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Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington | Multimedia Archives - Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington

Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington | Multimedia Archives - Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington

Israel is fast becoming a rogue state. And Trump is complicit in that downfall - Opinion - Israel News | Haaretz.com

Israel is fast becoming a rogue state. And Trump is complicit in that downfall - Opinion - Israel News | Haaretz.com: WND
66 probes of criminal misconduct into Broward sheriff's office since 2012
Accusations of drug trafficking, stalking, sexual battery, kidnapping, extortion, falsifying records

66 probes of criminal misconduct into Broward sheriff's office since 2012

WND

66 probes of criminal misconduct into Broward sheriff's office since 2012

Accusations of drug trafficking, stalking, sexual battery, kidnapping, extortion, falsifying records


http://www.wnd.com/2018/02/66-probes-of-criminal-misconduct-into-broward-sheriffs-office-since-2012/

Another School Shooting, Another Flawed Response | Frontpage Mag

Another School Shooting, Another Flawed Response | Frontpage Mag: Our culture’s inability to talk meaningfully about the most consequential phenomenon in history.

Five Reasons Why You Should Worry About The Federal Debt

Five Reasons Why You Should Worry About The Federal Debt: The federal debt is now growing at an alarming rate. Here are five reasons why you should be concerned.

Pope Invites to Pray for ‘Martyred Land’ of Syria, Persecuted Christians – ZENIT – English

Pope Invites to Pray for ‘Martyred Land’ of Syria, Persecuted Christians – ZENIT – English

Broward County & Sheriffs Shameful Response | National Review

Broward County & Sheriffs Shameful Response | National Review: The Broward County sheriff, whose disgraceful performance in the Stoneman Douglas shooting has been a master class in evasion of responsibility, is the latest entry in why we don’t trust our public institutions.

NRA Gun-Owning Members Make Powerful Voting Bloc | National Review

NRA Gun-Owning Members Make Powerful Voting Bloc | National Review: Politicians who come from communities with relatively high gun ownership are hard-pressed to go against the NRA.

Oakland Mayor Warns of ICE Raids, Defends Sanctuary City Policies

Oakland Mayor Warns of ICE Raids, Defends Sanctuary City Policies: The more we find out, the worse this gets

What in the world is going on with the Broward County Sheriff's Department?

What in the world is going on with the Broward County Sheriff's Department?: The more we find out, the worse this gets

Wealth of Congress: Richer Than Ever, but Mostly at the Very Top

Wealth of Congress: Richer Than Ever, but Mostly at the Very Top

What Has $49 Billion in Foreign Military Aid Bought Us? Not Much | The American Conservative

What Has $49 Billion in Foreign Military Aid Bought Us? Not Much | The American Conservative

U.S. Presence and the Incidence of Conflict | RAND

U.S. Presence and the Incidence of Conflict | RAND: Empirically assesses how U.S. military presence -- in particular, U.S. troop presence and military assistance -- is associated with the interstate and intrastate conflict behavior of states and nonstate actors.

All Guns, No Butter: Military Contractors as Welfare Queens | naked capitalism

All Guns, No Butter: Military Contractors as Welfare Queens | naked capitalism: The Trump budget is particularly shameless in providing more pork to the military despite the absence of any genuine pressing need.

Big Companies Are Getting a Chokehold on the Economy | Asharq AL-awsat

Big Companies Are Getting a Chokehold on the Economy | Asharq AL-awsat: Middle-East Arab News and Opinion - Asharq Al-Awsat is the world’s premier pan-Arab daily newspaper, printed simultaneously each day on four continents in 14 cities

Moscow Hosts First Russian-Islamic Forum | Asharq AL-awsat

Moscow Hosts First Russian-Islamic Forum | Asharq AL-awsat: Middle-East Arab News and Opinion - Asharq Al-Awsat is the world’s premier pan-Arab daily newspaper, printed simultaneously each day on four continents in 14 cities

