10:25pm MST
Russia To Supply Coal And Electricity To Ukraine Without Prepayment
ITAR-TASS
*Russia Says To Supply Coal, Electricity To Ukraine -- Reuters*
(Reuters) - Russia has agreed on a new deal to supply coal and electricity
to Ukraine, which is struggling with a lack of raw fuel for power plants
due to a separatist conflict in the industrial east, Russian officials said
on Saturday.
The move comes a day after Kiev said it would suspend train and bus
services to Crimea, effectively creating a transportation blockade to and
from the region annexed by Moscow in March this year. Kiev has briefly cut
off electricity to Crimea before.
Russia will supply coal ... more »
AirAsia Flight QZ8501 From Indonesia To Singapore Is Reported Missing (News Roundup)
*AirAsia Flight QZ8501 From Indonesia To Singapore Missing -- BBC*
An AirAsia flight travelling from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to
Singapore has lost contact with air traffic control, the company has said.
Indonesian media say more than 160 people were on board the Airbus A320-200.
The aircraft, flight number QZ8501, lost contact with air traffic control
at 07:24 (00:24 GMT), AirAsia tweeted.
The company said that search and rescue operations were under way for the
missing plane.
*Read more* ....
*More News On AirAsia Flight QZ8501 From Indonesia To Singapore*
AirAsia plane... more »
The Interview’s Lost Joke
-By A Democratic Political Operative (@CaliOp215)
Last week, *The Interview* was bigger news than the guilty plea of Michael
"Mikey Suits" Grimm guilty plea. The Tokyo-based decision to not show the
movie on American screens shocked corporate CE’s and pot-heads alike. “How
could this happen in a capitalist society,” some questioned. “We must
retaliate and bomb Pyongyang,” cried others.
The American media framed North Korea’s position as a powerful one. In a
nut shell, they warned Americans that the North Korean Government was so
taken aback by the film’s supposed premise of killi... more »
On Christmas Eve The NSA Releases Documents Detailing 12 Years Of Spying Violations
*U.S. Spy Agency Reports Improper Surveillance of Americans -- Bloomberg*
The National Security Agency today released reports on intelligence
collection that may have violated the law or U.S. policy over more than a
decade, including unauthorized surveillance of Americans’ overseas
communications.
The NSA, responding to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit from the
American Civil Liberties Union, released a series of required quarterly and
annual reports to the President’s Intelligence Oversight Board that cover
the period from the fourth quarter of 2001 to the second quarter of 2... more »
One More Instance of Uneducated (Or Just Naive?) U.S. Citizens Hearing "Socialist!" or "Communist!" and Not Thinking Too Hard (Again)
The holiday fund-raiser has begun and all contributions to this blog's
maintenance are welcomed! I'm not that farsighted. But I always appreciate
people who are. It's never too early to be put on alert about changes that
may affect your ability to live well. Or live at all. Saturday, December
27, 2014 Here's The Jimmy Stewart Scene That Inspired The FBI To Warn
Americans That "It's A
A Day In The Life Of Global Warming
Courtesy of: Infographic World
A Day In The Life Of Global Warming
Schools Matter 2014 Awards
Schools Matter 2014 Awards
*Most Unconvincing Ideologue In the Role as Scholar*
Mike Petrilli
*Most Flagrant Political Organization Posing as a Legitimate Research
Association*
NCTQ
*Lifetime Achievement Award*
Walt Gardner
*Self-Aggrandizement Award 2014 (tie)*
David Coleman
Michelle Rhee
*Education Book of the Year*
*Fear and Learning in America, *John Kuhn
*Biggest Corporate Losers of the Year*
Amazon
Autozone
*Most Dangerous Pseudo-Science Title*
*Age of Opportunity: Lessons from the New Science of Adolescence, *Laurence
Steinberg
*Most unread Twitter posts*
Larry Ferlazzo
... more »
The Fukushima Nuclear Disaster: Wigner, Fukushima, Tesla, And The Brains Of A Gerbil
*NTS Note: I took the last few days off as I had planned to spend some time
with family and friends for this Christmas… It is good to get away from
writing at this blog from time to time to recharge the batteries! But now
I am back…..*
It has been a while since I last reported about the ongoing situation at
Fukushima… But there is not much new to report…. The disaster is still
going strong with little resolution any where in site… There was a recent
report that the spent fuel rod pool sitting above reactor #4 was FINALLY
emptied of all its spent nuclear fuel rods… But that report i... more »
Another Missing Jet Liner ( December 28 , 2014 ) --Air Asia Flight QZ 8501 Goes Missing After Requesting An Unusual Route ? Keep the passengers and crew ( 155 - 162 ) in your prayers !!
*RT* @RT_com 1m1 minute ago
MORE: Search and rescue operation underway for missing #AirAsia flight #
QZ8501 http://on.rt.com/i84tw7
[image: Embedded image permalink]
*zerohedge* @zerohedge 3m
3 minutes ago
Air Asia Confirms Lost Contact With Indonesia Flight After Crew Asked For
"Unusual Route", 155 Passengers On Board http://www.
zerohedge.com/news/2014-12-2
7/air-asia-confirms-lost-contact-indonesia-flight-after-crew-asked-unusual-route-155-p
…
zerohedge
[image: View this content on zerohedge's website]
Air Asia Confirms Lost Contact With Indonesia Flight After Crew Aske... more »
Musical Interlude: Medwyn Goodall, “Dolphin Companion”
Medwyn Goodall, “Dolphin Companion”
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZXZJB_1UV8
"A Look to the Heavens"
“At the top right, large spiral galaxy NGC 1055 joins spiral Messier 77 in
this sharp cosmic view toward the aquatic constellation Cetus. The
narrowed, dusty appearance of edge-on spiral NGC 1055 contrasts nicely with
the face-on view of M77's bright nucleus and spiral arms. Both over 100,000
light-years across, the pair are dominant members of a small galaxy group
about 60 million light-years away.
*Click image for larger size.*
At that estimated distance, M77 is one of the most remote objects in
Charles Messier's catalog and is separated from fellow island universe NGC
1055 by at ... more »
Dec. 27: Reverend Harper leads in a Christmas prayer...
(foreign news at the bottom just below the line
###################################)
Sorry to be late with this one. I spent much of the day at the worship
services for Boxing Day at Walmart's cathedral.
.
Now back to Canada's spiritual leaders, Stephen Harper.
He asks us to pray for our military in Iraq. Now, I'm not big on praying
for anybody or anything. However, if one is going to be doing it, it
should be done in accordance with one's religion. Pray for our side? Most
religions, if they believe in prayer at all, believe in loving one's
neighbour. So they don't just pray for... more »
Friendships
December 27, 2014 There will be no more life lessons from Little Cat on
the blog. Sadly, she passed away on my lap last Sunday morning, while I
stroked her fur, talked to her and offered her every enticement I … Continue
reading →
Chet Raymo, "Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright..."
"Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright..."
By Chet Raymo
"Divinity is not playful. The universe was not made in jest but in solemn
incomprehensible earnest. By a power that is unfathomably secret, and holy,
and fleet." You may recall these words from Annie Dillard's "Pilgrim at
Tinker Creek." There is nothing intrinsically cheerful about the world, she
says. To live is to die; it's all part of the bargain. Stars destroy
themselves to make the atoms of our bodies. Every creature lives to eat and
be eaten. And into this incomprehensible, unfathomable, apparently
stochastic melee stumbles...
Y... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Mardi Gras, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Thanks for stopping by.
