Friday, April 03, 2015

3 April - Blogs I'm Following

10:24pm MDST

The Iranian Nuclear Deal Has Been Signed: 10 Short Answers To 5 Key Points On Iranian Nuclear Deal Explained

Northerntruthseeker at Northerntruthseeker - 7 minutes ago
I am truly shocked today... It does appear that the so called P5+1 meetings to decide the fate of Iran's peaceful nuclear power development have indeed reached a successful conclusion.. This of course comes in spite of the continuing lies coming out from the US and of course the psychotic state of Israel that this deal will "enable" Iran to obtain nuclear weapons within what they ridiculously claim is .. Less than a year.... Yes, this does appear to be a pretty good and sound deal.... The Iranian government will continue to build its nuclear power plants for power generation and wil... more »

White House Divded Over Iran

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 9 minutes ago
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (L) and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif discuss seating arrangements for a meeting during a new round of nuclear negotiations in Montreux March 2, 2015. Reuters/Evan Vucci/Pool *Politico*: *A changed Iran? Obama aides divided* *Some in the White House doubt a nuclear deal would alter the regime’s attitude toward the U.S.* *Both President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry have suggested that a nuclear deal with Iran could be a step towards thawed relations between Washington and Tehran. But experts and even some senior a... more »

White House Defends Its Somalia Counterterrorism Model

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 21 minutes ago
*Washington Post:* *White House officials defend Somalia strategy as counterterrorism model* *President Obama has cited the battle against al-Shabab militants in Somalia as a model of success for his relatively low-investment, light-footprint approach to counterterrorism.By some measures, it has paid dividends. U.S. drones have killed several of the Islamist group’s leaders, including two top planners in just the past month, a senior administration official said Friday. African Union troops backed by the United States have forced al-Shabab fighters to flee huge swaths of ter... more »

The Stupid Leaders of Pakistan, Egypt, And Turkey Are Miscalculating The Nature of The Conflict In Yemen At Their Own Peril

Saman Mohammadi at The Excavator - 1 hour ago
*The Houthis in Yemen will defeat these bastards.* *An excerpt from, "Pakistan, Turkey committed to defend Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty" Geo.Tv, April 3, 2015:* "Turkish Prime Minister Davutoglu spoke of strong ties with Pakistan. “Pakistan’s pain is our pain and Pakistan’s propriety is our prosperity.” He added the Muslim world faced several challenges and stressed on the need to hold bilateral dialogues. Prime Minister Davutoglu added that the situation in the Middle East was affecting Turkey and Pakistan and both countries were supportive of seeking a peaceful solution. *“We have... more »

Washington Helps 10 Countries Bomb Yemen, Beijing Helps 10 Countries Evacuate Their Citizens From Yemen

Saman Mohammadi at The Excavator - 2 hours ago
Beijing is rescuing citizens from ten countries who are trapped in Yemen while Washington is not even rescuing its own trapped citizens because it is too busy refueling Saudi jets for more criminal airstrikes on Yemeni civilians and infrastructure. It's pretty obvious why one is a rising power and the other is a declining power. China helps 10 countries evacuate nationals from Yemen. Source: CCTV News. Date Published: April 2, 2015.

Chet Raymo, “In A Dark Time...”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 2 hours ago
*“In A Dark Time...”* by Chet Raymo “I've quoted a few of these lines before, from a poem by Charles Simic: "It's like fishing in the dark. Our thoughts are the hooks, Our heart the raw bait. We cast the line past all believing Into the night sky Until it's lost to sight." In a sense, that's the story of my life: a long love affair with the night sky. My first book of popular science was “365 Starry Nights”. My first book of personal prose was “The Soul of the Night: An Astronomical Pilgrimage”. “An Intimate Look at the Night Sky” followed much later, but every book in between, fic... more »

Sarah Brady (1942-2015)

KenInNY at DownWithTyranny! - 2 hours ago
*Dan Gross, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, writes: "Join me in mourning the loss of Sarah Brady and share your note of tribute with us."* *"I come before you today as not just another pretty face, but out of sheer talent."* *-- Jim Brady, to a press corps aware that First Lady-to-beNancy Reagan had wanted a Ken doll as press secretary* *"Neurosurgeon Arthur I. Kobrine later recalled telling the president's personal physician about Mr. Brady: 'It's a terrible injury. I don't think he has a chance. I don't think he's going to make it, but I think we should ... more »

The Daily "Near You?"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 2 hours ago
Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada. Thanks for stopping by.

Untitled

New Orleans Ladder at New Orleans Ladder - 3 hours ago
*Special master in Bayou Corne sinkhole settlement admits he served as attorney for plaintiffs’ counsel; Impartiality called into question ~Kyle Barnett, Louisiana Record*

Tonight's Movie Is 'The Final Countdown' (1980)

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 3 hours ago
From *YouTube:* A modern aircraft carrier is thrown back in time to 1941 near Hawaii, just hours before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. *WNU Editor:* I have always enjoyed this sci-film film .... a little twist from the usual war movie .... hope that you enjoy it.

Untitled

Obi-Wan Kabuki at AMERICAN KABUKI - 3 hours ago

How do Those in Power Stay in Control

WakingTimes at Waking Times - 4 hours ago
*Video - *A breakdown in simple terms of how "those in power" retain their power and stay in control. The post How do Those in Power Stay in Control appeared first on Waking Times.

Commentaries, Analysis, And editorials -- April 3, 2015

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 4 hours ago
*Leslie Gelb, Daily Beast:* *Obama’s Iran Nuke Deal: Winners & Losers* *The pragmatists are triumphant for the moment, but the hawks are circling.* *The emerging arrangements on Iranian nuclear programs announced Thursday are a clear plus/plus for both sides. Only those who don’t want any deal see it otherwise.* *The U.S. and its partners in the Swiss talks get a downsizing and overhaul of Iran’s nuclear facilities with strong inspection rights, stretching warning time to counter Iranian cheating from a couple of months to at least a year. Tehran gets the economic sanctions noose ... more »

"Problems..."

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 4 hours ago
"Never tell your problems to anyone... 20% don't care and the other 80% are glad you have them." - Lou Holtz

"Life, Explained To You”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 4 hours ago
“*Life, Explained To You”* Author Unknown "On the first day God created the dog. God said, "Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. I will give you a life span of twenty years." The dog said, "That's too long to be barking. Give me ten years and I'll give you back the other ten." So God agreed. On the second day God created the monkey. God said, "Entertain people, do monkey tricks and make them laugh. I'll give you a twenty-year life span." The monkey said, "Monkey tricks for twenty years? I don't think so. Dog gave you back ten, so th... more »

Mauna Kea Cease and Desist Order

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 4 hours ago
Ali'i Mana'o Nui The Initial construction is beginning on a huge telescope to be built on top of Mauna Kea.  This mountain is considered very sacred by Hawaiians.  The new telescope will join many others built over the objections of those seeking to protect the sacred site.  People engaging in non-violent resistance to the continued desecration are being arrested. In response

"How It Really Is"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 5 hours ago

World News Briefs -- April 3, 2015

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 5 hours ago
*Reuters*: *Iranians celebrate, Obama hails 'historic' nuclear framework* *(Reuters) - Iranians celebrated in the streets after negotiators reached a framework for a nuclear accord and U.S. President Barack Obama hailed an "historic understanding", but senior global diplomats cautioned that hard work lies ahead to strike a final deal.* *The tentative agreement, struck on Thursday after eight days of talks in Switzerland, clears the way for a settlement to allay Western fears that Iran could build an atomic bomb, with economic sanctions on Tehran being lifted in return.* *MIDDLE ... more »