Analysts: New Structure of Saudi Defense Ministry Depends on Innovation, Informatics | Asharq AL-awsat

Analysts: New Structure of Saudi Defense Ministry Depends on Innovation, Informatics | Asharq AL-awsat: Middle-East Arab News and Opinion - Asharq Al-Awsat is the world’s premier pan-Arab daily newspaper, printed simultaneously each day on four continents in 14 cities

Industry Drives Economic Opportunity, Prosperity

By By Energy Tomorrow Blog,   /  February 27, 2018 10:00 AM

In the natural gas and oil industry, measuring opportunity starts with 10.3 million – the number of jobs our industry supports. Because a job is economic livelihood for individual Americans and their households. They’re the avenue to something better. Listen to Carmen Segovia talk about opportunity. She’s an advanced IT business analyst with Marathon Oil who
Keep reading →https://breakingenergy.com/2018/02/27/industry-drives-economic-opportunity-prosperity/?utm_source=Breaking+Energy+Newsletters+Master+List&utm_campaign=94f09987ef-MAILCHIMP_BD_DAILY&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_88392479a3-94f09987ef-411632309

Fr. Warren's Week Reflection Transfiguration


Clouds
THIS WEEK'S REFLECTION from Fr. Bob Warren, SA
Reflection on Transfiguration
This Gospel of the transfiguration is so rich; there is so much for a homilist to talk about. For the first time the apostles saw beyond and behind and within the man they had known for three years. Beyond the symbols and patterns of everyday life, there was something else, more to Him than they ever could have imagined.
The question is that, after three years of witnessing Him raising the dead, curing the sick, and turning water into wine, what took them so long?
We often miss God's actions in our lives, we are so busy. Society can put so much pressure on us to focus our vision, our energy, our drive solely on the pursuit of a career, or money, pursuit of a person, place or thing. And so we wind up giving these things such total devotion and priority that we become insensitive to deeper realities, blind to human needs, indifferent to the lives, joys, and needs of those around us.
Let me tell you a story. Journalist Kevin Carter was given permission to take photos of famine victims in draught-stricken Sudan in the 90's. The camp was full, with thousands of starving people coming to be fed at the feeding center. Carter wandered outside of the camp into the open bush. There he heard a soft, high-pitched whimpering.
He found a tiny little girl crouched, head bowed, touching the ground, struggling to make her way into the camp, to the feeding center. Carter instantly got his camera ready, for here was a powerful picture. He started to photograph the child when dramatically a well-fed vulture, taller than the child, landed just a few feet behind her. The bird was waiting to claim the child when she died. Kevin waited for about 30 minutes, hoping the vulture would do something like spread its wings for an even more dramatic image. It didn't. After he took the pictures, he chased away the vulture and watched while the child struggled toward the camp.
The picture first appeared in the New York Times in March of 1993, and Carter won a Pulitzer Prize for best picture of the year. He explained how he took the picture, waiting for the right light and for the bird to spread its wings. Then a storm broke ‑ Carter was criticized for being so absorbed in his craft that he did not drop everything and rush that little child into the feeding center. Why did he wait so long, when a child's life was on the line?
Two months after winning the Pulitzer, Carter committed suicide. He had not seen the child as a life that needed to be saved; he only saw a picture to be taken. He was obsessed with this work, determined, persistent, nothing would come before his photos. He once said, "Photography is my life."
I do not know anyone who would act like Kevin Carter, no one sitting in this church. But we could all ask ourselves a question, what controls my life? Is it lust for power, for recognition, for honor and glory? What makes you go? What makes you tick? Who or what rules your heart? Something does, or someone does, or here is a dreadful thought, perhaps, nothing does.
Kevin Carter was an addict to his photography. It ended up controlling his life. A sad and tragic event, but the whole incident becomes a parable about today's gospel of the transfiguration.
So many of us get sucked up into the tunnel vision of a totally demanding and absorbing job. The big career move, the spectacular deal, the salable moment, the right advantage. They are so absorbed in what advances them, they become blind to the needs of others. They simply do not see that there are times they should drop everything and hug their spouses or children, help their friends, or carry the starving child to the feeding center. Such insights, such transfigurations are not possible, because they are so focused on the immediate, the here and now.
They are like Peter, James and John, not comprehending, not fully awake, wanting to build small huts, to stay there. And yet, weeks later they would all desert Him. Lent was designed precisely as a time for us to wake up and examine our priorities.
This gospel tells us we, too, might be missing something... some transfiguring moments.
Fr. Robert Warren, S.A.
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Robert Warren, S.A. Signature
Fr. Robert Warren, S.A.
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What you need to know about the Nuclear Posture Review | Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