"The Paradox of Revenge"
*"The Paradox of Revenge"*
by Emotionalcompetency
“The passion for revenge is strong and sometimes almost overwhelming. But
our intuitive logic about revenge is often twisted, conflicted, parochial,
and dangerous. Revenge is a primitive, destructive, and violent response to
anger, injury, or humiliation. It is a misguided attempt to transform shame
into pride. Many governments, religions, traditions, and cultures provide
guidance on when revenge may and may not be sought. Unfortunately this
guidance is often unsatisfactory because it excludes groups of people,
often mistreats women... more »
Is anybody yet doing a reality-game show called "Masterputz"?
*To the observant visitor, says Mitch Waxman, his home turf of Astoria,
Queens, offers "a cornucopia of visual stimuli," such as "occult altars,
weird neighbors, even puzzling tableaus like the one presented above."*
*by Ken*
For a special Boxing Day edition of his "Newtown Pentacle" blog yesterday,
our pal Mitch Waxman found himself scouting the "cornucopia of visual
stimuli" to be found in his home base of Astoria, Queens, including the
"puzzling tableau" we see above. And then there was a parked truck that
drew his attention, not so much for the un-extraordinary truck itself,
"... more »
Dostoevsky, "The Dream of a Ridiculous Man”
"For I have seen the truth; I have seen and I know that people can be
beautiful and happy without losing the power of living on earth. I will not
and cannot believe that evil is the normal condition of mankind. And it is
just this faith of mine that they laugh at. But how can I help believing
it? I have seen the truth- it is not as though I had invented it with my
mind, I have seen it, seen it, and the living image of it has filled my
soul for ever. I have seen it in such full perfection that I cannot believe
that it is impossible for people to have it. And so how can I go wrong? I ... more »
Washington And Hollywood Use Entertainment To Demean Enemy And Ally Alike
*The leaders of North Korea and Pakistan are afraid of Hollywood trash.*
If the incompetent and corrupt leaders of North Korea and Pakistan cared
more about providing freedom and prosperity to their people rather than
stupid movies and TV shows produced in Hollywood who knows where the
development of these countries would be by now.
They care more about what brainwashed audiences of Hollywood products think
of their countries than their own countries.
Pathetic Pakistani officials *are crawling to Hollywood and begging the
makers of the show 'Homeland'* to paint a better picture of... more »
"The Interview" It is America and Americans that should be offended !
[image: Seth Rogen and James Franco star in the controversial, banned
comedy, 'The Interview.']Two very unfunny actors
It is mind boggling to consider the fact this movie had a score of nearly
10 on the IMDB-
So the *'activists'* had to be out in full force- Also interesting is that
the movie appeared on line in China.
*"The New York Times found that the film had mostly favorable reviews in
China. "Perfect, the greatest film in history, all hail Sony," read one
online comment"*
* (Hence my comment about the activists (NED etc) being out in full force!)*
*The movie was a total pi... more »
Top Local Foods Stories of 2014
*Cole Mellino* - 2014 was an impressive year for local food. This is great
news for human health, animal well being and for the overall health of the
planet...
The post Top Local Foods Stories of 2014 appeared first on Waking Times.
How to Access Superconsciousness
*Film -* Through authentic meditation, we can explore the ultimate
knowledge about human existence.
The post How to Access Superconsciousness appeared first on Waking Times.
Untitled
*2014 Saints take their ‘last ride’ against Tampa ~Brian Pavek, Saints
Nation*
6 Ways to Open Your Life up to Cosmic Energy
*Anna Hunt* If you want to invite positive energy into your life and bathe
in its abundance, here are some ideas on what to do.
The post 6 Ways to Open Your Life up to Cosmic Energy appeared first on Waking
Times.
Urban Farming Guys MakerSpace
Discovered at: http://www.cryptogon.com/
December 24th, 2014
Via: Urban Farming Guys:
"The Jar"
*"The Jar"*
by IdeaChampions
"A college professor stood before his philosophy class at the start of a
new semester. Silently, he picked up a very large jar and filled it with
golf balls. Then he asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed
that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them
into the jar. He shook the jar lightly, pebbles settling into the open
areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar
was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. He
asked once... more »
"Your Path..."
“If you can see your path laid out in front of you step by step, you know
it's not your path.
Your own path you make with every step you take. That's why it's your path.”
- Joseph Campbell
Paulo Coelho, "Time Shifting- Slow Down For a Better Life"
*"Time Shifting- Slow Down For a Better Life" *
by Paulo Coelho
"Time is not a measure: but rather a quality. When we look at the past we
are not rewinding a tape but remembering a gift of our passage on Earth.
Time is not measured like a road is measured, since we take gigantic leaps
backwards (memories) and forwards (projects). Consider the following:
Managing is not living: “Time is money” is nonsense. We have to be aware of
each moment and know how to take advantage of each single moment in what we
are doing (with love) or in just contemplating life. A day has 24 hours and
an... more »
“The Story of the Chinese Farmer”
Alan Watts, “The Story of the Chinese Farmer”
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OX0OARBqBp0#t=118
Frederick Douglass explained the truth about social change
Frederick
Douglass's "West India Emancipation" speech of 1857 is possibly the
most incisive description of the true mechanism of social change ever
written.
The speech is brilliant like only works resulting from liberation praxis
can be.
LINK TO SPEECH
Serfdom In The 21st Century-- Korea
Too big to fire
My favorite part of the on-going Korean Air scandal is how it exposed the
relationship between the plutocracy and the working class. First, meet Cho
Hyun-ah, an heiress-- daughter of Korean Air chairman Cho Yang-ho. Part of
her patrimony, apparently is an executive vice presidency at the airline--
and an attitude towards the little people that would make Leona Helmsley
blush. As for her very own little people, Cho flew to Hawaii last May to
give birth to twin sons so that they would have U.S. citizenship--
something wealthy South Koreans like to do... just in case som... more »
The Opponent
*The True Opponent*
By American Kabuki
There is an opponent to every human on the planet. Its been externalized by
gnostics as Archons and the Demiurge, by Christians, Muslims, Zarathustrism
as a devil, demons and jinns.
In families, tribes, sports and nations its been externalized as simply
"the other". Hurray for our team and "lets get out there and kill!".
Seemed logical, if you are not for us you are against us, and since we
serve God/King/Money/Power and you don't believe what we do, off with your
head.
Over time the weapons got bigger and nastier. The Chinese boiled u... more »
And finally...
...before I go to bed...
...yet more examples of BBC reporters tweeting from the Left, courtesy of
the ever-diligent DB at *Biased BBC*.
First, here's BBC Senior Broadcast Journalist Megha Mohan:
My aunt got me @NaomiAKlein 's book on link between capitalism & climate
change for Xmas. Read it in 2 days. Buy it. pic.twitter.com/LKk7ADiKx5
— Megha Mohan (@meghamohan) December 27, 2014
And, second, here's one from one of the BBC's regional Middle East editors,
Lina Sinjab (familiar from her reporting from Libya - her home country if
memory serves me right):
#Cuba #Havana, for the fi... more »
'Dateline London' - the end of year edition
As I've spent many a year writing about *Dateline London - *proving its
past bias (if I say so myself) whilst conceding that it has got somewhat
less biased over time - I felt duty bound to tune in to today's end-of-year
edition and found, thankfully, that it was one of those (increasingly
common) episodes where people actually disagree with each other.