Another Lying Job Report  (The Rise of the Working Poor and the Non-Working Rich)  The Senate Voted 54-46 to Repeal the Estate Tax Altogether

Watch "Manufacturing Consent," which will enlighten you immeasurably, on LINK TV at 2:00 PM, Saturday, April 4, 2014; "Chris Hedges at Earth Risk 2014" on LINK TV at 1:00 PM, Saturday, April 4, 2014; and "The Emerging Left-Right Alliance" on LINK TV, which runs intermittently, if you can. It's TV the way we fantasized about it in the 50's. Brilliant programming for an engaged public. There is

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- April 3, 2015

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 6 hours ago
© Sputnik/ Igor Zarembo *Sputnik*: *Russia Ready to Sell S-300 Missiles to Iran if Sanctions Fall* *Russia may resume a deal to deliver S-300 surface-to-air defense systems to Iran if only the UN decides to lift its ban on arms sales to Tehran, a leading Russian defense expert said on Friday.* *Negotiators from Iran, the United States and other world powers agreed on Thursday to a framework for a final agreement to curb Tehran’s nuclear program.* *Iran agreed in principle to accept significant restrictions on its nuclear facilities for at least a decade and submit to internation... more »

Iraq's Militias Do Not Give Thanks To U.S. Airstrikes For Pushing The Islamic State Out Of Tikrit

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 6 hours ago
A Shiite cleric addressed Iraqi soldiers and Shiite fighters on Monday, before they began a campaign to retake control of Tikrit. Credit Thaier Al-Sudani/Reuters *New York Times*: *Iraq Forces, Pushing ISIS Out of Tikrit, Give Few Thanks for U.S. Airstrikes* *TIKRIT, Iraq — One week after the start of intensive American airstrikes against Islamic State hide-outs, most of the key parts of central Tikrit have finally fallen to the government’s forces — although significant pockets remained contested on Thursday.* *But to hear some of the Iraqi forces here tell it, the Americans des... more »

Corporate Media Fail: Ignoring Clear Evidence Of Gov. Pence's Intent

KenInNY at DownWithTyranny! - 6 hours ago
*Did you miss this annotated photo the first time we shared it?* *First, click on the image to enlarge it. Howie included it with his post "Mike Pence -- Pandering To The Worst Of The Republican Party Base," but it's worth a closer look, to see the kind of people Indiana Gov. "Mikey Pants" cavorts with at photo ops, but now doesn't want to talk about.* *At this point you almost have to feel a little sorry for Indiana's hate-mongering right-wing extremists and their *supremo *, Gov. "Mikey Pants." They could be forgiven for having though that all signals were "go" for them to ratc... more »

After The Recapture Of The Iraqi City Of Tikrit, Shiite Militias Go On A Rampage Of Looting And Revenge Attacks

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 6 hours ago
A vehicle belonging to Shi’ite militia fighters pulls the body of an Islamic State fighter, who was killed during clashes with Iraqi forces, in Tikrit April 1, 2015. Reuters/Stringer *Reuters:* *After Iraqi forces take Tikrit, a wave of looting and lynching* *On April 1, the city of Tikrit was liberated from the extremist group Islamic State. The Shi'ite-led central government and allied militias, after a month-long battle, had expelled the barbarous Sunni radicals.* *Then, some of the liberators took revenge.* *Near the charred, bullet-scarred government headquarters, two federa... more »

China's Former National Security Chief Is Now Facing The Death Penalty

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 6 hours ago
*Daily Mail:* *China's former national security chief faces death penalty after being accused of corruption and leaking state secrets* ** Zhou Yongkang most senior politician to face court since Mao's widow* ** He is the highest-level official charged in anti-corruption campaign* ** Destroys any chance him rivalling the party leadership * *China is poised for its biggest corruption case since Mao Zedong's widow went on trial for treason with the rest of the 'Gang of Four'.* *Former national security chief Zhou Yongkang – an ally of Bo Xilai, the top official jailed two years ago ove... more »

Good Friday 2015...

Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 6 hours ago
"It is finished"

Did Radio 4's 'PM' forgo impartiality today?

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 6 hours ago
Talking of today's *PM *on Radio 4, the whole thing could, if taken in isolation (and I heard it in isolation) have sounded very biased. During an election period, individual BBC programmes must ensure impartiality over the course of the election. After today's programme, *PM *is surely going to have to paddle like mad to make up for its anti-UKIP bias today from what I heard. The biggest knock for UKIP came during Eddie's discussion with *More of Less*'s Ruth Alexander. They were fact-checking last night's leaders' debate on ITV. They began by checking a stat from Nigel Farage, ... more »

Snowden Documents: UK 'Spied On Argentina' Over Falklands

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 6 hours ago
Reuters/Kieran Doherty *BBC:* *UK 'spied on Argentina' over Falklands, claims Edward Snowden* *Documents released by the American whistle-blower Edward Snowden claim that Britain spied for several years on the Argentine government.* *According to reports in the Argentine media, Britain was concerned that Argentina could launch another attempt to reclaim the Falkland Islands.* *The two nations fought a war over the islands in 1982.* *Last month the British government announced it was upgrading its military presence on the islands.* *Mr Snowden says British agents were actively spy... more »

Stop the Madness

Steve at Thinking Aboot - 7 hours ago
Not invented here is does not mean its not invented, and that it will not work here.

Where one leads the other follows...

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 7 hours ago
Former U.S. State Department official Mark Fitzpatrick, now of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, firmly believes in the present deal with Iran over its nuclear deal. He was chuffed, earlier today, to be taken up by the *Guardian*: I like it when my tweets get picked up in news stories, like this one in @guardian re #Iran framework being a win-win http://t.co/yaUnGpyZtK — Mark Fitzpatrick (@FitzpatrickIISS) April 3, 2015 He's not tweeted about it yet, but his day soon got even better. Radio 4's *PM* invited him to be their expert guest tonight. The *Guardian *and... more »

Howard Jacobson on 'A Point of View'...and on Jeremy Bowen

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 7 hours ago
For many years Radio 4's *A Point of View *has effortlessly provided a clear-cut example of BBC bias. It went for years (after Clive James left) with plenty of left-liberal speakers and no right-leaning guests whatsoever - thus, ironically, suggesting that 'A Point of View' suggested 'A Single Point of View', and that this 'Single Point of View' was Radio 4's own particular 'Point of View'. Then, after over three-and-a-half years, along came Roger Scruton - the right-wing exception who (especially with the subsequent addition of further left-leaning guests) simply proved the rul... more »

North Korea Test Fires Missiles

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 7 hours ago
*BBC:* *North Korea 'test-fires missiles'* *North Korea has test-fired four short-range missiles into the sea off its west coast, say South Korean military officials.In a statement, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the missiles had a range of about 140km (87 miles).They were fired from Dongchang-ri in the north of the country on Friday afternoon local time, it said.The North often conducts missile tests in protest at US-South Korean military drills, one of which is ongoing.* *More News On North Korea Test Firing Its Missiles North Korea Test Fires Missiles* North Korea ... more »

Interruptions (again)

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 8 hours ago
Talking of Nigel Farage and his HIV comments... James Naughtie certainly ripped into UKIP's Steven Woolfe about them on this morning's *Today* (beginning around the 1.17.40 mark). If you want a textbook example of 'hostile interviewing', this was probably it: lots of interruptions, a very unfriendly tone and no helpful questions whatsoever. (It's the second such interview on *Today *so far this week, following Mishal Husain's less-than-friendly encounter with Nigel Farage yesterday.) In contrast, today's other 'Jim interview' was with Lord Ashdown, speaking as the Lib Dems camp... more »