What you need to know about the Nuclear Posture Review | Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: [[{"fid":"3008","view_mode":"full","fields":{"format":"full","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Watch the Nuclear Posture Review rollout","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"Watch the Nuclear Posture Review rollout","field_file_image_caption[und][0][value]":"%3Cp%3EWatch%20the%20Nuclear%20Posture%20Review%20rollout%3C%2Fp%3E","field_file_image_caption[und][0][format]":"full_html"},"link_text":null,"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"full","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Watch the Nuclear Posture Review rollou

Reconsidering the nuclear demigod called Mr. President | Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Reconsidering the nuclear demigod called Mr. President | Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: The simmer of unease prompted by the prospect of Donald Trump in command of nuclear weapons—initially highlighted during last year’s presidential campaign—reached full boil last week.

Duke's Peter Feaver on the president and US nuclear command and control | Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Duke's Peter Feaver on the president and US nuclear command and control | Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: Peter Feaver is a political science and public policy professor at Duke University who has served on the National Security Council for two presidents and is an expert in the sub-field often known as civil-military or political-military affairs. From mid-2005 to mid-2007, he was special advisor for strategic planning and institutional reform on the National Security Council staff in the George W. Bush White House.

What America can learn from Hawaii’s mistake | Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

What America can learn from Hawaii’s mistake | Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: The text message arrived early on the morning of January 13, 2018: “Ballistic missile threat inbound to Hawaii. Seek immediate shelter. This is not a drill.”Luckily, the message was a mistake. An employee at the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency clicked on the wrong option on a drop-down menu—selecting “Missile Alert,” rather than “Test Missile Alert.” Instead of a mushroom cloud, a cloud of recrimination and confusion now hangs over Hawaii.

How to limit presidential authority to order the use of nuclear weapons | Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

How to limit presidential authority to order the use of nuclear weapons | Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: In the United States, the president has sole authority to order the use of nuclear weapons, for any reason and at any time. This arrangement is both risky and unnecessary.

How a nuclear attack order is carried out now | Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

How a nuclear attack order is carried out now | Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: If the president is not at the White House or other location with secure communication, he or she would use the so-called nuclear football to order the use of nuclear weapons. The football, or Presidential Emergency Satchel, is a briefcase containing various items, including a book laying out various attack options, from striking a small number of military targets to launching an all-out attack against Russian nuclear forces, military installations, leadership facilities, military industry, and economic centers.

Iowa Researchers Accuse Russia of Injecting Anti-GMO Propaganda Into U.S. Media

Iowa Researchers Accuse Russia of Injecting Anti-GMO Propaganda Into U.S. Media: Researchers from Iowa State University are claiming that US versions of popular Russian-funded news media are littered with articles and links casting genetically modified organisms in a negative light. It’s an effort, say the researchers, to discredit American agricultural practices and to portray Russian crops as an “ecologically cleaner” alternative to GMOs.

Russia looks to become leading organic food exporter as Europe sees future in GMO — RT Business News

Russia looks to become leading organic food exporter as Europe sees future in GMO — RT Business News: Last week, an EU court ruled Italy cannot ban the cultivation of an EU-approved genetically modified crop, thus publicly supporting GMO. At the same time, Russia has been ramping up production and export of organic food.