In the past, the programme's largely left-leaning guests would simply
congregate around a left-of-centre fulcrum on any issue and see-saw around
it with nary a dissenting right-wing voice in sight (except Janet Daley
every six or s... more »
Sony Hack Updates ( December 27 , 2014 ) - North Korea has become the favorite whipping boy for the attack - despite a lack of solid evidence connecting the attack to North Korea .... And who has been knocking out North Korea's Internet for the past few days and Cell Phones today - Work of US Government Agencies or some unidentified Hackers ? ? Meanwhile the inane drama continues - as the " crisis " may be a great opportunity to advance other agendas as well as distract the sheeple .......
Tweets......
*NBC News* @NBCNews 5m5 minutes ago
North Korea's Internet, 3G mobile network 'paralyzed' http://
nbcnews.to/1JVtOVz
[image: Embedded image permalink]
*missmaybell* @missmaybell 4m
4 minutes ago
Obama is using the *Sony* *hack* as justification to renew a push for
internet regulations that would censor online... http://fb.me/1vEVT1YoO
Ruth Earlene Perry and 15 others follow
*NPR News* @nprnews 54m
54 minutes ago
Another Internet outage has hit N. Korea. Meanwhile, experts are skeptical
the *Sony* *hack* came from there: http://n.pr/13LPthM
... more »
what i'm reading: four classic graphic novels for adults who think they don't like graphic novels
Despite the increased attention given to graphic novels in recent years,
many readers don't consider graphic novels when thinking about what to read
next. In this "what i'm reading" post, I highlight four graphic novels
considered classics of the form.
At least three of these books are included on high school and university
curricula, and taken seriously as literature. These are certainly not the
only graphic novels to achieve that standing, but if you asked a bunch of
non-graphic-fiction readers to name some well-known and influential graphic
novels, these would likely top the list... more »
Beyond space-time: Welcome to phase space
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21128241.700-beyond-spacetime-welcome-to-phase-space.html?full=true#.VJ8bDsgFA
Beyond space-time: Welcome to phase space
08 August 2011 by Amanda Gefter
Magazine issue 2824. Subscribe and save
For similar stories, visit the Cosmology Topic Guide
A theory of reality beyond Einstein's universe is taking shape – and a
mysterious cosmic signal could soon fill in the blanks
IT WASN'T so long ago we thought space and time were the absolute and
unchanging scaffolding of the universe. Then along came Albert Einstein,
who showed that different observers... more »
Haslam's Crony Protector, Brad Martin, Pushed for David Rudd's Appointment as U of M President
Bill and BradDuring a dicey political year, 2013, that found the Haslams
paying $92 million to keep its Pilot J employees out of jail for fraud,
Bill Haslam and Brad Martin were entirely preoccupied with scratching each
other's backsides.
Brad is an old family connection, going back to the day when Bill was
wasting away in the family truck stop business over piles of oil and gas
receipts.
Brad made little Bill a big shot with Saks in New York, thus launching him
into a political world that likes its predatory capitalists to look like
aging schoolboys. See Bill Gates. See Bill ... more »
P.S.
Oh, and while I'm getting things off my chest, like some BBC-obsessed
Chippendale...
I was driving home from work the other day listening to, of all things, Michael
Rosen's *Word of Mouth* on Radio 4.
As I was listening, it suddenly struck me - in a Chippendale-like
revelatory flash - that I must surely be listening to exactly the kind of
rarefied, politically-correct conversation that goes on prior to some
logic-defying, self-righteous, right-on, Right-baiting pronouncement of the
kind beloved of local councils, student bodies, arts councils, BBC
committees, etc - i.e. just the ... more »
From Their Own Correspondent
Please imagine for a minute that the BBC is biased, and biased in the way
we and Sue believe it to be...
Then please imagine what kind of stories such a genuinely biased BBC would
choose for its Christmas edition of the never-ending *From Our Own
Correspondent...*
Were I to guess blind, I'd guess that it would *have* to include a report
from Bethlehem which blames the numerical decline of Christians in
Bethlehem purely, and without balance, on the adverse effects of "the
Israeli occupation".
My experience of past BBC behaviour leads me to expect that - Yolande
Knell, for exampl... more »
NSA Abuse of Spy Power
On Christmas Eve, the National Security Agency released a trove of
documents detailing 12 years’ worth of illegal activity by the spy agency.
Included in the files are stories of employees using electronic
surveillance tools to snoop on spouses, the collection of American
citizens’ communications and other widespread abuses. RT’s Lindsay France
breaks down the documents.
Feliz Año Nuevo 2015 - Happy New Year (30 Wallpapers Gratis)
*CODIGO HTML PARA PONER ESTA IMAGEN EN TU PÁGINA WEB*
(Un click para seleccionar, Control C para copiar y Control V para
pegar) 
Haga usted click sobre la imagen para ampliar su tamaño
[image: Feliz Año Nuevo 2015 postal con men... more »
Haga usted click sobre la imagen para ampliar su tamaño
[image: Feliz Año Nuevo 2015 postal con men... more » IRISH: THE FORGOTTEN WHITE SLAVES
*IRISH: THE FORGOTTEN WHITE SLAVES*
*Source: http://goo.gl/LQ9JTW*
They came as slaves: human cargo transported on British ships bound for the
Americas. They were shipped by the hundreds of thousands and included men,
women, and even the youngest of children.
Whenever they rebelled or even disobeyed an order, they were punished in
the harshest ways. Slave owners would hang their human property by their
hands and set their hands or feet on fire as one form of punishment. Some
were burned alive and had their heads placed on pikes in the marketplace as
a warning to other captives.
... more »
DARPA Wants To Develop Super Agile Flying Drones
*DARPA Taking Inspiration From Birds Of Prey To Create Agile UAVs --
Endgadget*
The US military would like to use small drones a lot more, especially to
gather intelligence inside buildings and other structures. The problem?
Most drones aren't fast or maneuverable in tight places, to the point that
even a kangaroo can take one out. Enter DARPA: the gadget arm of the
military has just created the Fast Lightweight Autonomy (FLA) program to
build fully autonomous UAVs that can get through "a labyrinth of rooms,
stairs and... other obstacle filled environments." The drones would also ... more »
Here's The Jimmy Stewart Scene That Inspired The FBI To Warn Americans That "It's A Wonderful Life" Was Commie Propaganda
Today the 1946 Frank Capra film is universally considered a Christmas
classic but when it was first released, the FBI and the House Un-American
Activities Committee tried to label it Communist propaganda. In 1947, an
FBI document, *Communist Infiltration of the Motion Picture Industry,* went
after two of the screen writers, Frances Goodrich and her husband Albert
Hackett for, among other things, "eating lunch daily with" known Communist
screen writers. According to Michael Winship, Bill Moyers senior writer,
the FBI-- which was working with Ayn Rand on this crackpot project-- was ... more »
Greece Presidential Election Update ( December 27 , 2014 ) - Samaras hold press conference with two State TV Employees as Monday looms large !
Tweets.....
*zerohedge* @zerohedge 6m
6 minutes ago
Greek Prime Minister: "It's Best For The Country" To Do Away With Democracy
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-12-2
7/greek-prime-minister-its-best-country-do-away-democracy …
zerohedge
[image: View this content on zerohedge's website]
Greek Prime Minister: "It's Best For The Country" To Do Away With...