The Aftermath Of The Garissa University Massacre In kenya

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 8 hours ago
*VOA:* *Survivors Describe Devastating Kenyan University Attack* *GARISSA, KENYA - A day after the horror, this hospital some 200 kilometers from the Somali border has become the central meeting point for survivors of a daylong siege by al-Shabab militants at Garissa University College that left 147 people dead.* *Sitting on a shady bench and a wearing a hospital gown, second-year student Quintin Anyango says she awoke early to study in a lecture hall.* *Crossing the campus, she encountered several gunmen, and her day took a horrifying turn.* *“Oh, I had no hope, I knew that was ...more »

Good News

greencrow at Greencrow As The Crow Flies - 8 hours ago
*Good News is--Baby Shoes* *given to a little girl * *after already having been worn* * by her two little girl cousins* Today is *Good Friday, Easter is on Sunday*...I've decided to post just *good news* today. After all, inspite of everything the perps have done to this planet...It's *still* a paradise and we're living the lives of fortunate and blessed creatures of God. In seeking out Good News, first I went to the blog of *Zen Gardner*...s/he always has a positive or at least balanced view of existence. Here's a good post: Humanity at the tipping point - Zen Gardner *“If you ... more »

Changing the Paradigm: Being an UnFucker

D ... Breaking The Silence at Removing The Shackles - 8 hours ago
There's never been a time..... as fucked up as this! *I wanna be an UnFuckerDo you wanna be an UnFuckerYes, we can all be UnFuckersand UnFuck up this mess!!* ....... and THAT is what I talked about on Wednesday Night. Unfucking up this mess. By Getting Up and Doing it. Like the opening song says *"just pick one little thing to UnFuck it up"* It's time for us to sit down and Discuss HOW to move forward, but it is also time to DO IT. The time for talking is over, the time for DOING is NOW!! I have been privileged to work with, talk to and discuss these ideas with some in... more »

The Essential Exponential

What Is Sustainable at What Is Sustainable - 8 hours ago
Galileo was a lad who had a powerful talent for thinking outside the box. He was capable of believing what he saw with his own eyes, and rejecting what society told him to believe, if it was nonsense. With his telescope, he could clearly perceive that the sun did not rotate around the Earth. He was alone in comprehending the truth, whilst the rest of society was completely wrong — not fun! Later, as the nightmare of the Industrial Revolution was picking up steam, the mindset of the elite went absolutely manic, soaring in vivid utopian hallucinations. One of those wacky dreamers... more »

ZAPATISTAS La Tormenta, el Centinela y el Síndrome del Vigía

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 8 hours ago
La Tormenta, el Centinela y el Síndrome del Vigía (Storm, Sentinel and Watcher Syndrome) ¿Querid@s? amig@s y enemig@s: err… bue… resulta que… es decir… ¿recuerdan que al final del texto del 19 de marzo 2015, “Sobre Homenaje y Seminario”, les pusimos que la organización del seminario era un desmadre? Bueno, pues nosotr@s cumplimos lo que prometemos: la dirección electrónica a la que están

Dreamers, Deportees and Daredevils: J. Paul Taylor and Justice for Migrant Children and Youth

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 8 hours ago
Nohemi Alvarez Quillay Editor’s Note: A review of the 11th Annual J. Paul Taylor Social Justice Symposium held last month at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces. This article is dedicated to the memory of Nohemi Alvarez Quillay. April 1, 2015 Frontera NorteSur Feature Censored News Dreamers, Deportees and Daredevils:  J. Paul Taylor and Justice for Migrant Children and YouthMaria

Transpicuous News Report: April 1, 2015- Happy April Fools!

D ... Breaking The Silence at Removing The Shackles - 8 hours ago
Here is the Archive video of the Transpicuous News Midweek Report from April 1, 2015 I really wasn't in the mood to talk about Yemen, and Saudi, or AIIB and the Greece fiasco.... So this week, I did things a little bit differently .... and it was fun as all hell!! After the "News" we had a little musical interlude, before I sat back to talk about what was on my mind. THAT video Is being posted separately, and I'll link back here below! Enjoy! d Part II of this weeks Transpicuous News: Changing the Paradigm: Being an UnFucker http://removingtheshackles.blogspot.com/2015/04... more »

April 3: A story that isn't in the Irvng press..

Graeme Decarie at The Moncton Times@Transcript - Good and Bad - 8 hours ago
The story below is not by me. It's a copy of an e mail I received. And it comes before the blog because my computer says it does. After losing in court, *a giant mining corporation is bullying a indigenous Peruvian farmer* in a fight to turn her land into an open-pit gold mine. Máxima is strong and leading her community’s fight. But she needs our help to win against the company's aggressive attacks. *Tell Newmont Mining to stop its attacks against Máxima!* Sign the petition The world's second biggest gold mining corporation is *at war with an indigenous Peruvian farmer*. M... more »

Opt out is not "anti-testing"

skrashen at Schools Matter - 8 hours ago
Sent to Education Week, April 3, 2015 Contrary to "States Seek Guidance in Face of 'Opt Out' Push" (April 1), the Opt Out movement (http://unitedoptout.com/) is not "an anti-testing" movement. No education professionals and no parents are opposed to proper assessment. Rather, the opt-out movement opposes excessive and inappropriate testing. Students are now being tested more than any time in history, and the tests are based on unresearched, unreasonable standards. There is good reason why the Opt Out movement is so widespread. Stephen Krashen Original article: http://www.edweek.... more »

VIDEO HAWAII Sacred Mountain Defenders Arrested

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 9 hours ago
. Previous article at Censored News: Maoli Warriors Defend Mauna Kea http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2015/03/hawaii-maoli-warriors-protect-sacred.html

Buddhist Nuclear Free Walk arriving in Dineh and Hopi lands

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 9 hours ago
Contact: Bahe Katenay haastin.hweyaanii@gmail.com BUDDHIST WALK FOR NUCLEAR FREE FUTURE Peace Prayer Walk visit Radioactive Sites and Native Lands to Send a Message to the United Nations Flagstaff, AZ April 3, 2015 – A Buddhist Prayer Walk for Peace was launched on March 21st on the shores of the Pacific Ocean just outside of San Francisco, California and will now be

Norway Is Feeling The 'Pressure' From Russia

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 10 hours ago
The pilot of a Norwegian Air Force F-16 fighter upon returning to Bodo from a mission to intercept Russian military aircraft over the Arctic. Credit Bryan Denton for The New York Times New York Times: *Norway Reverts to Cold War Mode as Russian Air Patrols Spike* BODO, Norway — From his command post burrowed deep into a mountain of quartz and slate north of the Arctic Circle, the 54-year-old commander of the Norwegian military’s operations headquarters watches time flowing backward, pushed into reverse by surging Russian military activity redolent of East-West sparring during the... more »

Put the War on Trial!

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 10 hours ago
Bowe Bergdahl faces the possibility of life in prison after allegations that he deserted his location and engaged in “misbehavior before the enemy.” However, Bergdahl’s lawyer and legal team are arguing that he had actually been in the process of reporting misconduct. Ben Swann speaks with Gerry Condon, president of Veterans for Peace, to discuss Bergdahl’s actions.