Russia wants you to hate GMOs - MIT Technology Review

Russia wants you to hate GMOs - MIT Technology Review: Misinformation attacks like those aimed at the US presidential race may be scaring people about genetic modification.

What is malware? Everything you need to know about viruses, trojans and malicious software | ZDNet

What is malware? Everything you need to know about viruses, trojans and malicious software | ZDNet: Cyber attacks and malware are one of the biggest threats on the internet. Learn about the different types of malware - and how to avoid falling victim to attacks.

Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Status-6: What Russia Is Saying About Its 100-Megaton Nuclear Torpedo | The National Interest Blog

Status-6: What Russia Is Saying About Its 100-Megaton Nuclear Torpedo | The National Interest Blog: The new Russian underwater doomsday weapon Status-6 is a fitting symbol of the New Cold War and its senselessness.

America's "Chaos Strategy" in the Middle East and South Asia

America's "Chaos Strategy" in the Middle East and South Asia

By Anthony Cordesman


https://www.csis.org/analysis/americas-chaos-strategy-middle-east-and-south-asia

Silicon Valley faces make or break moment amid big tech backlash

Silicon Valley faces make or break moment amid big tech backlash: Election meddling, concerns about privacy and questions about technology's role in our daily lives have muddied the waters for the Silicon Valley giants

Oops! 100,000 non-citizens registered to vote in Pennsylvania

Oops! 100,000 non-citizens registered to vote in Pennsylvania

Incompetence Wasn't the Problem in Broward County

Incompetence Wasn't the Problem in Broward County

Globalization Has Created a Chinese Monster – Foreign Policy

Globalization Has Created a Chinese Monster – Foreign Policy

Is 1:10, 16-20


Hear the word of the LORD,
princes of Sodom!
Listen to the instruction of our God,
people of Gomorrah!

Wash yourselves clean!
Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes;
cease doing evil; learn to do good.
Make justice your aim: redress the wronged,
hear the orphan's plea, defend the widow.

Come now, let us set things right,
says the LORD:
Though your sins be like scarlet,
they may become white as snow;
Though they be crimson red,
they may become white as wool.
If you are willing, and obey,
you shall eat the good things of the land;
But if you refuse and resist,
the sword shall consume you:
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken!
Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes;
cease doing evil; learn to do good.
Make justice your aim: redress the wronged,
hear the orphan's plea, defend the widow.

The Gloria


First sung by the angels the night our Savior was born, the Gloria has inspired composers the world over and down through the centuries to create stunningly beautiful musical scores for choir and orchestra. Some of the greatest—in my humble opinion—are by Handel and Mozart. But the finest, most sublime setting for the Gloria—again in my humble opinion—is the Gloria from the Mass, “Cum Jubilo,” a classic Gregorian chant. But we do not know who composed it. It is reported that Mozart once said he would gladly let someone else take credit for all of his musical compositions if he could only claim credit for composing the Gloria of the “Missa Cum Jubilo.”

On very special occasions, the bells are rung during the Gloria: Midnight Mass on Christmas, the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, and Easter Vigil.
If you missed a Lenten Lesson, you can find the archive here.

Americanism In Afghanistan? A Flawed Design | Hoover Institution

Americanism In Afghanistan? A Flawed Design | Hoover Institution: One example involves the supposed trade deficit with Canada: Trump keeps insisting it exists, but the document he signed states Canada is among the few countries in the world with whom the U.S. runs a surplus.

Trump signs report that contradicts his own views on trade, Canada | Toronto Star

Trump signs report that contradicts his own views on trade, Canada | Toronto Star: North Pole surges above freezing in the dead of winter, stunning scientists

North Pole surges above freezing in the dead of winter, stunning scientists - The Washington Post

North Pole surges above freezing in the dead of winter, stunning scientists - The Washington Post: Evidence that we have entered the Anthropocene epoch has been presented by scientists.

