. But X-ray and infrared observations reveal even more
high energy emission and star formation in the core of NGC 4945. The other
prominent galaxy in the field, NGC 4976, is an elliptical galaxy. Left of
center, NGC 4... more »
Chet Raymo, “Les Matins Du Monde”
* *
* “Les Matins Du Monde”*
by Chet Raymo
"Thirteen billion years ago it was morning in the universe." So began a
story in the New York Times about new studies of the earliest galaxies. The
Hubble Space Telescope and the giant Subaru and Keck Telescopes on Mauna
Kea in Hawaii are turning back the curtain on the birthing room of the
first stars- colossal spheres of primeval hydrogen and helium, hundreds of
times as massive as the Sun, that lived and died in violence, forging heavy
elements, seeding creation with the stuff of planets and life.
Tous les matins du monde sont sans re... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Little Elm, Texas, USA. Thanks for stopping by.
Paul Craig Roberts: "All the proof that you need that you cannot trust the mainstream media." The Blogger: "Those who do trust the mainstream media will be the last to realize what cruelties your government has in store for you."
------------------------------
The perfect epitaph for establishment journalism
'If MI5 warns that this is not in the public interest who am I to
disbelieve them?', says the former editor of The Independent
------------------------------
Glenn Greenwald
theguardian.com, Monday 14 October 2013 13.23 BST
------------------------------
Some journalists view this as an inviolable decree that may not be
questioned or defied Photograph: AlamyLike many people, I've spent years
writing and speaking about the lethal power-subservient pathologies
plaguing establishment journalism in the wes... more »
Thursday Morning Linkage – Apocalypse Averted!
Yay, pointless self-inflicted global catastrophe avoided. In between all
the gnashing of teeth about whether the United States Congress would act to
forestall a default on the country’s national debt and actually reopen the
government, some other things were happening around the world. I’ve been
meaning to write about the energy and environment front for
Continue reading
The Mysterious Gelatin Art Group Living in WTC prior to 9/11
*
* *In this video, I discuss the Israeli military and intelligence
operatives posing as "art students" who were engaging in a massive
espionage operation all across the United States prior to and after 9/11. I
also talk about the Gelatin art group living in WTC Tower 1 on the 91st
floor prior to 9/11, which allegedly had connections to the other Israeli
"art student" spy rings operating in the United States at the time. The
Gelatin art group published a book entitled The B-Thing which documented
their art stunt in the WTC prior to 9/11. Very bizarre stuff...*
Below are relevant li... more »
Is Republican Opposition To Education Predetermined By Conservatives' DNA? (Plus Bonus: Tonight's Default Vote)
Do you ever wonder why Republicans hate public education? A lot depends on *
which* Republicans you're talking about. The Old Skool Conservatives just
don't think wealthy men's taxes should go towards educating poor men's
daughters. That kind of defines core conservatism. But the GOP New Skool
isn't conservative; it's some kind of sick conglomeration of reactionaries,
neo-fascists, racists and nihilists. They fear and oppose modern society in
general; it almost makes no sense even discussing issues with them from the
perspective of reason. They're pretty much against everything and... more »
Understanding ALEC: How ALEC’S Duplicity Undermines the American Public Education Project
Can’t ALEC Make Up Its Mind? Or….Has It? Just three years ago I had never
heard of The American Legislative Exchange Commission, the uber right wing
neoconservative think tank that forges pro corporate policies in secret
with their legislative buddies. But for those of us studied in the ways and
means of education reform, we […]
Tip of the Iceberg: Why Beating the Common Core State Standards Might Be The Booby Prize for Progressive Education
The “plot” to take over public education predates both Bill Gates as a
major player and the birth of the Common Core Standards. His presence and
money, and organizations that are closely affiliated with him, his
foundation, etc., in the development and political promulgation of this
particular set of standards is hard to ignore. As […]
Rethinking “Rethinking Schools”: An Open Letter to Chester Finn
Mr. Finn– I noticed in your blog entry, Rethinking High School, you are
concerned about issues in America’s (public?) high schools, including flat
ACT and SAT scores and America’s no longer having “…the world’s highest
graduation (and college going) rate.” You note that other countries (the
examples you provide include Finland, South Korea, and Poland) […]
Bad Bear's Photos: Long Walk 4 Lamar, Colorado
Photos
by Carl 'Bad Bear' Sampson, Western Shoshone long walker. Thank you!
Longest Walk 4 Return to Alcatraz will reach Pueblo, Colorado, on
Friday. After six straight days of walking 30 miles each day, the
walkers will have a gathering on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2013, at the Pueblo
Library, followed by a potluck. The walkers will be walking through
Pueblo on Sunday, Oct. 20, and
Updates On Syria: Turkey Builds A Wall, Assad Battles The Scorpion, OPCW Is Moving Quickly
"Terrorism is like a scorpion." - The immortal words of Bashar the Lion of
Damascus.