During a state-TV
View on web
*Kathimerini English *@ekathimerini · 1h1 hour ago
Samaras appeals to MPs ahead of third vote as early elections loom http://
dlvr.it/7xc0g1
*Kathimerini English *@ekathimerini · 4h4 hours ago
G... more »
Syria Ready To Enter Into Peace Talks With Rebel Groups
Hadi al-Bahra (L), head of the Syrian National Coalition, talks with Arab
League Secretary-General Nabil al-Araby (R) during their meeting in Cairo
December 27, 2014.
Credit: REUTERS/Asmaa Waguih
*Syria Ready To Discuss Russia Peace Plan Talks, Opposition Dismissive --
Reuters*
(Reuters) - Syria said on Saturday it was willing to participate in
"preliminary consultations" in Moscow aimed at restarting talks next year
to end its civil war but the Western-backed opposition dismissed the
initiative.
Two rounds of peace talks this year in Geneva failed to halt the conflict
which has ... more »
Musings On Iraq In The News
My article on Kataib Hezbollah was reprinted by Business Insider, and I was
cited in "Coalition Airstrike Destroy A Massive ISIS Truck Bomb in Iraq" by
Armin Rosen in that same publication. I was also cited in "Australia In
America's Third Iraq War" by Richard Tanter for Global Research. I was
quoted in Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's "What's Next For Islamic State?"
Kobane Under Islamic State Siege (Photo Gallery)
Three YPG fighters meet in the streets. Entire areas of the city are
abandoned, except for by YPG fighters hiding out. VICE News
*In Photos: 48 Hours Under Siege by Islamic State Militants In Kobane --
Danny Gold, VICE News*
On December 19, VICE News entered the besieged Syrian Kurdish city of
Kobane with the help of smugglers and the Syrian Kurdish militia, known as
the People's Protection Units (YPG). The city was preparing to enter its
100th day of fighting a fierce siege by the Islamic State (IS). Fighters
with IS had been pushed back by a combination of US airstrikes and heav... more »
UN Squadron for the Super Nintendo
Nintendo's Super Famicom (SNES for the rest of us outside of Japan) was a
relatively late entry into the 16 bit console market. As such, it came to
the party with tech specs that, on paper, outclassed its main opposition:
the PC Engine in Japan, Sega's MegaDrive everywhere else. Yet it was as
true then as it is now: to win a console war a contender needs a decent
library of games. In the SNES's case, it just so happened that incredible
games came by the bucketload. Sitting at home, feeling slightly insecure
with my own beloved MegaDrive and seeing amazing after amazing title
featur... more »
Top Al-Shabab Militant Leader Surrenders
*Al-Shabab Militant Wanted by U.S. Surrenders in Somalia -- Bloomberg*
A senior al-Shabab militant commander wanted by the U.S. surrendered to
Somali authorities.
Zakariya Ismail Hersi phoned the Somali army in advance to announce his
plan to surrender, Colonel Hassan Abdi, a Somali army officer, said today
in a phone interview.
“This is the first high-profile surrender from the group and the reason
behind his capitulation is that he feared for his life after he fell out
with the group’s leadership,” Abdi said without elaborating. The U.S. State
Department in 2012 offered a $3 mil... more »
Cultivating Consciousness in an Unconscious World
*Richard Smoley* - Who exactly is doing the watching? It is not the body;
the body is part of what is being observed...
The post Cultivating Consciousness in an Unconscious World appeared first
on Waking Times.
10 Powerful Benefits of Adding Turmeric to Your Diet
*Anna Hunt* - Turmeric is a powerful medicine and ally in good health. Here
are 10 of the best reasons to check it out...
The post 10 Powerful Benefits of Adding Turmeric to Your Diet appeared
first on Waking Times.
U.S. Military Imposters Are Becoming An Epidemic
*Military Posers Are 'An Epidemic,' Says Soldier Who Outs Them -- People*
Anthony Anderson has been unmasking "military posers" on his website
Guardian Of Valor for the past three years. But the moment he glimpsed the
video of a former infantryman angrily confronting a wannabe serviceman
trying to pass himself off as an Army ranger at a shopping mall in
Pennslyvania on Black Friday, he knew a few fans of his site might find it
interesting.
"It really holds your attention," Anderson recalls thinking while viewing
the clip of Army veteran Ryan Berk denouncing a pudgy 30-year-old man... more »
China: North Korea's Internet And Its 3G Mobile Network Has Stopped Working (Again)
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un inspects production of new touch-screen
mobile phones. CNN
*North Korean Internet, 3G Mobile Network 'Paralyzed:' Xinhua -- Reuters*
(Reuters) - North Korea's Internet and 3G mobile networks were paralyzed
again on Saturday evening, China's official Xinhua news agency reported on
Saturday, with the North Korean government blaming the United States for
systemic instability in the country's networks.
Internet connectivity had not returned to normal as of 21:30 local time,
Xinhua reported, citing reporters in the country that had confirmed the
situatio... more »
Potential Hack alert ( December 26 , 2014 ) - Tor hacked while the world focuses on " The Interview " Shenanigans ! The seriousness of the alleged breach remains an open question , but take this as a fwiw caution !
Tweets...
*BigBooyaw* @BigBooyaw 2h
2 hours agoGainesville, TX
Anonymous To 'Lizard Squad': Stop Attacking *Tor*#*hacked* #politics #
technology #tech #Hacking #money #programmer #lawhttp://www.
businessinsider.com/anonymous-to-lizard-squad-stop-attacking-tor-2014-12 …
*BI: Tech*
[image: View this content on SAI's website]
Anonymous To 'Lizard Squad': Stop Attacking Tor
By *BI: Tech* @SAI
Anonymous: "Stand down." Lizard Squad: "Do something."
View on web
*Jethro Perkins* @JethroPerkins 5h
5 hours ago
http://securityaffairs.co/wordpress/3142
9/hacking/who-hacked-a-cluster-tor-se... more »
A Tracey (rose) between two 'Today' presenters (thorns)
This morning's *Today *was a curious hybrid.
Guest-edited by ex-Everything But the Girl singer Tracey Thorn, part of the
show seemed like business-as-usual *Today, *with stuff about the Middle
East and cyber attacks, and a typically over-aggressive interview with a
Tory minister from Jim Naughtie...
...but for much of the time, thanks to Tracey, it seemed as if *Today *had
been taken over by Radio 1's *Newsbeat. *
Tracey chose subjects which (in her 52-year-old eyes) reflect the concern
of young adults - subjects such as fanmail, whether the internet can help
young gay people com... more »
2014: The Year Propaganda Came Of Age
Yes, 2014 was definitely the year that the propaganda machine reached Mach
1 and left a sonic boom of deafening questions behind it.
It IS time to change that. It is time to take back the "media" and destroy
the propaganda apparatus that is holding the public in a drooling trance.
At midnight on December 31 we are celebrating the launch of CCN- The
Conscious Consumer Network- full live stream broadcasting for the
alternative media. I will be continuing my weekly Transpicuous News show-
live- covering financial and government fraud, and will be part of the One
People's Round Table... more »
Should President Obama Attend Russia's 70th Anniversary Victory Day Celebrations?
*Obama Makes Mistake Turning Down Invitation For Victory Day Celebrations -
Morozov -- ITAR-TASS*
*It means that in his “struggle for global leadership” Obama puts not only
himself but his country “above the humanitarian values respected across the
globe,” the Russian lawmaker said*
MOSCOW, December 22. /TASS/. The president of the United States is making a
big strategic mistake by turning down Moscow’s invitation to attend
celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the Victory in Great Patriotic War
of 1941-1945. This way he openly demonstrates that he puts his ambitions
above the ... more »
15 Toxic Beliefs You Should Give Up to Be Happy
*Luminita Saviuc* - There are so many limiting and toxic beliefs we hold on
to, beliefs that keep us from living the happy, joyful and meaningful life
we all deserve to live.