Loneliest tree in the world serves as a perfect record of how humans have permanently altered Earth

Loneliest tree in the world serves as a perfect record of how humans have permanently altered Earth: Evidence that we have entered the Anthropocene epoch has been presented by scientists.

Record Attendance at Florida Gun Show Despite Backlash Against NRA, Gun Owners

Record Attendance at Florida Gun Show Despite Backlash Against NRA, Gun Owners: Despite anti-NRA and anti-gun rhetoric, a gun show in Tampa, FL, had record attendance this past weekend with as many as 7,000 people on Saturday.

Another negative court decision for Oberlin College, as financial woes mount

Another negative court decision for Oberlin College, as financial woes mount: "The College's current structural model still yields a bleak future, as the deficit is projected to rise to about $9 million next year — and that's if the market stays consistent"

Everything Is Booming Except for Wages | Asharq AL-awsat

Everything Is Booming Except for Wages | Asharq AL-awsat: Middle-East Arab News and Opinion - Asharq Al-Awsat is the world’s premier pan-Arab daily newspaper, printed simultaneously each day on four continents in 14 cities

OPCW Investigating Chemical Weapons Attacks in Syria’s Ghouta | Asharq AL-awsat

OPCW Investigating Chemical Weapons Attacks in Syria’s Ghouta | Asharq AL-awsat: Middle-East Arab News and Opinion - Asharq Al-Awsat is the world’s premier pan-Arab daily newspaper, printed simultaneously each day on four continents in 14 cities

President Trump Releases FY 2019 Budget Request

By By U.S. Department Of Energy,   /  February 26, 2018 10:00 AM

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, President Donald J. Trump unveiled his FY 2019 budget request, including $30.6 billion to support the Department of Energy (DOE). This year’s DOE budget request advances U.S. national security and economic growth by making investments in transformative science and technology innovation to promote affordable and reliable energy. It also includes
Keep reading →https://breakingenergy.com/2018/02/26/president-trump-releases-fy-2019-budget-request/?utm_source=Breaking+Energy+Newsletters+Master+List&utm_campaign=02f478570b-MAILCHIMP_BD_DAILY&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_88392479a3-02f478570b-411632309

California Scraps Safety Driver Rules for Self-Driving Cars - The New York Times

California Scraps Safety Driver Rules for Self-Driving Cars - The New York Times: The new regulations in Silicon Valley’s home state are expected to help the wider deployment of autonomous vehicles.

Supreme Court wrestles with Microsoft data privacy fight

Supreme Court wrestles with Microsoft data privacy fight: Supreme Court justices on Tuesday wrestled with Microsoft Corp's dispute with the U.S. Justice Department over whether prosecutors can force technology companies to hand over data stored overseas, with some signaling support for the government and others urging Congress to pass a law to resolve the issue.

Relying on renewables alone significantly inflates the cost of overhauling energy - MIT Technology Review

Relying on renewables alone significantly inflates the cost of overhauling energy - MIT Technology Review: Evidence points to the need for a broader range of clean power beyond just wind and solar.

Tomgram: William Hartung, The Pentagon Budget as Corporate Welfare for Weapons Makers | TomDispatch

Tomgram: William Hartung, The Pentagon Budget as Corporate Welfare for Weapons Makers | TomDispatch: null

How the Left Became its Own Worst Enemy – Part I

by Denis MacEoin  •  February 27, 2018 at 5:00 am
  • Although genuine feminists have made strides for women's rights in Western countries, they have helped set back the rights of young Muslim women to break free from the oppressive codes of an Islam defined and controlled by Muslim men.
Somali-born ex-Muslim author Ayaan Hirsi Ali "asks why do we loudly defend a woman's right to wear the hijab but when it comes to supporting Muslim girls who refuse to wear it, feminism is strangely quiet?" (Photo by Elisabetta Villa/Getty Images)
It is one of the ironies of modern politics that the same word can be susceptible to more than one meaning, creating confusion for everyone.
One of the reasons for the confusion is that liberal values are generally shared by moderates on both the left and right of politics. Not by the far left -- Marxists, Leninists, Trotskyites, and Stalinists or Britain's Labour Party under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn – or by the far right – Germany's Alternativ für Deutschland, Hungary's Jobbik, Austria's Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs, or Greece's Golden Dawn.