An excerpt from, *"The Wall of Fear – Turkey Builds New Wall Along Border
with Rojava"* (Source: The Rojava Report, October 11, 2013):
When border fences and minefields were not enough to separate the Northern
Kurds and the Kurds in Rojava, Turkey started to build a wall along the
border, says a report in today’s Özgür Gündem. Resembling the Berlin Wall
and the Wall Israel built along the border with the West Bank, the wall
exposes Turkey’s policies of preventing Kurds from attaining their free... more »
"The problem with modern Republicans is not fanaticism in the few but cowardice in the many" (Garry Wills)
*Why isn't this man crying?*
*"Republicans say, 'Remember one thing. We are standing up for an important
principle. And as soon as we figure out what it is, you will be the first
to know.' "*
*-- Bill Maher*
*"John Boehner holds the nation hostage because the Tea Party holds him
hostage. The problem with modern Republicans is not fanaticism in the few
but cowardice in the many, who let their fellows live in virtual secession
from laws they disagree with."*
*-- Garry Wills (see below)*
*by Ken*
By the time you read this, it's possible that somehow the deal agreed to by
Senate Majo... more »
Fall Break Day Zero
Normally Southern Man posts these holiday "Day Zero" posts 'cause he gets
off early enough to get a jump on vacations but alas his current schedule
has him working until late evening tonight. But nonetheless Fall Break is
about to begin. The plan is to drive a few hours to pick up Teen Daughter
from her mother, head in to Branson, MO, for a couple of days of eating and
attractions (she's already indicated that she wants to hit the Ripley's
Believe-It-Or-Not Museum) and sleeping and geocaching, drop her back off on
Saturday, and spend Sunday catching up on laundry and chores as well a... more »
He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it. — Martin Luther King, Jr.
This is true but gosh it's tough to act on. It's one thing, for example, to
behave fairly and justly to all people; but to go the extra step and decry
the bigot (who may be an employer, or client or older relative) that's
hard. I suppose knowing what we should do isn't everything - the challenge
is actually doing what we should do.
What’s Wrong with FETs? Thoughts from Gendering Global Conflict
(Note: This post is cross-posted at the Columbia University Press Authors’
Blog) Over the last couple of years, the US military has begun to employ
FETs (Female Engagement Teams) in Afghanistan, characterizing their purpose
as “to engage the female populace” of the country. The mission of these
groups of female soldiers seems to be divided
Continue reading
WALKING TO END MILITARY MADNESS
- We walked 12.6 miles from Farmington to Waterville today (had to
shuttle a bit because of the long distance.) After our lunch stop at
the half-way point our support mini-bus would not start and we had to have
it towed to a repair shop. Don’t yet know what the problem was. Going
to likely cost us an arm and a leg for the towing and repair.
- A man named Mike from Cape Elizabeth, Maine showed up this morning to
join us for the rest of the walk. He read one of the articles in the
paper over the weekend and decided he wanted to jump in with us. Good
... more »
"Confirmed: Chase Bank Drops The Hammer On Capital Controls"
* *
* "Confirmed: Chase Bank Drops The Hammer On Capital Controls"*
by Mike Adams
"I admit that when I saw today's breaking news on InfoWars.com about Chase
Bank limiting cash withdrawals and banning international wire transfers, I
was skeptical. Many readers didn't believe it, either. So just to check it
out, I called my own accounting team to ask if we had received a similar
letter from Chase, announcing that no international wire transfers would be
allowed after Nov. 17th. Sure enough, we were sent the same letter! Click
here to see the hi-res scan of this letter. This is the ... more »
CALIFORNIANS TO PROTEST GOV. BROWN’S ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD
The
Browning of the Greens
WHAT: Protest of Jerry Brown receiving environmental award
WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 17, 5:30-7 - Speeches/Press Conference at 6
WHERE: Le Parc Hotel, 55 Cyril Magnin St. San Francisco
By Donald Goldmacher
Censored News
On Thursday, October 17, approximately 200 California residents will be
outside Le Parc Hotel in San Francisco protesting the Blue Green
Bonus Quote of the Day:
“The whole notion that an honest and explicit debt default by the U.S.
government is an unprecedented event and the worst possible outcome
in the current situation is ludicrous given that the U.S. has been
continually and surreptitiously defaulting on its debt since World War 2
via inflationary finance…”
- Joseph Salerno, from his article
“Bruce Bartlett’s Nutty Government Default
Hysteria: Here’s Another Economist for His Hit List”
Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Please contact author for permission
to republish: (organon at ihug.co.nz)
“Participation Portals” have been Opened to hu-manity
*
*
*
**“Participation Portals” have been Opened to hu-manity*
by ÉirePort
"Participation Portals" have been opened to hu-manity.
Consciousness levels have risen sufficiently to permit these openings.
Such Participation Portals have been available to Hue-Beings, but
narrowness of these has prohibited entry by those residing in the lower
3D-4D.
Hu-manity energetic levels are at near Hue-manity entry levels.
Opening of these Participation Portals to hu-manity portion of Gaia
populace is intended to stimulate final step of hu-manity individuals from
hu-being to Hue-Being.
ÉirePor... more »
Fall Foliage
One thing I still haven't adjusted to here is how short the fall season
seems to be and I do miss the brilliant colour of the leaves back in
Ontario this time of year. My ash trees do go a long way to make up for
things though. Not only have their leaves long outlasted any of my
neighbours but they add a nice splash of colour to the front yard.
Since I haven't exactly been trigger happy with the camera the last little
while I thought I'd take advantage of a relatively warm day off and play
around with it a bit before the leaves completely disappear for the season.