The post 15 Toxic Beliefs You Should Give Up to Be Happy appeared first on Waking
Times.
How Cynical Have We Become?
Stephen Harper passed his best before date long ago. If he paid attention
to history, he would have misgivings about running in the next election.
Jeffrey Simpson writes:
Think of the prime ministers with majorities since 1968. Pierre Trudeau
served 11 years (1968 to 1979) before being defeated. Brian Mulroney served
a bit less than nine years before resigning. Jean Chrétien was prime
minister for 10 years and a month before resigning.
But, in our first past the post system, all Harper needs is 40% of the
votes to form a government:
He has an unshakable core vote of 30 to 32 per... more »
Did Putin Save Russia From Disintegration?
Former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev (L) signs autographs during a
presentation of his new book "After Kremlin" in Moscow December 26, 2014.
(Reuters / Sergei Karpukhin)
*Gorbachev: Putin Saved Russia From Disintegration -- RT*
Russian President Vladimir Putin saved the country from falling apart,
former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev said during the presentation of his
new book 'After the Kremlin.' Gorbachev also commented on the situation in
Ukraine and NATO expansion.
“I think all of us – Russian citizens – must remember that [Putin] saved
Russia from the beginning of a c... more »
What Putin May Do In 2015
Russia's President Vladimir Putin (C) attends a conference at the main
operation centre of the Russian armed forces, with Defence Minister Sergei
Shoigu (L) and armed forces Chief-of-Staff Valery Gerasimov (R) in Moscow,
June 6, 2013. Credit: Reuters/Michael Klimentyev/RIA Novosti/Kremlin
*Beware Putin’s Special War in 2015 -- The XX Committee*
December 2014 is the month Putin’s Russia was plunged into undeniable
crisis. Between the dramatic drop in oil prices and the collapse of the
ruble, under Western sanctions pressure, Russians are going into the new
year in a dramatically dif... more »
Johannes Kepler: an anniversary
Johannes Kepler was born prematurely near Stuttgart on 12/27/1571. His
grandfather was a mayor of their town but once Johannes was born, the
family's fortunes were already dropping. His father was a mercenary and
left the family when Johannes was five. His mother was a healer and a witch
which has also led to some legal problems.
Johannes was a brilliant child with early inclinations to astronomy. In
Graz (1594-1600), he was defending the Copernican heliocentric system. At
that time, there was no clear difference between astronomy and astrology.
Therefore, Kepler also invented the A... more »
I Interrogated the Top Terrorist in US Custody. Then The CIA Came to Town
[image: torture hands illustration]
I think what bothers me most here is the willful loss of institutional
knowledge that takes place for petty political reasons. Perhaps it is time
to reward failure with a full press charge of treason. This seems
draconian, but men grabbing for the brass ring need to know that they can
succeed.
We only have to look at the example of General MacArthur to understand what
is needed. That should be our baseline. No one over the past two decades
came close to him.
This tells a story of political grabbing with no clue how to proceed, and
then go... more »
Cannabis Oil Unveiled
Cannabis oil appears to be coming into its own as a useful method to use
this drug. There are now several different methods to use this drug without
inhaling smoke which is naturally a lousy idea. We are still a long way
from full legal acceptance which is unfortunate. What we have instead is a
trend line that can be kicked over any minute.
At least the benefits of cannabis is gaining wide publicity and that means
experimentation by all sorts of folks who otherwise would have avoided it.
Hopefully we can have this sorted out in the next two years before it gets
caught up in... more »
Meet the The Mushroom Of Immortality & The King of All Herbs
-
-
-
Something else we need to add to our tool kit. It is pretty impressive
although we would love to identify a condition which it completely kills.
Yet much of our herbivorium is also just like that. It is certainly a
useful tonic at least.
Rather interesting though is that the beverage actually tastes good - sort
of like a vanilla tea. Thus it needs to be more in use as we all have
little expectation of herbal tastes. This at least will likely stay on the
shelf.
I notice it helps those with some form of bowel disease and as there is
scan... more »
Sugar Disease Was Killing Me Slowly
[image: Photo: For all of the above I stick close to my family and to my
friends and co-workers. It is through my love of my wife and kids that I am
able to project out my passion for life to the world in my writings. I have
had to shield my wife from the negativity and pain I read and write about
on a daily basis, 365 days a year without fault. It is her love that
sustains me and keeps my heart from being crushed by it all. In addition,
my love is a river of unending passion that provides me with the strength
and stamina to continue my work.]
I think that we are all converted. I... more »
Ukraine And Pro-Russian Rebels Exchange Hundreds Of Prisoners
*Ukraine, Pro-Russian Rebel Prisoner Exchange Continues -- Voice of America*
Several Ukrainian prisoners are set to be handed over to Kyiv Saturday by
pro-Russian separatists, a day after the two sides exchanged hundreds of
prisoners.
Saturday's exchange will complete a prisoner swap.
The office of Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko says Ukraine handed over
222 rebel captives Friday, while separatists released 146 Ukrainian
servicemen in the largest exchange of prisoners since separatists launched
their uprising in April.
"As a president and as an ordinary citizen my heart is f... more »
Would You Hide Ed Snowden In Your Home?
Ever hear someone bitterly decrying "all Germans" as Nazis? I heard plenty
of that growing up in a Jewish community in Brooklyn and later I heard
plenty of it when I lived in Amsterdam. But there was always one response
that could stop anyone going down that path in their tracks-- something
about a family that took a Jew or a resistance fighter in and hid them from
the Nazis in their home. The state of Israel has an honorific for such
people: "Righteous Among the Nations." There are even rules and regulations
governing who gets the term applied to them. For example, assistance has ... more »
North Korea Calls President Obama 'A Monkey', Blames U.S. For Internet Outages
*North Korea Calls Obama 'A Monkey' In Latest Hacking Salvo -- The
Telegraph*
Pyongyang issues furious statement accusing US of shutting down its
internet services as row over The Interview shows no sign of easing
North Korea called President Barack Obama "a monkey" and blamed the US on
Saturday for shutting down its internet services amid the hacking row over
The Interview.
North Korea has denied involvement in a crippling cyberattack on Sony
Pictures but has expressed fury over the comedy depicting an assassination
of its leader Kim Jong-un. After Sony Pictures initially calle... more »
Can Yoga Awaken the Deeper Kundalini Energy?
*Video -* Krishnamurti discusses if yoga will awaken deeper kundalini
energy within a person.
The post Can Yoga Awaken the Deeper Kundalini Energy? appeared first on Waking
Times.
"Muslim viewers want more programmes... where they see themselves"
When the BBC appointed a Muslim to be its Head of Religion in 2009,
concerned voices (at blogs like *Biased BBC*) wondered whether he might
start advancing his own Muslim faith.
Bearing that in mind, Ian Burrell of the *Independent* has a scoop:
*BBC’s head of religion Aaqil Ahmed calls for more ‘literacy’ at the top*
*"Muslim viewers want more programmes... where they see themselves"*
IAN BURRELL MEDIA EDITOR Friday 26 December 2014
The head of religious programmes at the BBC has complained that a lack of
diversity and religious literacy at the top of British public service
... more »
Misdirection Watch - or are folks losing their minds at the same time all over the place ? ( December 21 , 2014 ) --Geopolitical instability abounds , domestic strife brewing , Sony affair - could it lead to further cyber disruptions internationally as well as here in the US ? But the better question - who wants to see the world burn ?