Why There Is No “Beijing Consensus”

 

Why There Is No “Beijing Consensus”


https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/china-development-beijing-consensus-by-andrew-sheng-and-xiao-geng-2018-02?a_la=english&a_d=5a954b3278b6c71a88dc2df9&a_m=&a_a=click&a_s=&a_p=/archive&a_li=china-development-beijing-consensus-by-andrew-sheng-and-xiao-geng-2018-02&a_pa=&a_ps=

The Humane Society of the United States

The Humane Society of the United States

The USDA wants to allow self-policing by licensed breeders, zoos and research labs. Tell the USDA you strongly object to outsourcing animal welfare inspections»

HSUS logo


Stop third party inspections

The
USDA is considering outsourcing some of its Animal Welfare Act
inspections of USDA-regulated facilities to private third parties—a move
that would essentially lead to industry self-policing and reduced accountability. This would be harmful for the welfare of animals kept in puppy mills, roadside zoos and research facilities.
Past
experience has shown how terribly wrong an approach like this can be
for animals. The USDA already uses third parties to inspect for signs of
horse soring, a cruel training practice that has been illegal for
decades, but persists largely due to outsourcing.

The
agency's decision to hand off some of its oversight responsibilities,
likely to groups with ties to the very businesses they would be
inspecting, is not the answer to increased animal protections. Will you fight for animals and oppose the use of private third-party inspections to enforce animal welfare laws?
Before time runs out, please submit a comment to the USDA by March 21. You can use the sample copy below or personalize your comment to make it stand out:
The
USDA should retain full oversight authority over all inspections of
puppy mills, roadside zoos and research facilities. The USDA should not
view third-party inspections and certifications favorably when
determining the frequency
of federal inspections that may be needed. This type of industry
self-policing reduces transparency and accountability and has already
proven to fail.



Take Action

Israeli forces detain 10 members of Tamimi family, including teenager previously shot in the face – Mondoweiss

Israeli forces detain 10 members of Tamimi family, including teenager previously shot in the face – Mondoweiss: In the middle of the night on Monday, the Israeli military raided the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh in full force, a common occurrence for the village’s internationally-recognized residents, the Tamimi family, who have seen several family members arrested from the village in the past few months. On Monday alone, Israeli forces detained 10 members of the extended Tamimi family, including five minors between the ages of 14 and 17. Among the detainees was 15-year-old Muhammad Tamimi, who is scheduled to have reconstructive surgery on his skull due to being shot in the face by Israeli soldiers with a rubber-coated steel bullet in December.

Israel Extracts “Confession” From Badly Wounded Cousin of Ahed Tamimi, Jailed Protest Icon

Israel Extracts “Confession” From Badly Wounded Cousin of Ahed Tamimi, Jailed Protest Icon: Israeli forces detained Palestinian activist Ahed Tamimi's cousin, Mohammed, who has been missing part of his skull since he was shot while protesting.

Ransomware: Get ready for the next wave of destructive cyberattacks | ZDNet

Ransomware: Get ready for the next wave of destructive cyberattacks | ZDNet: It might not be flavour of the month right now, but cybercriminals and nation-states could still find plenty of uses for ransomware.

Ceasefire in Syria—Now What? – LobeLog

Ceasefire in Syria—Now What? – LobeLog

Underfunding the State Department could hurt U.S. exports — and U.S. companies - The Washington Post

Underfunding the State Department could hurt U.S. exports — and U.S. companies - The Washington Post: An adequately resourced State Department can more than pay for itself.