Akira Kurosawa — Composing Movement​

KenInNY at DownWithTyranny! - 10 hours ago
*"Akira Kurosawa — Composing Movement" (h/t Batocchio at Vagabond Scholar)* *by Gaius Publius* Akira Kurosawa is a master director in the same sense that Shakespeare is a master writer and Beethoven a master composer — every part in place, complex in ways that can defy reason, yet accessible and popular to the point of being, almost, a cliché. Immensely popular, yet undeniably in the top rank of the top rank. Who said great art can't delight masses of people? Yet few of the great ones accomplish what these artists have done. So because it's Friday and the weekend looms, I'd like t... more »

Jarring moment

sue at Is the BBC biased? - 10 hours ago
Watching seven contenders going through the motions, giving predictable and uninspiring mini party political broadcasts got boring, went on too long and ended with no detectable denouement. Although she showed admirable debating facility Nicola Sturgeon has firmly established herself in our minds as wee Jimmy Krankie. Plaid Cymru enunciated every word ever so carefully, in that English-as-a-second-language fashion unique to extreme Welshness. It was compelling. Natalie B with her Australian vowels and unusually bell-like timbre had its own fascination too. Others have rema... more »

Will Oil Prices Be Impacted By An Iranian Nuclear Deal?

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 10 hours ago
*Wall Street Journal*: *How Iranian Nuclear Deal Would Affect Oil Markets* *Ramp up in Iranian oil exports still depends on final agreement, lifting of sanctions and more.* *The framework nuclear deal between Iran and six global powers on Thursday boosts the odds for the lifting of curbs on Tehran’s oil exports, but it doesn’t throw open the floodgates of Iranian crude supply just yet.* *Any ramp up in Iranian oil exports depends on a final nuclear deal in June, a subsequent lifting of sanctions and the pace of recovery in Iran’s investment-starved oil sector.* *Oil prices fell a... more »

Beaver Friday - Not so lucky

Demeur at Demeur - 10 hours ago
This is my lucky beaver skin hat (not really) Lucky for me, not so much for the beaver. Don't know why they call it "good friday" when some guy got nailed to a cross, but what do I know . You have people worshiping a rock in the middle of the desert. Hey guys it's a meteor if you didn't know. But all in the reality of superstition we do things that make no logical sense. Spock is laughing his butt off in another dimension. So don't forget your magic underwear and ladies cover you heads for cripes sake. Hum that reminds me of a little happening some years back goes something lik... more »

The Tipping Point at the Crossroads of Time

WakingTimes at Waking Times - 10 hours ago
*Zen Gardner* - Every email, every blog, every website, every post, every conversation, every independent media outlet broadcasting the truth is a massively powerful influence towards turning the tide in the perception of our world... The post The Tipping Point at the Crossroads of Time appeared first on Waking Times.

Terry Glavin, Full of Shit

Catelli at Not Quite Unhinged - 11 hours ago
I will admit that I do not have a clue how or if we can solve the ISIS/ISIL problem in the Middle East. As passionate as Thomas Mulcair has been, he hasn't convinced me that there is no acceptable military solution available to us. However, I do give him credit for presenting a clear, unambiguous position. The argument for military intervention. Well.... According to Prime Minister Stephen

Pat Bellanger of AIM Passes to Spirit World

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 11 hours ago
By Brenda Norrell Censored News Censored News sends condolences to the family of Pat Bellanger, one of the founders of the American Indian Movement, who has passed to the Spirit World. We remember Pat with these audios from Alactraz and the 40th Anniversary of the American Indian Movement in San Francisco in 2008. Those attending the gathering in San Francisco will remember the voice of

Iranian Reaction To It's Nuclear Deal

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 11 hours ago
*New York Times:* *Iran’s Leaders Begin Tricky Task of Selling Nuclear Deal at Home* *TEHRAN — As word made its way around the globe that an understanding had been reached with the United States and other powers to limit Iran’s nuclear program, Iranians themselves greeted the news with optimism and skepticism on Friday.* *While the political climate remained uncertain, the government was allowed to promote the deal at Friday Prayer, a sign that the plan was broadly supported by Iran’s establishment.* *In a nationally televised speech on Friday, Iran’s moderate president, Hassa... more »

One minute against austerity in Montreal

Alison at Creekside - 11 hours ago
A one minute time lapse of yesterday's student strike against austerity in Montreal. Austerity - that's when your government impoverishes its citizens by decimating public services like education and health in order to balance its lining of corporate pockets with tax breaks. “Our services are worth more than your profits” is the slogan of the march. Quebec police declared the march illegal before it began - itself an illegal move on their part in Quebec - highlighting why the Cons' didn't want to fix that bit about *illegal* strikes in Bill C-51. Ricochet : Everything you need to ... more »

More Silver Linings

Steve at Thinking Aboot - 11 hours ago
Imagine if the rising seas could be filtered and used as fresh water. When we finish wrapping our ends around the possibilities of Graphene its going to be a much more advanced planet.

NO STATISTICS NEED APPLY: Statistics concerning campus assault!

bob somerby at the daily howler - 11 hours ago
*FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 2015Part 5—Unresolved dueling claims:* Some of our most important statistics are the ones we never hear. The American public never hears about black students’ large score gains in reading and math on the NAEP. Some undisclosed “invisible hand” seems to keep those statistics disappeared. The American public never sees the statistics about per capita health care spending in other developed nations. In part for this reason, no discussion ever breaks out concerning the way Americans of all political stripes are being looted in this major area. You don’t see those st... more »

How Medical Marijuana Changed this Boy’s Life

WTStaff at Waking Times - 11 hours ago
*Video - *From a new documentary, The Culture High, this video looks at both sides of the marijuana prohibition argument and the case for medical marijuana. The post How Medical Marijuana Changed this Boy’s Life appeared first on Waking Times.

Will The U.S. Congress Accept The Nuclear Deal With Iran?

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 11 hours ago
*David Graham, ABC News:* *Obama Cuts a Deal With Iran, but Can He Get Congress to Agree?* *Critics were quick to attack the framework announced on Thursday, and even some administration allies offered notably tepid responses. The Obama administration managed to strike a preliminary deal with the regime in Tehran following difficult, intense negotiations, only to discover that securing the cooperation of Congress may be equally challenging.No sooner had negotiators stepped up to a podium in Lausanne, Switzerland, to announce a framework—well, maybe just the broad outlines of a... more »

The Sanctity of (American) Motherhood

noreply@blogger.com (fern hill) at DAMMIT JANET! - 11 hours ago
My mother is difficult. We call her the Princess of Passive Aggression. Siblings and I think she's also a sociopath, but, you know ... whatever. She's 85 and has all her evil wits about her, but isn't getting enough attention. She's also depressed and bored. Lately, she's been exhibiting signs of Munchausen syndrome. That would be a charitable explanation. Sibs and I think she's more likely exhibiting "If I keep fucking up my meds and winding up in the hospital, my horrible children will pay me the attention I am due" syndrome. In her various hospital visits, they can find nothi... more »

NEW YORK: Lakotas Launch Radiation Monitoring Project with Film Screening

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 11 hours ago
. More at Owe Aku International Justice Project: http://www.oweakuinternational.org/

Response From Sunni Arabs On The Iran Nuclear Deal Is Universally Negative

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 11 hours ago
*Wall Street Journal:* *Arab Reaction to Iran Nuclear Agreement Reflects Region’s Sharp Divide* *Sunnis see the deal as reflecting U.S. weakness, Shiites Iranian ascendancy * *An agreement on the outlines of a nuclear deal with Iran, a country deeply involved in the Middle East’s web of bloody conflicts, is unlikely to help defuse the region’s sectarian wars and could even widen fault lines, Arab officials and people across the region say.* *For years, limiting Shiite Iran’s nuclear ambitions was at the top of the agenda for the region’s Sunni Arab countries. They now worry an a... more »

Greg Hunter, “Weekly News Wrap-Up 4/3/2015”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 11 hours ago
*“Weekly News Wrap-Up 4/3/2015”* By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com “Looks like the U.S. and the rest of the major countries negotiating with Iran have a framework for a deal to curtail Iran’s nuclear program. Let’s not call it a real deal. Why? Because this is only a so-called “framework,” and lots has to be agreed upon before it’s a real deal. There are two big problems: they are inspections of known and unknown sites, and Iran doesn’t have to dismantle any of its nuclear facilities. According to the Obama Administration, there is a so-called “fact sheet” laying out some of the mai... more »