These leaves be... more »
Erich Priebke - Rest In Peace
Erich Priebke fought for Europe against the international materialist
tyranny which has since swept over our lands. He fought for freedom and
for national survival. As a part of the struggle for European survival,
Erich Priebke was a part of a defensive measure in Italy against the
Marxist terrorists of Bandiera Rosa. In 1944, under his direction, 335
terrorists were executed for the crimes of murdering loyal Europeans, some
of whom were serving in the armed European resistance to global finance
imperialism. For the act of liquidating the vermin of Bandiera Rosa, Erich
Priebke w... more »
Million Vet March - From removing barricades at the World War 2 Memorial , to taking the Protest to the front of the White House ! News and photos on Today's exercise of First Amendment Rights !
Catharsis Ours - 16 hours ago
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-10-13/protesting-veterans-tear-down-dc-barricades-chant-shut-down-white-house
Home
<h1 class="title" style="color: black; font-family: 'Lucida Grand
Chase Bank announces it will limit cash withdrawals and ban international wire transfers FOR ALL Business account holders ! These changes will be effective November 17 , 2013 ! Cash withdrawals limit is 50, 000 a month ! ! Chase customers told that if they want to avoid " capital controls " , they have to upgrade to a much more expensive type of account ! if this applies to your business , how will you function with a 50,000 per month cash withdrawal limit and a total bank on international wire transfers ? Is this just a JP Morgan and Chase scheme or are all big banks going to apply similar capital controls on smaller businesses ? And what is the significance of November 17 , 2013 ( why not January 1 , 2014 ? ) Is JP Morgan in financial distress or are have they created a new way to harvest excessive fees from customers ?
http://www.infowars.com/chase-bank-limits-cash-withdrawals-bans-international-wire-transfers/
Chase Bank Limits Cash Withdrawals, Bans International Wire Transfers
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Capital controls imposed on small business owners
*Paul Joseph Watson*
Infowars.com
October 16, 2013
***UPDATE: Chase Bank confirmed to Infowars that all business account
holders were being subjected to these new regulations. They indicated that
customers would have to pay a fee on every dollar withdrawn over the l... more »
Satire: “Cruz: ‘The Dream of Keeping Poor People from Seeing a Doctor Must Never Die’”
* *
*“Cruz: ‘The Dream of Keeping Poor People *
*from Seeing a Doctor Must Never Die’”*
by Andy Borowitz
WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)— “Acknowledging that the government
shutdown was coming to an end, an emotional Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) took to
the Senate floor today to make an impassioned speech, telling his
colleagues, “The dream of keeping poor people from seeing a doctor must
never die.” His eyes welling up with tears, Sen. Cruz said, “I embarked on
this crusade with a simple goal: to keep affordable health care out of the
reach of ordinary, hard-working Americans. And w... more »
Karl Denninger, “Oh, Now Being A Patriot Is Bad?”; A Comment
* *
*“Oh, Now Being A Patriot Is Bad?”*
by Karl Denninger
“Things that make you want to puke in the morning.... Cramer. And Buffett.
First, Warren. Warren, of all people, knows damn well that borrowing more
and more money on an indefinite forward basis does not and cannot work.
But he doesn't give a crap, because he's an old bastard and will be eaten
by worms before the worst of the consequences of what he advocates comes
home to roost. And let's not forget that when you're one of the people who
gets inside information and have what amounts to an unlimited exemption to
make mo... more »
Iran talks on October 15 -16 with P 5 + ! seem to go well ! Significant progress and a seeming desire to offer pragmatic concessions appear to be in play. Usual suspects trying to upset the applecart between Iran and P 5 + 1
No Deal Yet, But Significant Progress in Iran TalksNegotiators Praise
Iran's Offer as Important Contribution
by Jason Ditz, October 16, 2013
Print This | Share This
Two-day talks between Iran and the P5+1 ended today in Geneva, with a next
round of talks scheduled for November 7-8. Unlike the past meetings without
agreement, where both sides agreed to simply punt the talks down the road,
these talks appear to have yielded substantial progress.
The European Union was quick to praise Iran’s offer, saying they were an
“important contribution,” and even US officials conceded they’d never ... more »
Quote of the Day: On Reputation
“There are persons esteemed on their reputation who by
showing themselves destroy the opinion one had of them.”
- Joseph Conrad, from the ‘Personal Record’
he attached to his novella *The Shadowline,
*paraphrasing from an essay by Anatole France
Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Please contact author for permission
to republish: (organon at ihug.co.nz)
NSA Chief Keith Alexander stepping down ! Blowback after Snowden disclosures and checkered record of actual success in foiling terror probably forced Alexander's hand - better to leave with dignity rather tan being shoved out the door !
Latest Snowden leak details NSA’s involvement in lethal drone strikes
Published time: October 17, 2013 03:47
Get short URL
[image: John Moore / Getty Images / AFP]
John Moore / Getty Images / AFP
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CIA, Drones, Information Technology,Intelligence, Pakistan, Politics,
Scandal,Security, USA
The National Security Agency provided the Central Intelligence Agency with
crucial information on an associate of Osama bin Laden, who was killed days
later by a US drone strike, according to a report based on documents
provided by Edward Snowden.