FORUM: ‘A Burning Love for the Father’s House’ – ZENIT – English

FORUM: ‘A Burning Love for the Father’s House’ – ZENIT – English

The Eternal Lure of Nationalism | Patrick J. Buchanan - Official Website

The Eternal Lure of Nationalism | Patrick J. Buchanan - Official Website

The Breakthrough Institute - On the Nature of Wine

The Breakthrough Institute - On the Nature of Wine

America Is Not a Democracy - The Atlantic

America Is Not a Democracy - The Atlantic: How the United States lost the faith of its citizens—and what it can do to win them back

America’s ‘Liberalism’ and Other Inhumane Styles of Governance At Home and Internationally   | Global Justice in the 21st Century

America’s ‘Liberalism’ and Other Inhumane Styles of Governance At Home and Internationally   | Global Justice in the 21st Century: [Prefatory Note: With apologies for this long post, which attempts to situate the struggle for an ethically and ecologically viable political future for the United States and the world in the overheated preoccupation with Trump and Trumpism, which is itself a distraction from the species challenges confronting the whole of humanity at the present time.…

The Breakthrough Institute - Solar Power: The Case for Tempered Optimism

The Breakthrough Institute - Solar Power: The Case for Tempered Optimism

The Future of Fish Farming by Linus Blomqvist - Project Syndicate

The Future of Fish Farming by Linus Blomqvist - Project Syndicate: As global demand for seafood increases alongside population and income growth, fish farming has become more necessary than ever, despite its negative environmental externalities. How can the aquaculture industry achieve long-term sustainability, both in terms of conservation and energy usage?

Why the Two-Degree Climate Change Target Is a Delusion | Foreign Affairs

Why the Two-Degree Climate Change Target Is a Delusion | Foreign Affairs: The two-degree target, although arbitrary, continues to maintain a talismanic hold over global efforts to address climate change.

Monday, February 26, 2018

America Created the Sino-Russian Threat

America Created the Sino-Russian Threat



https://amgreatness.com/2018/02/26/america-created-sino-russian-threat/

The Hill: Clintons Didn’t Disclose All Contributions from Firm Hired by Russian Nuclear Company Tied to Uranium One

The Hill: Clintons Didn’t Disclose All Contributions from Firm Hired by Russian Nuclear Company Tied to Uranium One: The Clinton Foundation did not disclose the full extent of the substantial contributions the Clinton Global Initiative received from APCO Worldwide, a global communications firm that lobbied on behalf of Russia’s state-owned nuclear company.

Will the U.S. Help the Saudis Get a Nuclear Weapon? - The New York Times

Will the U.S. Help the Saudis Get a Nuclear Weapon? - The New York Times: They want American atomic power technology, but are resisting terms that would prohibit fuel enrichment that could lead to a weapon.

Virtual Roundtable on Presidential First Use of Nuclear Weapons | Public Books

Virtual Roundtable on Presidential First Use of Nuclear Weapons | Public Books: Is it legal? Is it constitutional? Is it just?

Broward County Sheriff’s Office Did Not “Miss Warning Signs” or Make “Mistakes”… | The Last Refuge

Broward County Sheriff’s Office Did Not “Miss Warning Signs” or Make “Mistakes”… | The Last Refuge: A few points need to be emphasized for those unfamiliar with the Broward County system. First, with revelations of frequent LEO contact and calls from people warning about school shooter Nikolas Cruz, there's a common narrative mistakenly being pushed by mainstream media. (left to right) Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel, Hillary Clinton, Broward County School…

Time to Revisit the War Powers Act of 1973 | RealClearDefense

Time to Revisit the War Powers Act of 1973 | RealClearDefense: When Congress passed the War Powers Resolution in 1973, it did so to reestablish procedures for Congress and the president to share responsibility for the introduction of armed forces into foreign...