Univ Arizona assaults Apache at Mount Graham while supporting Navajo at San Francisco Peaks

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 11 hours ago
Sacred Mount Graham desecrated by the University of Arizona, other  universities, and the Pope, all who pushed for the desecration by these telescopes and tourists.  San Carlos Apache Wendsler Nosie was even arrested by the University of Arizona while praying on the sacred mountain. University of Arizona secretly renewed 20-year permit for Mount Graham telescope desecration -- as the

Open Thread – Iran Deal – Pros and cons

Josh Busby at Duck of Minerva - 11 hours ago
I’ve been reading some interesting exchanges on Facebook about the pros and cons of the Iran deal, and though I’ve been snowed under by grading to have much bandwidth for blogging of late, I thought I would start an open thread here. Fareed Zakaria laid out the case for a deal before it happened in […]

Grandchildren of "Holocaust survivors" perpetuating myth

The Realist Report at The Realist Report - 12 hours ago
A book review recently published by *The Jewish Daily Forward* discusses and promotes a book entitled, *God, Faith & Identity From the Ashes: Reflections of Children and Grandchildren of Holocaust Survivors*. The review, written by Michael Berenbaum, a Professor of Jewish Studies at American Jewish University, describes the book thusly: [...] Edited by Menachem Rosensaft, this work features short but powerful essays by some 88 contributors from 16 countries. Diverse as they may be, they have one experience in common: *All are children or grandchildren of Holocaust survivors*. The au... more »

MOHAWK NATION NEWS 'JESUIT, SULPICIANS & OTHER CROOKS'

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 12 hours ago
Posted on April 3, 2015 JESUIT, SULPICIANS & OTHER CROOKS MNN. Apr. 2, 2015. Canada and US have three coordinated attempts underway to steal large tracts of Mohawk/Kanionkehaka land. Their incorporated INDIAN councils – Mohawk Council of Kanehsatake Inc., Mohawk Council of Kahnawake Inc. and the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe Inc. – are the frontline swindlers. None of the corporate sales,

Freedom – A Condition of the Human Heart

WakingTimes at Waking Times - 12 hours ago
*Kingsley L. Dennis* - Freedom is not simply a condition linked to battlefields, nations, and human rights. On an essential level it concerns the freedom within the self, and our battle to maintain this personal freedom within our everyday life. The post Freedom – A Condition of the Human Heart appeared first on Waking Times.

FINDING THE REAL JESUS WITHIN OURSELVES

Allen L Roland, Ph.D at Allen L Roland's Weblog - 12 hours ago
*To discover the real authentic Jesus, we must look within ~ for there he is beneath the trappings of the institutional church who replaced him with Christ and used him to preserve their empire; for there he is within ourselves fully experienced in our capacity to fully love and empower others and ourselves in the process; for there he is within our minds fully revealed in our ability to fully understand that God is Love, the ultimate life force, an evolutionary process with which we all participate as co-creators ~ just as Jesus once did: Allen L Roland, Ph.D* *"... more »

Michelle Obama shakes her boobs and shimmy's her butt on TV with Jimmy Fallon......

Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 12 hours ago
*for the amusement of the whole world who thinks she's a first rate slob.* Try and picture any first lady of any country in the entire world doing such a thing. Go ahead. Name one. Just one. While she dresses in (ugly) designer clothes, she take a cheap shot at Talbots, where I'm sure many of her lady fans shop. And don't miss her poochy lips, either.

Outrageous: Japan's LDP Government Lifts Evacuation Advisories

Majia's Blog at Majia's Blog - 12 hours ago
The Asahi Shimbun is reporting that Japan lifted evacuation advisories near Fukushima, whose nuclear cores cannot be located and which continues daily to contaminate the ocean, ground water, and atmosphere with highly radioactive contamination: Honda, Masakazu (2015, April 1) Fukushima residents suing government for lifting evacuation advisories. The Asahi Shimbun, http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201504010062 MINAMI-SOMA, Fukushima Prefecture--Hundreds of residents here plan to sue the central government for lifting evacuation advisories near the crippled ... more »

Risky developments: Iran+Israel, Yemen, Greece+EU, Baltics+Russia

LuboÅ¡ Motl at The Reference Frame - 13 hours ago
Many recent events make me moderately worried about the political future of the world and the global peace. First, Obama and his comrades "celebrate" the deal with Iran. "Only" 500 if not 1,500 centrifuges should keep on running at one center (Natanz), other centers (Fordow) should be turned into nuclear physics research facilities, and so on. Just like Obama celebrates, people on the streets of Persia celebrate, too. On the other hand, Israel is deeply worried. The deal is an existential threat for Israel, the Israeli cabinet unanimously opposes it, and I tend to agree. Israel at ... more »

Mind Control Researchers Create Fake Link Between Unrelated Memories

WakingTimes at Waking Times - 13 hours ago
*Nicholas West* - Advancements in genetics and neuroscience are undoubtedly leading toward direct methods of mind control, albeit only with good intentions... if government and establishment science can be believed. The post Mind Control Researchers Create Fake Link Between Unrelated Memories appeared first on Waking Times.

Bill Whittle; Something chilling for Good Friday...

Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 13 hours ago
*ponder these things.* *When to Shoot the Colonels* *by Tom Baugh (2009) * "At ease, Marines, and be seated" orders the gruff Gunnery Sergeant. "Now turn to Chapter 8 in your Military Constitutional Law text," he continues. "Today we discuss the appropriate conditions for shooting a colonel who is issuing an order which would violate the Constitutional rights of American citizens. Our first scenario involves gun seizures..." Absurd, isn't it, to think that this sort of education is conducted among our armed forces? Yet, millions of citizens indulge this unspoken fantasy each t... more »

Yoga’s Age-Defying Effects Confirmed by Science

WakingTimes at Waking Times - 13 hours ago
*Sayer Ji* - While yoga's longevity promoting effects have been the subject of legend for millennia, increasingly modern science is confirming this ancient technology... The post Yoga’s Age-Defying Effects Confirmed by Science appeared first on Waking Times.

Negotiations or War?

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 13 hours ago
As the tentative framework agreement between Iran and world powers over the country’s nuclear capabilities has been set out, new questions about the future relationship between Iran and the rest of the world are emerging. Ben Swann talks to Jamal Abdi of the National Iranian American Council about the next steps for Iran and the rest of the Middle East.

Analysis And Commentary On The Iran Nuclear Deal

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 14 hours ago
*Michael Crowley, Politico:* *The gray areas in the Iran deal* *How a pre-dawn meeting in Switzerland produced one of the Iran deal's many fuzzy areas.* *In the dead of night Wednesday night in Lausanne, Switzerland, Energy Secretary Ernie Moniz and his Iranian counterpart haggled over one of the last issues holding up a nuclear agreement with world powers: Iran’s future research into next-generation new centrifuge designs that can accelerate its path to a nuclear weapon.* *The meeting finally wrapped up at 6 a.m., said a senior administration official, “and that is not because... more »

Greece Drawing Up Plans To Nationalize It's Banks

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 14 hours ago
*The Telegraph:* *Greece draws up drachma plans, prepares to miss IMF payment* *'We are a Left-wing government. If we have to choose between a default to the IMF or a default to our own people, it is a no-brainer,' says senior Greek official Greece is drawing up drastic plans to nationalise the country's banking system and introduce a parallel currency to pay bills unless the eurozone takes steps to defuse the simmering crisis and soften its demands.Sources close to the ruling Syriza party said the government is determined to keep public services running and pay pensions as ... more »

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR CHICANA AND CHICANO STUDIES: CIVILITY, DEMOCRATIZATION & ITS NATIONAL ELECTIONS

Roberto Rodriguez at Dr Cintli - 14 hours ago
April 3 - Day 4 of NACCS Elections I am dumbstruck by the conference’s theme of civility and its relationship to the organization’s election. To put it mildly, in its purported quest for, or in the name of, diversity, the National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies has ironically become not simply undemocratic, but uncivil toward its own membership as well. The organization has devolved to the point where candidates for the highest office(s) run unopposed. By any measure anywhere, that is not the definition, nor the hallmark of, free, fair, democratic and competitive elec... more »

Is Scott Walker The Principled Leader Republican Voters Hope To Contrast With Clinton?