Hassan Ghul was a known Al-Qaeda op... more »
Durkheim and the Division of Labour
Poor old Durkheim. Picture the scenes in FE colleges, lecture rooms and
tutorials across the land. For the best part of a century, generations of
sociology students have been introduced to the discipline's canonical
'founding fathers'; Karl Marx, Max Weber and Emile Durkheim. Unfortunately
for Durkers, as programmes march on through a succession of modules chances
are Marx will continue to get a look-in. Weber might as well. But Durkheim?
He's left to bother classical social theory modules, or the opening
sessions of methods and religion lessons. For all intents and purposes,
he's ... more »
So they’ve raised the debt ceiling.
So they’ve raised the debt ceiling.
For three months.
A reason to drink in celebration?
Or a reason to drink to oblivion?
What’s your call?
*UPDATE*:
And a further question: “Is There a Big Loophole in the Debt Ceiling Deal
that Will For All Practical Purposes Eliminate the Ceiling Forever?”
Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Please contact author for permission
to republish: (organon at ihug.co.nz)
Heroes To The Rescue!
I'll be impressed when these same UN technicians and inspectors are sent to
Israel to remove its *illegal stockpile of chemical weapons*. Until that
point, they remain slaves of cruel masters.
I'm sure they are nice people, hard-working and dedicated professionals. In
their minds they are doing the Lord's work. But, their personal beliefs and
personal characteristics do not matter, because, at the end of the day,
they are tools of USrahell. And that is just the reality.
Germany: OPCW inspectors train for UN mission in Syria. Source: RuptlyTV.
Date Published: October 16, 2013. Descr... more »
In the Year 2013-- Not The Year 1913… And In Suburban Pennsylvania, Not Rural Texas
When Elizabeth Warren rails against what she called "backward-looking
ideologues" she meant the 15-20 reactionaries who met to plot strategy with
Ted Cruz at the notorious Tortilla Coast meeting Monday night, a meeting
that included outright racists and secessionists like Steve King (R-IA),
Tom Cotton (R-AR), Steve Southerland (R-FL), Mark Meadows (R-NC), Jim
Jordan (R-OH) and, of course, Louie Gohmert (R-TX). She says these
hostage-takers and terrorists "cannot cope with the realities of our
democracy" and urges them to get out of the way so adults can save the
country from the ... more »
Honoring Horse Nation: Dine' Trail Ride to Tuba City Fair Photos
Photos
by Kris Barney, Dine'. Thanks for sharing with Censored News!
Kris said, "The Horse Trail Ride to the Tuba City Fair Yei Bei Chei, a
healing ceremony. The theme this year is for the Wild Horses and to
promote a peaceful message to the Round Ups that are happening."
“Every Picture Tells a Story, Don't It?”
Rod Stewart, “Every Picture Tells a Story”
◆
"There would have been a time for such a word.
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury
Signifying nothing."
- "Macbeth", (Act 5, Scene 5, lines 17-28)
Happy Shut-the-Fuck-Up-13 Day
At his last Con caucus meeting and presser five months ago, Harper so
disliked the grilling he got from media about Nigel Wright's cheque to
Senator Mike Duffy and what Steve knew about it - see above - that today he
decided to allow only cameras into his pre-throne speech caucus meeting
without the accompanying annoying reporters.
The press gallery rebelled, responding that if reporters weren't to be
allowed in, then cameras and photographers wouldn't attend either.
No one was surprised when Sun Media broke ranks and bravely stepped into
the breach with a:
*Sun News Exclusive : H... more »
Time to go beyond gimmicks
Today's Throne speech promises consumer goodies. And certainly no one can
object to getting free stuff – except that the free stuff seems to be
coming from the bottom line of businesses and, regardless, at best deals
with symptoms rather than causes of economic issues in Canada. As Justin
Trudeau noted in the Globe & Mail today,
*
*
*"And in the midst of all this, the Harper Conservatives have neglected the
most pressing issue facing the country – the fact that middle class
Canadians have not had a decent raise in 30 years."*
The problems that face Canadians cannot be solved by forc... more »
Deference to Masters
2189205 Ontario Inc. v. Springdale Pizza Depot Ltd., 2013 ONCA 626 holds
that deference is owed to Masters making findings of fact:
[8] The Master was the primary finder of fact. Provided his
findings of fact were reasonable and rooted in the available evidence, the
reviewing judge, as Lederman J. recognized, was bound to accord those
findings deference. The Master and reviewing judge were well aware of the
deficiencies alleged in the respondents' proof. The findings made are
grounded in the evidence, untainted by any misapprehensions, errors in
principle, or palpable and o... more »
Appeal deference for sentence
*R v Korgak ,* 2013 NUCA 09 is a good source for the general principle of
deference to the trial judge on sentencing appeals:
[6] Moreover, we are constrained by the principle of deference. Even if
members of this panel would have given a longer sentence if the respondent
had been sentenced by them, an appellant court cannot vary a sentence order
simply because it feels that a different order ought to have been made. An
appellant court should not intervene unless it is shown that the sentence
is demonstrably unfit, that the sentencing judge erred in principle, failed
to consider a r... more »
Failure -- US Default Looms
Many years ago I had an important appeal. I was a young lawyer and
prepared hard for the hearing; and as soon as I stood up realized my
preparations were all for naught and I was in way over my head. My careful
arguments were irrelevant and merely looked foolish.