Catharsis Ours - 16 hours ago
I have been carefully watching this before commenting..... here's what I
see. For initial context , we are living in dangerous times. US involved
in expanding conflicts in Iraq and Syria . We are going to be in
Afghanistan for a long time and things are quite unsettled there . Libya
is a mess . CIA Torture report quite controversial . Yemen is a mess too.
Saudis seeing stirrings of terror. Foreign policy disaster Ukraine looks
likely to siphon US taxpayers funds . Bond markets ( US / Japan / Germany /
UK ) indications reveal " recovering economies " memo not exactly accurate
glo... more »
Untitled
*‘Public Education’ Should Fund Any Education, Not Just Government-Run
Schools*
“Are you saying public education is just a funding mechanism? … Is all
education now public [and parents] can just choose?” asked Colorado Supreme
Court Chief Justice Nancy Rice during oral arguments over the
constitutionality of Douglas County’s Choice Scholarship Pilot Program.
The case has brought forth a question that has been at the forefront of
state and national debates over school choice: What is the definition of
“public education,” anyway?
“It is important to distinguish between ‘schooling’ ... more »
Untitled
*How solar power and electric cars could make suburban living awesome again*
*Chris Mooney is at it again. He's a science popularizer without one of
the most important things in science: A critical mind. Regurgitating
hokum is his thing. This time he is living in a fantasy world where
everyone drives electric cars. Good luck with that! Didn't the Chevy
Volt teach anyone anything?*
The suburbs have had it rough in the last few years. The 2008-2009 economic
collapse led to waves of foreclosures in suburbia, as home prices
plummeted. More recently, census data suggest that Ame... more »
JT rules out a coalition with the NDP
Now, the real reason that Mulcair has found a coalition to be palatable is
because the NDP is running a distant third place to the Liberals and the
harpercon scum.
Why should the dreamy, vapid air-head Justin Trudeau sully himself by
publicly contemplating associating with those radical nutbar socialists?
For that reason, Trudeau sniffed that the very major policy differences
betwixt the two parties made a Liberal-NDP coalition very unlikely.
Certainly there are differences between the Liberals' neo-liberalism and
the NDP's neo=liberalism/"social democracy." But is Trudeau saying th... more »
Why Hugh Sykes no longer likes 'Newsnight'
Here's a Twitter discussion you may have missed. In it a veteran BBC
reporter reveals his feelings about Ian Katz's new-look 'Newsnight':
"There's a lot of foreign news today." @BBCNewsnight. Was that an apology?!!
— HughSykes (@HughSykes) December 17, 2014
@HughSykes @BBCNewsnight It sounded a bit "The One Show" to me :o/
— Shark (@156Sharknose) December 17, 2014
@156Sharknose @BBCNewsnight There was another weird remark: "You may have
read about this in the newspapers."
— HughSykes (@HughSykes) December 17, 2014
@HughSykes Because, in my view as a punter, @BBCNewsnight has ceased t... more »
To blend, or not to blend: that is the question
Originally posted on Blended Teaching DC:
To blend, or not to blend: that is the question: Whether it’s nobler in the
mind to labor The time and commitment to differentiate instruction, Or to
take arms against the antiquated system, And by opposing end them? To
question: to innovate; No more; and by a test score…
Laughing at North Korea and sexist jokes
Steve Evans, the BBC's correspondent in Seoul, was on *Today *this morning
talking about North Korea's latest fulminations against that U.S. comedy
film which mocks its (very) big baby of a leader.
The North Koreans have gone too far this time though, way beyond minor
things like mass executions, horrific gulags, three-generation family
punishments, threats of nuclear war, and the like. Yes, they've said
something racist about President Obama and not even the BBC feels it can be
neutral in the face of that level of offensiveness. It's wrong, and BBC
reporters like Steve Evans are s... more »
U.S. Wants To Transfer Dozens of Guantanamo Detainees In The Next 6 Months
*U.S. Hopes To Transfer Dozens From Gitmo In 6 Months, Official Says -- CNN*
(CNN) -- The Obama administration hopes to transfer dozens of detainees
from Guantanamo Bay in the next six months as part of a stepped-up effort
to reduce the population there, according to a U.S. official.
As many as five detainees are expected to be moved from the detention
facility in the next few days, with several more transfers anticipated in
early 2015, the official said on condition of anonymity.
The news comes less than a week after the United States announced it had
repatriated four detainees f... more »
The F-35 Falls Short When Compared To Older Jets In 'Seeing The Battlefield'
Reuters
*Newest U.S. Stealth Fighter ‘10 Years Behind’ Older Jets -- Dave Majumdar,
Daily Beast*
America’s $400 billion, top-of-the-line aircraft can’t see the battlefield
all that well. Which means it’s actually worse than its predecessors at
fighting today’s wars.
When the Pentagon’s nearly $400 billion F-35 Joint Strike Fighter finally
enters service next year after nearly two decades in development, it won’t
be able to support troops on the ground the way older planes can today. Its
sensors won’t be able to see the battlefield as well; and what video the
F-35 does capture, it... more »
Russian Military Innovations For 2014
What arms and military equipment have Russia's armed forces received in
2014?
*Best Of 2014: Russian Military Innovations -- Russia Beyond the Headlines *
For the Russian defense industry, 2014 has been a complicated year. Yet
despite numerous difficulties, some examples of military technology
successfully underwent state testing and were transferred to the armed
forces for future use. RBTH presents five additions to the armed forces
that went into service in 2014 – the newest innovations of the defense
industry.
*Yasen multipurpose nuclear submarine*
The first Yasen submarine t... more »
Belarus Has Imposed State Control On The Economy
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko
*State Control Of Prices In Belarus Will Remain Forever - Lukashenko --
Interfax*
MINSK. Dec 26 (Interfax) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has
said that state control over prices will remain in place in the republic
and urged businesses not to count on a liberalization of the price policy
after the scraping of a package of emergency measures from the government
and the National Bank.
"I was told, and saw it for myself, that some of our scoundrel-officials
have been telling entrepreneurs, businessmen and all sorts of thieves tha... more »
US Armed Rebels Gave TOW missiles to Al Qaeda
*December 27, 2014 *(Maram Susli - NEO) - US supplied TOW anti-tank
missiles have ended up in the hands of Jabhat Al Nusra, Syria’s branch of
Al Qaeda. The US provided the missiles to CIA vetted Syrian rebel faction
Harakat Hazm in May. A video posted by Al Nusra shows the weapons being
used to take over Syrian military bases, Wadi Deif and Hamidiyeh in Idlib
province.
A story that should have been headline news of Obama’s arming of Al Qaeda
across all US media, largely went unnoticed. The only evidence of the story
in the mainstream media can be found in the International Business... more »
The Consistency of Official Iranian Commentary, Part IV:Javad Zarif and the Detrimental Perception of Nuclear Intentions
In
an extensive interview with Jacob Heilbrunn, senior editor at The
National Interest, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif
reiterated Iran's consistent commitment never to build or acquire
nuclear weapons. In presenting Iran's categorical rejection of such
arms, Zarif explained that Iran had "every reason not to have a nuclear
bomb."
He continued:
If you look at Iran’s security
the time is now
there is no past
there is no future
there is only
the eternal now
the will of god
Food Watch: Latest sign that civilization is drawing (has drawn?) to a close: SpaghettiOs-topped pizza
*"A gourmet meal" -- yum!*
*by Ken*
Yeah, yeah, you're not supposed to knock it if you haven't tried it. But
I'm here to tell you that I have no intention of trying pizza topped with
SpaghettiOs.