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 14 hours ago
*by Zachary Wisniewski* On Monday I shared just a few of the flip-flops Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has made during his career as a politician, and at the time I noted that throughout his career in politics-- a career that has spanned virtually his entire adult life-- Gov. Walker has tried to portray himself as a man of principles who can't and won't be intimidated by standing up for what he believes. However, while Scott Walker wants us all to believe he's an unintimidated leader with steel in his spine, the fact is he's a political opportunist who's had arguably as accomplished ... more »

UN Report: Iraq And Syria Are 'Finishing Schools' For Foreign Extremists

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 14 hours ago
*Daily Mail:* *Syria, the finishing school for fanatics: More than 20,000 foreign fighters from 100 different nations have travelled to the country* * * Number of foreign fighters worldwide soared by 71% from mid-2014 to now* * * Syria and Iraq were most popular regions - mainly for IS and Al-Nusra Front* * * United Nations report said fighters came from over half world's countries* * * It warned if IS was defeated foreign fighters could scatter across the globe* *More than 20,000 foreign fighters have fled to Syria and Iraq, turning the region into an ‘international finishing scho... more »

Drone TV Ads

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 14 hours ago
Nick Mottern of KnowDrones has created a video about Drones which he is planning to air on TV stations around the country. Since the drones are all operated from Air National Guard Bases around the country, this is a good way to reach the operators and the communities they are operated out of with information about what drone strikes really accomplish.

Is The Syrian Government Of President Bashar al-Assad Losing The Civil War?

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 14 hours ago
*Reuters*: *As regional war rages, Syria's Assad faces setbacks* *(Reuters) - In the course of a week, several setbacks for President Bashar al-Assad have provided fresh reminders of the strains facing the Syrian army and its allies in the four-year-long struggle for Syria.* *In the southwest at the border with Jordan, the capture of a crossing by rebels suggests new resolve among their Arab backers who want to see Assad gone and to check the growth of Iranian influence across the Middle East.* *In the northwest, near the border with Turkey, the capture of an entire city by Islami... more »

Greedwashing Grifters

Karen Garcia at Sardonicky - 14 hours ago
And a very Good Friday to one and all. It's been quite the OCD epidemic of self-serving damage control among greedy corporations lately. Apple, which has grown filthy rich off its slave labor in Chinese suicide mills and the minimum wage retail labor of debt-ridden millennials in Exceptional America, issued a strongly-worded statement against gay-bashing in Indiana this week. And Walmart did them one better, issuing a strongly-worded statement against gay-bashing in Arkansas only weeks after it offered a minimal increase in its starvation wages to a few carefully selected employees... more »

The way out of a recession is to borrow and invest. It’s text book

Hari at Ripped-off Britons - 14 hours ago
Fee, KJ and Chris get confused by Tory and Labour economic policy... OUR RELATED STORIES: Spending our property wealth faked 30yrs of growth. Next up, Osborne’s pension cash-in Graphs at a glance: Budget 2014 document shows we’re growing through borrowing. Again. That's why Britain needs a pay rise Is your Cost of Living crisis over?! Average wages are still back where they were 10

F-16 vs. F-35

Boris at The Galloping Beaver - 14 hours ago
So, when you say about the F-35 following a dogfight with an F-16, “The door is open to provide a little more maneuverability.” You really mean the F-16 driver danced around your F-35 until you got dizzy and had to land, right?

Will the Fragile Nuclear Deal Survive?

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 15 hours ago
It was good to hear the announcement yesterday that a framework for a deal with Iran had been made. Immediately we heard Israel complaining about the agreement with Netanyahu saying it would lead to the destruction of Israel. Not a surprising comment from Tel Aviv considering Israel does not really want any kind of a peaceful settlement with Tehran. Right-wing Republicans in Congress immediately denounced the deal while several weak-kneed Democrats remained “cautiously optimistic”. Two pieces of legislation Republicans are trying to push through the Senate - the Kirk-Menendez s... more »

A Look At The Helmet For The F-35

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 15 hours ago
*Washington Post:* *Meet the most fascinating part of the F-35: The $400,000 helmet* *The F-35 Lightning II is one of the most complicated weapons systems ever developed, a sleek and stealthy fighter jet years in the making that is often called a flying computer because of its more than 8 million lines of code. The Joint Strike Fighter comes in three versions, including one that is designed to take off and land on an aircraft carrier and another that lands vertically, as if it were a helicopter.* *But to truly understand the most expensive weapons program in the history of the Pe... more »

Upper Crust Welfare Bums

Owen Gray at Northern Reflections - 15 hours ago
http://www.pilgrimreaderbooks.com/ Stephen Harper claims that there are many government programs we can no longer afford. And, he says, he certainly will not create any new ones. But that is exactly what he has done. Tom Walkom writes: Tuesday’s report by the Parliamentary Budget Office stated what should have been obvious: about a third of what Ottawa spends on its Universal Child Care Benefit already goes to families who don’t need or use daycare. The report estimates that when the benefit is expanded this year to include all children ... more »

The Imperial Titanic

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 16 hours ago
All empires are evil; they are certainly undemocratic. Can the U.S. un-imperialize itself, or must it go the way of all empires? Collapse.

How Awesome Is Ana Faris?

thwap at thwap's schoolyard - 16 hours ago
Comedienne, actress, hot starlet, ... sometimes it seems as if there's nothing she can't do. This is a test. I googled "hottest starlet in world" and Ana Faris was at the top of my search. So I picked her and now I'm going to see what happens to my stats.

Meditating on the Thoughts of the Most Influential Activists

WTStaff at Waking Times - 16 hours ago
*Video - *Here's a compilation of speech excerpts from the world's most influential activists and thought leaders. The post Meditating on the Thoughts of the Most Influential Activists appeared first on Waking Times.

Economics Jokes

Greg Mankiw at Greg Mankiw's Blog - 17 hours ago
From *Planet Money*.

Your Immune System: First Line of Defense Against Cancer

Stranger in a Strange Land at Stranger in a Strange Land - 18 hours ago
*Published on April 1, 2015* *For more information visit:* *The Truth About Cancer* [image: The Truth About Cancer]

Economic News , Data and Views ( April 3 , 2015 ) - Greece issues varying reports on whether it is preparing to miss the April 9th IMF payment ( as well as floating Grexit / Drachma / Bank Nationalization Plan ) ...... Cyprus to exit all capital controls - ironic timing ........ Russia sees its Reserves rise for the second week in a row...... Asses Purchase Program of ECB -not going to be terminated early .....Italy at the heart of euro question , not Greece....... Oil drops after Framework Agreement reached with Iraq and P5+1 Group..... BRICS looking at their own Rating Agency ....... Oligarch Kolomoisky keeps his man at State Oil Company afte all !