I did a dreadful job; I still look back and am embarrassed. I learned a
lot from that appeal and never again approached a case the way I did.
Oddly though, and for no reason related to me, *I won the appeal.*
My client was delighted and stayed with me after.
My client cared about results; not effort or quality of argum... more »
Guest Post: Ten Things to Expect from Obamacare in 2014
*Since the arguments about partial government shutdown and debt ceilings
were linked to opposition to ObamaCare, I figured some of you might like to
know something about it. So here, courtesy of the Casey Daily Dispatch, is Dan
Steinhart introducing Dr Elizabeth Lee Vliet to brief you.*
Obamacare's health exchanges opened on October 1, with a system so crummy
that even the *Washington Post* is calling it a disaster.
Though Obamacare has been America’s law of the land for 3½ years, this
marks its first major milestone that impacts Americans on an individual
level. That's because Ob... more »
"Stop Fretting: The Debt-Ceiling Crisis Is Over!"
* *
*"Stop Fretting: The Debt-Ceiling Crisis Is Over!"*
By Jonathan Chait
"If you’re reading the newspapers just now to get caught up on the
debt-ceiling crisis, you may have the impression that events are now
spinning utterly out of control. “A day that was supposed to bring
Washington to the edge of resolving the fiscal showdown instead seemed to
bring chaos and retrenching,” reports the New York Times. “A campaign to
persuade House Republicans to lift the federal debt limit collapsed in
humiliating failure Tuesday, leaving Washington careering toward a critical
deadline just t... more »
Chase Bank Limits Cash Withdrawals, Bans International Wire Transfers
Chase Bank Limits Cash Withdrawals, Bans International Wire Transfers
Preparing for looming financial crisis in U.S.?
*Paul Joseph Watson*
Infowars.com
October 16, 2013
*UPDATE:* *Chase Bank confirmed to Infowars that all business account
holders were being subjected to these new regulations. They indicated that
customers would have to pay a fee on every dollar withdrawn over the limit.
Given that even a relatively small grocery store or restaurant is likely to
turnover more than $50k a month in cash payments, this appears to be part
of a wider move to shut down businesses who... more »
ECONOMICS FOR REAL PEOPLE: John Butler on the US dollar – is there an alternative global currency?
*Our friends at the Auckland Uni Economics Group wanted me to remind you
that **their guest speaker tonight is BNZ chief economist Stephen Toplis**,
(6pm, Case Room 4, Level O, Owen G. Glenn Building, Grafton Rd), and to let
you know about their* next *event, this Monday night, (note, Monday, not
the regular Thursday night) at the same place.
The speaker is a respected global investment adviser, talking on a subject
sure to become more topical by the day.*
*John Butler: The US dollar – is there an alternative global currency?*
“It is perhaps a good time for the befuddled world to... more »
Please Help Find Maddie & Emily Dorcich In California
Sisters: Madeline (left), 16, and Emily Dorcich (right), 13, were last seen
at San Jose's Del Mar High School campus around 7:30 p.m. Sunday
(10/13/2013) in the main quad area. The girls were at a church event at the
high school. They both attend Valley Christian High School located 100
Skyway Drive in San Jose, California.
Madeline, who also goes by Maddie, is described as 5’1” tall, weighs 105
pounds, has blue eyes and brown wavy hair. She was last seen wearing black
jeans, a dark hooded sweatshirt and was carrying a black bag.
Her sister, Emily, stands 5’3” inches tall, weigh... more »
New York Times Editorial Fails Another Fact Check on Charter Schools
The NYTimes Editorial Board is one of the most reliable voices for the
corporate education losers who continue to double down on testing
accountability policies and privatization schemes that now have decades of
evidence to substantiate their failure. Today's entry is on charter
schools, which has this nugget:
The editorial states: "A study published earlier this year shows that the
typical New York City charter student learned more reading and math in a
year than his or her public school peers."
This is simply a lie. Even if you give credence to the CREDO study, which
has been c... more »
McReading to a Healthier Future?
Charlie Powell, campaigns director of the Children's Food Campaign - an
alliance of 150 education bodies, health groups and children's charities
says it's hard for parents to stand up to the barrage of junk food
advertising. ‘There are huge hurdles they have to surmount to keep their
children healthy. It's stuff that wasn't around in years gone by and food
manufacturers are very sophisticated in the techniques they use to appeal
to children.’
Once again we have to ask why the trade is continuing to tie the promotion
of reading with Fast Food and openly supporting McDonalds advertisi... more »
Christopher Matthews, beloved again!
*WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2013*
*Learning where love comes from:* The analysts are all back on their feet
after Monday night’s shock to the system.
Several had to be hospitalized after viewing Rachel Maddow introduce Chris
Matthews this way:
MADDOW (10/14/13): *My beloved colleague and pal, Chris Matthews,* has just
published the best-timed book ever about the real legacy of Ronald Reagan’s
approach to governance, specifically his contentious but civil working
relationship with the legendary Democratic Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill.
Joining us for an interview with the host of MS... more »
Quick Project XIII update: Servers are down for system move...
*
* *
* *Quick Project XIII update: Servers are down*
Posted by D.
Goooooooood Morning!