Sometimes you have to wonder what people think pizza is about.
On the one hand there are the micro-thin pizza fetishists, who don't seem
to grasp that we're talking about a form of bread here, and that the crust
is an integral part of the package. (I always think they would do better to
spread some sauce on their arm and stick it in a wicked-hot pizza oven for
a *really* thin crust.) Of... more »
The Afghan Army Is Still Using Soviet Era Tanks In Their War Against The Taliban
*Afghan Army's Rusty Tank Relics Still Roll Into Battle -- Stars and
Stripes*
KABUL — With a collective belch of black smoke, the line of old Soviet
tanks rattles to life. No two vehicles have the same fading paint scheme,
and some still feature the insignia of Afghanistan’s communist government
of the 1980s.
Fenders are bent and rusted. In the treads of one tank are the tangled
coils of the last barbed-wire fence it drove through. Amid the haze and the
clanking of metal tracks, the hulking machines barely look ready to drive
around the block, let alone fight a war.
Once a commo... more »
China To Purge Foreign Technology And Replace It With A China Only Made Policy
*China Is Planning to Purge Foreign Technology and Replace With Homegrown
Suppliers -- Bloomberg*
China is aiming to purge most foreign technology from banks, the military,
state-owned enterprises and key government agencies by 2020, stepping up
efforts to shift to Chinese suppliers, according to people familiar with
the effort.
The push comes after a test of domestic alternatives in the northeastern
city of Siping that was deemed a success, said the people, who asked not to
be named because the details aren’t public. Workers there replaced
Microsoft Corp.’s (MSFT) Windows with a ... more »
2015 & Beyond: The Denuclearization And Break-Up of Pakistan, An Attack On Iran, And The Further Disintegration of Syria
"Talk about unintended consequences. Could the Palestinians’ pursuit of
statehood at the United Nations finally put an end to the movement of
so-called non-aligned nations, who have nursed Arab grievances against
Israel for decades? That certainly seems to be the implication of a report
that India is considering a change to its pattern of supporting the
Palestinians at the United Nations. *Instead, the country, under new
leadership and with growing ties to Israel, may abstain on votes regarding
the Middle East peace process."* - *Seth Lipsky, "India’s shift away from
Palestine cou... more »
Is China About To Become The World's New Bank?
*China Steps In As World's New Bank -- William Pesek, Bloomberg*
Thanks to China, Christine Lagarde of the International Monetary Fund, Jim
Yong Kim of the World Bank and Takehiko Nakao of the Asian Development Bank
may no longer have much meaningful work to do.
Beijing's move to bail out Russia, on top of its recent aid for Venezuela
and Argentina, signals the death of the post-war Bretton Woods world. It’s
also marks the beginning of the end for America's linchpin role in the
global economy and Japan's influence in Asia.
What is China's new Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank if... more »
Musical Interlude: Liquid Mind, "My Orchid Spirit (Extragalactic)"
Liquid Mind, "My Orchid Spirit (Extragalactic)"
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vK_2fgj_Vts
"Nobody knows it," says Paul Krugman, "but 2014 was the year of 'Yes, we can' "
*"[O]ver the past year, a U.S. government subjected to constant
bad-mouthing, constantly accused of being ineffectual or worse, has, in
fact, managed to accomplish a lot. On multiple fronts, government wasn't
the problem; it was the solution. Nobody knows it, but 2014 was the year of
'Yes, we can.' "*
*-- Paul Krugman, in his NYT column today,* "Tidings of Comfort"
*by Ken*
"All year," says our Paul in this column reflecting on what he says seemed
to him an "unusually subdued" Christmas, "Americans have been bombarded
with dire news reports portraying a world out of control and a ... more »
Chna's Corruption Purge Is Spreading Fear And Retribution
*Special Report: Fear And Retribution In Xi's Corruption Purge -- David
Lague , Benjamin Kang Lim and Charlie Zhu, Reuters*
(Reuters) - Chen Zhenggao, a member of the Communist Party's elite Central
Committee, clearly has enemies.
While Chen was visiting Hong Kong last year, his adversaries were preparing
a detailed dossier on his travel and entertainment spending. Soon after the
visit, mainland businessmen passed the documents to Reuters.
Among the materials was video surveillance footage of the powerful
politician, then the governor of China’s Liaoning province, stepping out of
... more »
7 Ways To Reduce Electrical Pollution In Your Home or Office
*Video -* If you're concerned about electrical and EMF pollution, here are
some ideas on how to protect yourself.
The post 7 Ways To Reduce Electrical Pollution In Your Home or Office
appeared first on Waking Times.
Musical Interlude: Chuck Wild, "Liquid Mind VII: Reflection - In The Stillness"
Chuck Wild, "Liquid Mind VII: Reflection - In The Stillness"
Photos, animations courtesy of ESA, NASA and The Hubble Space Telescope.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ahc16ZFXrTo
"A Look to the Heavens"
"About 40,000 light-years across, pretty, irregular galaxy NGC 3239 lies
near the center of this lovely field of galaxies in the galaxy rich
constellation Leo. At a distance of only 25 million light-years it
dominates the frame, sporting a peculiar arrangement of structures, young
blue star clusters and star forming regions, suggesting that NGC 3239 (aka
Arp 263) is the result of a galaxy merger. Appearing nearly on top of the
pretty galaxy is a bright, spiky, foreground star, a nearby member of our
own Milky Way galaxy almost directly along our line-of-sight to NGC 3239.
*Click im... more »
The Door In The Wall"
"The man who comes back through the Door in the Wall will never be quite
the same as the man who went out. He will be wiser but less sure, happier
but less self-satisfied, humbler in acknowledging his ignorance yet better
equipped to understand the relationship of words to things, of systematic
reasoning to the unfathomable mystery which it tries, forever vainly, to
comprehend.”
– Aldous Huxley
The Daily "Near You?"
Abilene, Texas, USA. Thanks for stopping by.
"Our Fate..."
"It seems to me that almost all our sadnesses are moments of tension, which
we feel as paralysis because we no longer hear our astonished emotions
living. Because we are alone with the unfamiliar presence that has entered
us; because everything we trust and are used to is for a moment taken away
from us; because we stand in the midst of a transition where we cannot
remain standing. That is why the sadness passes: the new presence inside
us, the presence that has been added, has entered our heart, has gone into
its innermost chamber and is no longer even there, - is already in our
b... more »
"No Regret…Leave it All On The Field"
*"No Regret…Leave it All On The Field"*
by Bonnie Ware
"Many years ago I heard an athlete, who had just lost a huge game, being
interviewed by a reporter. This reporter asked the tough question “So
what’s it going to be like living with all the regret of losing this big
game?” The athlete immediately snapped back, “Regret! I don’t have any
regret, I left it all on the field…” I know all of us have heard that
expression before but I found it to be a very good preface for this
particular blog post. Regret…tough word for some of us because of broken
relationships or worse yet, maybe a... more »
Chet Raymo, “The Audacity Of Hope”
*“The Audacity Of Hope”*
by Chet Raymo
“In the middle of the last century, Teilhard de Chardin wrote: "A great
many internal and external portents (political and social upheaval, moral
and religious unease) have caused us all to feel, more or less confusedly,
that something tremendous is at present taking place in the world. But what
is it?" What, indeed? There are two prevailing opinions:
*1)* We are going to hell in a hand basket. Global warming, ecological
disaster, tribal genocide, overpopulation, economic collapse, nuclear
annihilation, moral decay: the future looks bleak, if ... more »
Tonight's Movie Is Silent Night
From *YouTube*: Fact-based World War II story set on Christmas Eve, 1944,
finds a German Mother and her son seeking refuge in a cabin on the war
front. When she is invaded by three American soldiers and then three German
soldiers, she successfully convinces the soldiers to put aside their
differences for one evening and share a Christmas dinner.