Fred Walton at Catharsis Ours - 18 hours ago
Tweets.... Additional updates at tweet feed ! *Nick Malkoutzis* @NickMalkoutzis · 1h1 hour ago Greece in the month ahead - @ManosGiakoumis speaks to the @thecornerdoteu http://www.thecorner.eu/news-europe/greece-month-ahead/44952/ … #Greece # euro fred walton retweeted *Yannis Koutsomitis* @YanniKouts · 1h1 hour ago Belgian FinMn Van Overtfeldt: Release of tranches only upon implemntation of reforms by #Greece. Failure to repay IMF "not worth discussing" fred walton retweeted *Yannis Koutsomitis* @YanniKouts · 1h1 hour ago Belgian FinMn Van Overtfeldt: If #Greece ... more »

Gene Brewer - Campaign to Reboot the K-PAX film franchise - independent vs blockbuster

Mike Philbin at Mike Philbin's free planet blog - 19 hours ago
K-PAX (which came out just after 9/11, starring Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges, directed by Ian Softly) was one of 'those films' that captured an era. It was well cast and sympathetically low-key and everyone forgot independent author Gene Brewer wrote FOUR MORE EXCELLENT BOOKS in the series. All of which this reviewer has read, and loved... I know, I know, after a quartet of five-star reviews I harshly reviewed Brewer's fifth book in the K-PAX that told us about the Bullocks. I wasn't too enamoured by his ending; that was it. The last expositional page(s). Get rid of that, leave ... more »

$212 million contract ensures continuous improvement to Patriot air and missile defense system

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 19 hours ago
[image: Patriot Air and Missile Defense System]The U.S Army awarded a $212 million contract to Raytheon to continue improvements to the combat-proven Patriot Air and Missile Defense System. The improvements, which will enhance Patriot's capability and readiness, are funded by the US and the 12 other Patriot partner nations through a shared engineering services agreement. "The U.S. and other Patriot partner nations have made significant investments over the years, so that Patriot can maintain a high readiness rate and outpace evolving threats on the modern battlefield," said Ralph ... more »

Then and Now: Mt Banping

Michael Turton at The View from Taiwan - 19 hours ago
The image above, from the East Asia Image Collection, shows Banpingshan in what is now Kaohsiung (map link), in the Japanese era. Wiki says: During the Qing Dynasty rule of Taiwan, the mountain was the site of the most important limestone quarry in Taiwan. After the quarry was closed in 1997, the mountain was turned into a nature park. Vegetation is used for its slope protection and the old cement plant's grit removal pond was transformed into Banping Lake Wetland Park in the neighboring Zuoying District. I got to searching for some images and stories about the limestone quarry, a... more »

China Delivers Three Z-10 Attack Helicopter To Pakistan

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago
[image: WZ-10 ''Thunderbolt'' attack helicopter]Pakistan has received three Chinese Z-10 attack helicopters to replace its American Cobra helicopter. As per a contract in January this year, China has transferred three Z-10 "Thunderbolt" attack helicopters to Pakistan, which has become China's staunchest ally and largest weapons buyer, Popular Science reported . The helicopters that have anti-tank and air-to-air mission capabilities, are currently at a Pakistani Army base in Qasim/Dhamial, undergoing testing, maintenance training and modifications for operating in the Khyber mountain... more »

American and Soviet tanks fighting shoulder to shoulder in Iraq

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago
[image: American Abrams and Russian T-72C]Despite having earlier professed a preference for the American M1A1M Abrams tank, the Iraqi army is now showing renewed interest in the capabilities of the Soviet T-72C vehicle as it ramps up the campaign to liberate its cities from Islamic State militants. According to sources in the Czech media, Iraq is soon to take delivery of a shipment of T-72Cs from the Czech army, adding to arms sent by Russia in 2014 as supplies of U.S. weaponry appear to be dwindling. Last week a sensational photo appeared on the internet of the American M1A1M Abr... more »

Saab Receives Follow-on Orders for Self-protection Systems for the Indian Dhruv Helicopter

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago
[image: Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter]Defence and security company Saab has received follow-on orders from Hindustan Aeronautic Limited (HAL), India, for serial production of an integrated electronic warfare self-protection system for installation on the Indian Army’s and Air Force’s Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv. The orders have a total value of approximately USD78 million (SEK740 million). Saab’s Integrated Defensive Aids Suite (IDAS) protects crew by enhancing platform survivability in sophisticated, diverse and dense threat environments. Read more

Venezuela plans to buy more Russian and Chinese arms

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago
[image: MiG-29 Fulcrum]Venezuela has announced plans to increase its total amount of arms imports from Russia and China in the coming years, Russian network Sputnik reports. Venezuela is already the largest weapons importer in South America. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Venezuela imported $349 million worth of arms from China and $1.96 billion worth of arms from Russia between 2010 and 2014. Read more

Russian Jets Start War Games In Armenia

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago
[image: MiG-29 Fulcrum]Russia’s newly modernized fighter jets deployed in Armenia began on Thursday three-day exercises aimed at boosting their combat readiness and interoperability with ground forces of the Russian military base headquartered in Gyumri. “The exercises involve around 100 servicemen from the flying and servicing personnel of the [Russian Air Force] detachment and 30 pieces of military aviation and special hardware,” the Russian military’s Southern District said in a statement. “For the next three days the MiG-29 fighter jets will perform tasks related to supporting ... more »

Navy to Conduct First Aerial Refueling of X-47B Carrier Drone

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago
[image: X-47B UCLASS]The Navy plans to perform an aerial refueling for the first time on its carrier-launched demonstrator drone aircraft, the X-47B, within the next few weeks, service officials said. The refueling, to take place at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., will have the X-47B link up with an Omega air refueling tanker, Navy officials told Military.com. Omega is a contractor that works with the Defense Department. The X-47B made history when it flew from a carrier in May and November of 2013 and is now working on streamlining carrier deck operations and maneuvers with... more »

IAF's Rs 9,000 crore mid-air refuelling tanker aircraft hits another hurdle

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago
[image: A330 FSTA MRTT]The Rs 9,000 crore project to acquire six Airbus-330 mid-air refuelling aircraft or tankers has received another jolt, with the almost finalized deal now being referred to the defence ministry's vigilance department for clearance. Sources say the procurement case has been "put on hold" till the vigilance wing vets the allegations raised about old pending CBI inquiries against European consortium Airbus. "The work of the contract negotiations committee (CNC) had been stopped till the vigilance wing ascertains the status of the old cases," said a source. Re... more »

US to refuel Saudi-led aircraft in Yemen war

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago
[image: E-3A Sentry]The United States will provide aerial refueling for a Saudi-led campaign in Yemen but is not passing on precise information for air raids, a senior military official said Thursday. The US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) has been given the green light to deploy refueling tankers for the Saudis and their Gulf partners in the operation, though the refueling will take place outside of Yemen's airspace, the official told reporters. "We have given CENTCOM the authority to do tanking," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Read more

Navy Continues Advocating Cruiser Modernization Plan Despite Previous Rejections in Congress

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 20 hours ago
[image: USS Vella Gulf (CG-72)]Navy leadership is continuing to push for its preferred guided missile cruiser modernization plan — which would put 11 of the 22 CGs in reduced operating status until the other 11 near retirement — despite Congress rejecting the plan during last year’s budget negotiations. When Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert went to Congress last month to explain the Navy’s budget request for Fiscal Year 2016, his written testimony included, “we request Congressional support for Navy’s original plan” to remove 11 cruisers from active status. However,... more »