This is just a quick update- and I ask if people can share this info around
on the web please.
PROJECT XIII is currently down. Caleb is having the servers moved and
there seems to of been a delay. He thinks that it will only be maybe
another 6 hours at the most till they are back up and running.
In other news, I've been peering over Caleb's shoulder and watching him
work on all sorts of new stuff for PXIII and ....... WOW!!!! Caleb and his
team have been just ripping along and creating amaz... more »
Ted Cruz speaks about the Senate agreement...
*and I have only one thing to say about Obamacare.*
I don't care anymore what happens. This doesn't mean I'm giving up the
fight. What it *does* mean is that I'm going to sit back and enjoy (nay,
actively wish for) the major sh*t storm that Obamacare is going to reign
down on every last miserable POS who voted for the Kenyan klown. Many of
these people are in my own family and dare to call me stupid, crazy, hater,
mean, and a right-wing religious fanatic. My message for you? May you and
your families enjoy the new Communist States of Amerika. As for me and my
friends - we'll be... more »
And Now, Humorous Credit-Taking
Earlier
I watched a truly great politician moment: "Gang of 14" Senators
going to the Senate floor and congratulating themselves for working out
an
agreement to re-open the government and raise the debt limit. Not
*the*agreement; the actual deal was apparently only tangentially related
to the
Gang's. But an agreement, nonetheless. They are immensely proud of
having
participated in a process which had little or nothing to do with ending a
shutdown almost three weeks in, and raising the debt limit at the last
minute.
There are basically two ways to take this.
One of them, and the one ... more »
Keith Koffler lets loose...
* and I couldn't agree more.*
*The Tea Party is Both Sensible and Victorious *
I realize that sounds quite delusional to many people, particularly here in
Washington. But it makes total, absolute sense.
The muttering class Inside the Beltway is very pleased with itself: The
doomed Tea Party strategy is foundering on the shoals of idiocy, just like
they said it would. The Republican “brand” has been downgraded yet again.
America is looks foolish abroad: “The world has reacted mostly with
disbelief that a superpower could fall into such dysfunction,” wrote the
New York Times today. ... more »
The one hundred and sixty fourth weekly "No shit, Sherlock" award
Apparently 'Manager Roy Hodgson says England are not one of the favourites
to win next summer's World Cup in Brazil.'
No shit Sherlock, do you think!
Ta-Nehisi Coates on “The Million Vets March!”
*WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2013*
*Which two hundred people attended:* What if they held a “Million Vets
March” and 200 people came?
That’s what happened in D.C. this Sunday, if the Washington Post can be
trusted. That’s why we tend to disagree with Ta-Nehisi Coates’ reaction to
the day’s events.
Coates began his post as shown below. As a general matter, we agree with
his comment about “lone idiots,” although we aren’t inclined to refer to
regular people that way and we think his attention is somewhat misplaced.
Our main point of disagreement begins with his use of a term that doesn’t... more »
'Expenstagram' .. New App For Conservative Members Of Parliament And Senators !!
*H/T to our friends at 'This Hour Has 22 Minutes' .... *
The Worst Prime Minister In Canadian History, With The Largest Debt And Deficit In Our History ... Is On His Way Out!!!
*Our crooked, corrupt Conservative government is going to try and pull the
wool over voters eyes with a new Speech from the Throne today. Nothing in
the document will address:*
*-the Senate scandal*
*-the Robocalls Scandal*
*-the highest deficit and debt in Canadian history*
*-how $114 Billion tax dollars bailed out Canada's banks*
*-How you paid for Harpers Keystone XL Pitch at NYC Event*
*etc. etc. etc.*
*Stop Harper! *
Are Texans Having Buyer's Remorse Over Ted Cruz?
And no one likes a loser
Yesterday I heard Peter King (R-NY) and Charlie Dent (R-PA) each go on CNN
to rail against Ted Cruz's extremism. They were speaking for dozens of
non-Confederate Republicans in seats where successful candidates need
independent voters-- and for more than a few Republican senators who wish
his nut job father had never moved to America. But what about Texans who
supported their junior senator and sent him to Washington on his mission of
mayhem?
This week, the editors of the *Houston Chronicle* began an editorial by
asking, "Does anyone else miss Kay Bailey Hut... more »
The Realist Report with John Friend
On this edition of *The Realist Report*, we'll be joined by Sofia
Smallstorm. Sofia and I will be discussing a number of subjects relating to
health and male-female relations, including the systematic feminization of
men and the reversal of traditional gender roles.
Please visit *The Realist Report* on TalkeShoe to download this and past
episodes.
Below are relevant links for this program:
- *Sandy Hook Demolition Crew Sworn to Silence* by Dr. James Tracy
- *Sandy Hook Actors' Elite Political Connections* by Dr. James Tracy
- *Dr. Mercola - The Disappearing Male*
- *Dr.... more »
Creating the Conditions and Narrative for a FAILED Geneva II
Judging by the contents of recent NATO news outlet reports it appears a
story line, regarding Syria, is being created. The characters are Saudi
Arabia. Turkey. The US. But, not Israel. Although the Israeli connections
and potential gains in the destruction of Syria are plentiful and
acknowledged. Israel seems to be lacking from this fable? Which should not
really come as a surprise to anyone who is aware of the media obeisance to
approved reporting surrounding Israel.