Trillion dollar war in Afghanistan- "Achieved it's goal"- Obama
*Well, I made it!*
* 48 hours away from the blog except for responding to comments*
Obama addressing troops spouting nonsense
*Trillion-dollar war in Afghanistan achieved its goal*
*US troops first arrived in Afghanistan *less than a month after the 9/11
attacks* on New York and Washington DC, unseating the Taliban before
bedding in for a conflict, which has claimed the lives of more than 2,000
US military personnel. *
*Some 13 years later, and after *spending more than $1 trillion on the war,
* the US is preparing to pull most of its combat troops out before the end
of this year*
... more »
Psychology: "The Illusion of Truth"
* "The Illusion of Truth"*
by PsyBlog
"We see ads for the same products over and over again. Politicians repeat
the same messages endlessly (even when it has nothing to do with the
question they've been asked). Journalists repeat the same opinions day
after day. Can all this repetition really be persuasive? It seems too
simplistic that just repeating a persuasive message should increase its
effect, but that's exactly what psychological research finds (again and
again). Repetition is one of the easiest and most widespread methods of
persuasion. In fact it's so obvious that we someti... more »
The Poet: Amelia Peart Macdonald, "Upward Reaching"
*"Upward Reaching"*
"The soul of man, to what end is it striving?
What is the destiny, what is the goal?
This constant upward reaching of the soul–
What force behind it does the ceaseless driving?
Upward reaching but implies a quest
Unending, for the things we deem the best,
For that which goes to make the perfect whole–
Insatiable striving for a better role.
With what speed, then, is man’s success arriving?
Endowed with instincts meant to goad him on
Toward the infinite, from dawn to dawn,
From his struggle, how much good deriving?
Man’s speed, or progress, toward that holier sphere,
Is... more »
"All Paths..."
“All paths lead to the same goal: to convey to others what we are. And we
must pass through solitude and difficulty, isolation and silence, in order
to reach forth to the enchanted place where we can dance our clumsy dance
and sing our sorrowful song- but in this dance or in this song there are
fulfilled the most ancient rites of our conscience in the awareness of
being human and of believing in a common destiny.”
- Pablo Neruda
"Singing To The Deer"
*"Singing To The Deer"*
by Patricia Monaghan
“At solstice, the woods were bright in a snowy way, the sky pearl gray
above the stately maples and gnarled burr oaks. An Alaskan marooned in the
urban Midwest, it took me years to find this nearby patch of relatively
undisturbed land where I can sense the power of wildness. Now I go there
often, watching the seasons unfold their changeful unchanging patterns in
the increasingly familiar forest. I especially like to walk among the
sleeping trees in the half-lit silence of winter dawns. The trail I follow
winds and twists, new patches of ... more »
U.S., South Korea And Japan Have Agreed To Pool Their Intelligence Against North Korea
*US, Japan, S. Korea to Share Intel On N. Korea -- Voice of America*
South Korean officials say Seoul, the U.S. and Japan have agreed on a
trilateral intelligence-sharing pact to deal with North Korea's missile and
nuclear programs.
Officials said on Friday that the deal would enable the three allies to
quickly respond to any North Korean provocation at a time of increasing
tensions with Pyongyang. It would apply to intelligence sharing only on the
North's missile and nuclear progress.
South Korean officials say the formal signing of the pact by the South
Korean vice defense mini... more »
U.S. Conducts Drone Strikes In Pakistan. 'Mastermind' Behind Attack On Pakistan School Killed In Shootout
Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com
*As Pakistan Considers Counter-Terrorism Strategy, More Airstrikes Kill
Militants -- Washington Post*
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Two suspected U.S. drone strikes in northwestern
Pakistan killed at least eight militants on Friday, and Pakistani forces
also killed a Taliban commander who helped carry out last week’s school
massacre in Peshawar.
According to Pakistani intelligence officials, a U.S. drone fired two
missiles into a compound in North Waziristan used by militants from the
Punjabi Taliban. The group is an offshoot of the Pakistan Tali... more »
Will Steve Stockman Be The Next Republican Criminal Not Locked Up In Prison After Mikey Suits?
The Honorable Steve Stockman (R-TX), domestic terrorist
Steve Stockman made a name for himself the first time he somehow wound up
in Congress. The ex-drug addict and derelict-turned right-wing extremist,
involved himself with fringe anti-American militia groups and domestic
terrorists and had some connection-- one that was quickly hushed up-- with
Timothy McVeigh and the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing that killed 168 people
and caused over half a billion dollars in physical damages. The next year,
Democrat Nick Lampson defeated Stockman's reelection bid 53-47%. He ran
several unsuccessfu... more »
Not bashing the Archbishop
Though the colour scheme and layout of our blog may not change very much
(which gives Sue cause for concern, as she's got much better visual taste
than me and would very much like to improve its somewhat make-do-and-mend
look), the second part of the blog's title does vary from time to time.
As you may (or may not) have noticed, it now reads "...and any other
matters that take our fancy", thus freeing us forever from having to peg
every post to the theme of BBC bias and allowing us to bang on about any
old random stuff that crosses our minds.
This post, therefore, will contain ... more »
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- December 26, 2014
*Aceh Ten Years After the Tsunami -- Sebastian Strangio, The Diplomat*
*The region has made impressive progress on rebuilding infrastructure, but
the mental scars remain.*
BANDA ACEH – One thing people invariably recall about the Indian Ocean
tsunami is the terrifying sound the tidal wave made as it surged towards
shore. Rahmadullah, 31, remembered “a sound like a cyclone.” Mohammad
Saleh, a 54-year-old primary school principal, said the wave made a noise
“just like a bomb” as it swept trees, homes, and buildings aside like so
many cardboard boxes. “It was high as the coconut tree... more »
what i'm reading: pro: reclaiming abortion rights by katha pollitt
Katha Pollitt's new book, *Pro: Reclaiming Abortion Rights*, is a powerful
gust of fresh, clean air that blows away the toxic stench of the current
discourse about abortion.
*Pro* is a thorough, no-holds-barred takedown of the hypocrisy of
anti-abortion-rights movement - not only in the most obvious sense that
people who claim to be "pro-life" also (usually) support war and the death
penalty, oppose gun control, and encourage lethal terrorism against
abortion providers and clinic staff, and of people who claim to care about
women and children, but oppose all social supports that m... more »
Defence of Absolute Privilege not extended to Municipal Councillors
Gutowski v. Clayton, 2014 ONCA 921:
[20] Nothing in this record supports an extension of absolute
privilege to municipal councillors, in my opinion.
[21] In this regard, I do not accept the appellants' argument that
the absence of the protection of absolute privilege is "presumed" to have a
"chilling effect" on the ability of councillors to perform their function.
They rely on *Grant v. Torstar Corp.**, *2009 SCC 61, [2009] 3 S.C.R. 640,
for their submission that no evidence is required to establish the chilling
effect flowing from the lack of a defamation defence. ... more »
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