Russia offers to build Project 11356 frigates in India’s shipyards

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 21 hours ago
[image: Project 11356 (Talwar) class frigates]Russia has made the proposal to India that Project 11356 frigates with improved performance be built in the shipyards of that country. This was reported in an interview by Vladimir Ereshenko, the head of the regional department of Rosoboronexport, with RIA Novosti. He headed the Rosoboronexport delegation in the LIMA’15 arms exhibition held in late March in Langkawi (Malaysia). Read more

This map shows how the world's most isolated regimes got their weapons in 2014

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 21 hours ago
[image: The Rogue State Weapons Trade In 2014]Several countries have managed to build massive arsenals despite being under various forms of international sanction. China has anti-satellite weapons, advanced fighter jets, and ballistic missiles, despite the US banning all weapons-related trade with Beijing after the 1989 Tienanmen Square massacre. The Arab League maintains an official boycott on Israel — which nevertheless has the strongest military in the Middle East. And EU and US sanctions haven't wiped out Russia's ongoing military modernization drive. Read more

Defence contractor pleads guilty of sending US data to India

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 21 hours ago
[image: CH-47F Chinook]A 49-year-old former owner of defence contracting businesses in the US has pleaded guilty to illegally sending sensitive military technical data to India as part of a conspiracy in which she worked with an Indian resident. Hannah Robert of New Jersey pleaded guilty before US district judge Anne Thompson to charges that she conspired to violate the Arms Export Control Act by exporting to India military technical drawings without prior approval from the US Department of State. According to documents filed in the case, from June 2010 to December 2012, Robert c... more »

Navy to get 3 new nuclear subs

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 21 hours ago
[image: Type 093G SSN]Three cutting-edge nuclear-powered attack submarines have been manufactured and will soon be commissioned by the Chinese navy, according to media reports. China Central Television showed a satellite picture earlier this week of three submarines anchored at an unidentified port, saying the vessels are China's most advanced Type-093G nuclear-powered attack submarines, just completed by a Chinese shipyard and a waiting delivery. With a teardrop hull, the submarine is longer than its predecessor, the Type-093, and has a vertical launching system, the report said. ... more »

European firms interested in Taiwan's submarine program: official

Ko Savonije at Naval Open Source INTelligence - 21 hours ago
[image: Hai Lung (Zwaardvis) class SSK]Several European companies have expressed interest in working with Taiwanese shipbuilders on Taiwan's submarine program, a senior military officer said Wednesday. So far, more than 20 companies from Europe are interested in collaborating with their Taiwanese counterparts on an indigenous submarine program, said the vice chief of general staff Admiral Pu Tze-chun during a hearing of the legislature's Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee. Some companies in the United States have also expressed interest in the program, he told lawmakers ... more »

It's Not Even An April Fools! Bribing Is the Least of Crimes  (How The Owners Covered Up the Worst Bank Frauds - Yeah, I'm Looking at You, Jamie Dimon! Who's Never Left the Bottom)  Coups:  K'd and Black Watered

The nation’s largest bank is operating under a deferred prosecution agreement until at least next January for two felony counts it received in the Madoff swindle, the largest Ponzi scheme in history. It’s under a current criminal investigation over potential rigging of the foreign exchange markets with the New York Times reporting on February 10 that federal prosecutors had informed

Japanese Defense Minister: Aliens Have Not Invaded Japan

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 23 hours ago
U.S. Army General Martin Dempsey (L), chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, shakes hands with Japan's Defense Minister Gen Nakatani during their meeting at the Defense Ministry in Tokyo March 25, 2015. REUTERS/Toru Hanai *Washington Post*: *Japanese defense minister denies aliens have invaded Japan* *During a budget session in the Diet, or Japan's parliament, the country's Defense Minister Gen Nakatani confirmed that aliens had never penetrated Japanese air space.* *The statement was a response to a question by outlandish lawmaker and square-jawed former celebrity wrestler Anton... more »

These Are The Chokepoints That Are Critical To The World's Oil Trade

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
*(Click on Image to Enlarge)* *Business Insider: **These 8 narrow chokepoints are critical to the world's oil trade* *Over half of the world's oil supply moved through set maritime routes in 2013, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), often aboard massive tanker ships. To minimize costs, tankers transport oil along established paths that are as short as possible. Many pass through a small handful of maritime chokepoints.Altogether, there are eight major oil chokepoints throughout the world, and a closure or disruption to any one of them could cause unpredi... more »

Aliens Answer the Arecibo Message by Making Crop Circles

WakingTimes at Waking Times - 1 day ago
*Video - *In August 2001, two new crop circles were reported near the Chilbolton radio telescope in Hampshire, UK, which are believed to answer the Arecibo message sent in 1974. The post Aliens Answer the Arecibo Message by Making Crop Circles appeared first on Waking Times.

Chinese Soldiers Are On The Ground In Yemen

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 1 day ago
PLAN frigate Yueyang, sister ship to the Weifang. Image Credit: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Shannon Renfroe *RT:* *Chinese military disembark in port of Aden, Yemen, to guard evacuation – official* *Dozens of unidentified foreign troops reported disembarking in the port of Aden turned out to be Chinese soldiers maintaining security as an unknown party opened fire on a vessel evacuating foreign citizens, a Yemeni official told Sputnik.* *“A Chinese military ship arrived in the port to evacuate Chinese citizens…a skirmish which occurred during the evac... more »

Prevent Colony Collapse Disorder: Let’s Plant for the Bees

WTStaff at Waking Times - 1 day ago
*Meme - *Colony collapse disorder threatens bees everywhere, but we can plant bee-friendly plants to prevent it. Here's a list of plants that can help our natural pollinators. The post Prevent Colony Collapse Disorder: Let’s Plant for the Bees appeared first on Waking Times.

Guest Post - Taking the Ecofriendly Ecommerce Store to Crowdfunding by Frank Molina

Small Footprints at Reduce Footprints - 1 day ago
We don’t make anything. We haven’t come up with the latest video game or the next hottest electronic widget, but we have something many crowdfunders don’t. Not just one great product, but many great products made by some of the hottest brand names in solar and portable energy from around the world. For us, it’s more about selling our customer experience; things like offering a wider selection of sustainable products, faster shipping, ease of doing business, and so on. [image: Guest Post - Taking the Ecofriendly Ecommerce Store to Crowdf
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President Barack Obama has praised a framework nuclear agreement with Iran as "historic," saying if fully implemented it will make the world safer and cut off Tehran's path to a bomb. The deal reached Thursday between Iran and six world powers followed eight days of intensive talks in Lausanne, Switzerland, and ...

Making President Barack Obama's greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals an international commitment will lead other nations to do the same, writes The Washington Post editorial board. U.S. leadership has already encouraged China and Mexico to adopt similar commitments. However, Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., said the plan doesn't focus enough on ...

WASHINGTON, DC - President Barack Obama commuted the sentences of 22 federal inmates convicted of nonviolent drug offenses on Tuesday. This follows the commutation of eight federal inmates convicted of drug offenses by President Obama in December of 2014. According to White House counsel Neil Eggleston, "had they ...

US President Barack Obama still faces a formidable task in preventing a skeptical Congress from sabotaging a nuclear pact with Iran and keeping talks from collapsing over the fine print, despite achieving a surprisingly detailed initial agreement that he hailed as "historic." The post Preventing Congress from sabotaging Iran nuclear deal: ...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Exclusive: Though President Obama likes to present himself as a regular guy, he acts like an elitist when he unnecessarily withholds information from the American people. At this critical juncture of his presidency, he might finally take a chance on trusting the public with facts, writes Robert Parry. By Robert ...

US President Barack Obama, whose father is Kenyan, has announced that he will visit Nairobi in July. President Obama announced on his Twitter account that he would attend the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Nairobi in July. This would be his first visit to the country since being elected President. More to follow. ...

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