*This most recent narrative goes something like this:*
The US wants to negotiate a political settlement for Syria. ... more »
Mohawk John Kane 'Change the Name or End the Genocide'
John
Kane
By John Kane, Mohawk
Censored News
Change the Name or End the Genocide?
To suggest there are many and far more pressing issues facing Native
people than being exploited and insulted by sports teams is an obvious
understatement. Should the NFL franchise from the capital of one of the
world’s superpowers change its name? Of course it should. As should all
those high school,
Creative Rebranding? Human Rights vs. Human Security
I had a boy break up with me once by saying “we’re not breaking up, we’re
taking a break.” I guess the boy assumed that “taking a break” would be
easier for me to accept than “breaking up.” He was right: it took me a
while[1] to actually figure out that “taking a break” was
Continue reading
Duck Forum on Teaching US Foreign Policy
Duck of Minerva is pleased to announce the start of a four-part series of
posts on teaching US Foreign Policy. The forum includes contributions from
the authors of major undergraduate textbooks on U.S. foreign policy: Bruce
Jentleson (Duke University), Steven Hook (Kent State), Jim McCormick (Iowa
State), and James Scott (Texas Christian) and Jerel Rosati (University of
South
Continue reading
Duck Forum on Teaching US Foreign Policy #1
[Note: This is a guest post by Bruce Jentleson from Duke University. It
is the first in a four-part forum on teaching US Foreign Policy.] Six
Concepts in Teaching American Foreign Policy by Bruce Jentleson As the Cold
War went on, among scholars and teachers of American foreign policy there
was some settling in to
Continue reading
It's Wednesday...
*what's going* *on.*
Always On Watch: *Sign Up For ObamaCare, and Get a Free SmartPhone*
Lonely Conservative: *Obama Planning Immigration Push*
WyBlog: * Obama would rather default on the debt than enroll himself in
Obamacare*
1389 Blog: *Leftists dismayed “because, while Obamacare was built to fail,
it wasn’t expected to fail so early.”*
V for Victory: *Why We Can't "Just Let Obamacare Implode"*
Liberty's Torch: *Glitch Or Threat?*
Bunkerville:* **Obama to cut off November Food Stamps across Nation *
* *
More Common Core in the Real World (or at Least Florida)
I have already explored how the real-world consequences of Common Core are
guaranteed to do far more harm than good; we have decades of how standards
and testing fail even their most nuanced advocates’ claims. Sarah Carr
(excellent journalist and author of Hope Against Hope) offers an often
disturbing window into the good intensions of […]
Are Tablets Becoming Cheap Ticket Commodity Items?
We are starting to see a real convergence in the mobile device market.
Tablets are shrinking with 7 inch now becoming a norm and smartphones are
growing with 5.5 inch being just the starting point. We are also seeing
tablets starting to become real throwaway commodities with prices now
falling to under £100 and the big retailers starting to own brand and go
after the market.
The challenge for many tablets is how they can now maintain a high price
ticket yet offer little extra value over their cheap and cheerful
counterparts? They have the same operating system, same apps and let’s... more »
Talking About Sexual Harassment in Science
*UPDATE: In the comments Andrew Maynard replies to this post.*
Several colleagues have pointed me to the unsavory episode that is
presently the talk of the science communication field involving the
magazine *Scientific American*. I actually don't read *Scientific American* or
its blogs and my professional work only occasionally crosses paths with
those who identify themselves in "science communication." So I don't know
anyone involved in this issue. Yet, this is an episode about which those
who care about science in society should openly discuss.
The issue involves a case of sexua... more »
Counting Hard
Some foolish liberals, back in 2009-2010, used to blame Barack Obama for
things when the actual problem (from their perspective) was that they just
didn't have the votes in the Senate. But, to be fair, that was somewhat
complicated: Democrats had a large majority, and I can definitely
understand the frustration when that large party majority didn't actually
work out to a policy majority (in some cases a supermajority, but often
just any regular majority) for some specific liberal policies.
So if I called them out on it then, I should probably make note of this utter
nonsense from s... more »
Getting Ripped: How illiterate were they?
*WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2013*
*Finland’s largely illiterate kids in the summer of 64:* In her ballyhooed
book, The Smartest Kids in the World, Amanda Ripley describes miraculous
Finland’s amazing advances in the realm of public education.
More specifically, she talks about Finland’s astonishing rise in
international test scores. Yesterday, we showed you the full-paragraph
quotes. Here’s the story according to Ripley:
“Until fairly recently,” Finland was “a largely illiterate farming and
logging nation.” Change came within a single generation. Without pausing
for breath, the country... more »
94 Maidens - The Mandate Video - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/embed/4V4bmm6yJMw
A CorpEd Quandary: How to Reward Teachers in High Poverty Schools With a System That Punishes Them for Working There
Always looking for an opportunity to support corporate ed reform school
losers, the Memphis Commerical-Appeal has an editorial today in support of
Mississippi’s attempt toestablish merit pay for its teachers. The
editorial board offers no research to support its support, and the editors
use the same conflicted rhetoric that CorpEd losers use to call for
rewarding teachers based on test scores, while rewarding teachers for
working in high poverty schools. My reaction, just posted in the comments:
It would seem that you want too many things in one editorial, especially
when one wo... more »
Wild Bill: Keeping Them Poor...
*is exactly what the left intends.*
LUX dark matter event: October 30th
*The dark matter particle may become visible to us in 14 days; or even
darker*
One of the potentially coming discoveries in particle physics is – no, it's
not the discovery what happens when you hit the debt ceiling, it is – the
discovery of the dark matter particle.
A war has been taking place between (and within) direct dark matter search
experiments. Some teams claim that they have already glimpsed the evidence
for a dark matter particle that would be surprisingly light – beneath
\(10\GeV\) (I like to quote the figure from CDMS II-silicon, \(8.6\GeV\)).
Others, most notably XENO... more »
U.S Government Shutdown
The writing is on the wall that the U.S is hurting because of this
shutdown. After tomorrow the U.S government may not be able to pay its debt
installments. Warren Buffett calls it 'pure act of idiocy'. What is wrong
with the Congress?
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
*"I know it's been used in the past, but we used the atomic bomb back in
1945 but we decided we weren't going to do something like that again," he
said. *
Read more here.
Giveaway for Running Scared 5K and 10K
The Running Scared 5&10K is happening in Herriman, Utah on October 26th!
This fun, family event will starts at 10am. Kids under 7 run for free. If
your family doesn't want to run with you, they can stay at the finish line
and be entertained by the carnival style party! Including face painting,
games, and cotton candy! The race is both competitive and non-competitive.
Costumes are encouraged: spandex is optional.
AND we want you to race FREE! YAY for GIVEAWAYS! Each blogger will be
giving away one free entry to Running Scared! And it's super easy to
enter...
Come on, we all need... more »
Political Support For Sunni Protests Waning As Mutahidun Tries To Negotiate Their End
Protests started in Anbar province in December 2012 when arrest warrants
were issued for some of then Finance Minister Rafi Issawi’s guards. They
quickly spread to other Sunni areas of the country, as many other people
were feeling unhappy with their representatives and how the government was
acting, and decided to take their frustration out into the streets. A mix
of tribes, political parties, clerics, and insurgents quickly came to
support the demonstrations, which created divisions as each was in it for
their own ends. That has come to the fore as the Mutahidun Party is
offeri... more »
Iraq Families Visit Relatives In Baghdad Cemetary To Mark Eid Al-Adha
The Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha, the Feast of Sacrifice, began on
October 15, 2013. Many Iraqi families took the time to visit their deceased
relatives as seen in these pictures from a Baghdad cemetery by AFP
photographer Ahmad al-Rubaye.
(*AFP*)
(*AFP*)
(*AFP*)
(*AFP*)
(*AFP*)
(*AFP*)
(*AFP*)
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(*AFP*)
(*AFP*)
Collapse Café at the Doomstead Diner
Monsta from the Doomstead Diner called and created a podcast of our
conversation. We had intended to talk about trees but became so engrossed
in more general issues about collapse that he has since recorded a separate
conversation, about the death of forests from pollution, which isn't posted
yet. Meanwhile, here's the first discussion. Be sure to visit the Diner
for news and their forum - where anyone can sign up and start a topic
around the Kitchen Sink!
Eve of Destruction
Don't forget to hang up your stockings by the chimney with care tonight,
kiddies, because the Default Elf will be making his rounds.* It's the
Nightmare Before Halloween! The whole world is watching, waiting and
scared. So you might want to leave him a pot of hot water and some tea bags
as a sacrificial offering. Or maybe you don't believe in default Armageddon
any more, because your own personal catastrophe has already struck. Maybe
you're so broke you can't see the dentist and your teeth have started
falling out. If so, you might try putting them under your pillow in hopes
that th... more »
WE THE WALKING DEAD: Decades of shambling!
*WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2013*
*Interlude—O’Reilly plays an old card:* Sunday’s panel on Meet the Press
featured the walking dead.
In Jim Sheridan’s film, In America, a grieving father, defeated by grief,
says he “can’t think...can’t feel.” Our intellectual elites have been
afflicted by this condition for quite a few decades now.
This death-in-life may be hard to see when it afflicts our elites. The
people in question are famous TV stars. They’re well-known and quite
self-assured.
Our brightest young journalists won’t describe the condition. Doing so
could end their careers.
At a... more »
Republican Party Doomsday Clock: Default Countdown
Although Pelosi said on Tuesday that Boehner apparently needs to humor his
troops, she claimed that the chances of a deal to prevent a default
tomorrow are good-- even if poor McConnell is being pilloried by DeMint,
Cruz and the crackpot suicide caucus for "leading the surrender." In case
yours got stuck in the spam folder, his is from the letter DeMint's Senate
Conservatives Fund sent out to their supporters claiming McConnell "has
made winning virtually impossible" for the far right, while McConnell and
Reid were trying to hammer out a compromise that both sides could live with ... more »
The spin masters in Indian country
Fraud and Deception in Indian Country Media By Brenda Norrell Censored News When you've been in the news business a long time, some things become very clear. Flashy tribal politicians use backroom press writers to write their scripts. This leads to their popularity, resulting in more oil and gas drilling like that in North Dakota, and more dirty coal energy like that on the Navajo Nation. ItRelated articles
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