Turkey’s Challenge to Arab Interests in the Horn of Africa | ACW

Turkey’s Challenge to Arab Interests in the Horn of Africa | ACW: Arab Center Washington DC (ACW) is a non-partisan, non-profit research organization located in Washington, District of Columbia dedicated to providing insight on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, as well as furthering economic, political, and social understanding of the Arab World in the United States

Palestinians: Israel is One Big Settlement

by Bassam Tawil  •  February 26, 2018 at 5:00 am
  • Let us be clear about this: When Palestinians -- and some of their supporters in the international community, including Europe -- say that they want an end to the "occupation," they mean they want to see an end to Israel's existence, full stop. They do not want to throw the Jews out of their homes in the settlements; rather, they want Jews to be expelled from the whole country.
  • The conflict, as far as the Palestinians are concerned, did not begin in 1967, when east Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza Strip came under Israeli control. In the eyes of the Palestinians, all Jews are "settlers" and "colonialists." All the land, they argue, stretching from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea, is Muslim-owned land, and no Muslim is entitled to give up any part of it to a non-Muslim. For the Palestinians, accepting Israel's "right to exist" with Jews is seen as an act of treason.
  • What is really bothering the Palestinians is that Israel, with Jews, exists, period. The Palestinians want all of Jerusalem. They want all of "Palestine." They want Israel removed from the planet. It is time to listen carefully to what the Palestinians are saying -- in Arabic -- to understand that the conflict is not about Jerusalem and not about settlements.
The Palestinians do not differentiate between a Jew living in a settlement on the outskirts of Bethlehem, in the West Bank, and a Jew living in the cities of Haifa, and Tel Aviv and Eilat. All the Jews, they say, are "occupiers" and "settlers" who need to "go back to where they came from." Pictured: The skyline of Tel Aviv. (Image source: Ted Eytan/Flickr)
No doubt Ismail Radwan is a terrorist, but, unlike other Palestinian leaders and spokesmen, he is at least an honest one.
At a time when most Palestinian leaders are telling the world that settlements are the real "obstacle" to peace, Radwan, a senior Hamas official, last week made it clear that the conflict with Israel is not about Jews living in a settlement in the West Bank. The truth is that the Palestinians see Israel as one big settlement that needs to be uprooted from the Middle East.
The Palestinians do not differentiate between a Jew living in a settlement on the outskirts of Bethlehem, in the West Bank, and a Jew living in the cities of Haifa, and Tel Aviv and Eilat. All the Jews, they say, are "occupiers" and "settlers" who need to "go back to where they came from."
For the Palestinians, the real "occupation" began with the establishment of Israel in 1948.

Los Angeles’ homelessness crisis is a national disgrace

Los Angeles’ homelessness crisis is a national disgrace: It is neither desirable nor morally acceptable to blithely tolerate a level of destitution more commonly associated with Calcutta or Sao Paolo.

Stanford, MIT, Johns Hopkins University and Waterloo University eye Hong Kong as regional base for stem cell research | South China Morning Post

Stanford, MIT, Johns Hopkins University and Waterloo University eye Hong Kong as regional base for stem cell research | South China Morning Post: Stanford, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins University and Waterloo University want to form a consortium in the city to engage in biotechnology R&D, source says – but hurdles remain

Some of the World's Biggest Lakes Are Drying Up. Here's Why.

Some of the World's Biggest Lakes Are Drying Up. Here's Why.: Warming climates, drought, and overuse are draining crucial water sources, threatening habitats and cultures.

Trump buries H-1B visa applicants in paperwork • The Register

Trump buries H-1B visa applicants in paperwork • The Register

The City That Remembers Everything - The Atlantic

The City That Remembers Everything - The Atlantic: The smart city is moving beyond cameras and microphones to stranger surveillance tools.

Women, society, & the gender warsFabius Maximus website

Women, society, & the gender warsFabius Maximus website: Posts about various issues concerning women, as society changes in the 21st century. Contents Our changing gender roles. About marriage in the 21st century. Women living new lives. First signs appear of the counter-revolution. The next wave of tech disrupting society: sexbots. Oppression of women around the world. Women soldiers. Women on top of men…

Marriage today – and its dystopian future

Marriage today – and its dystopian future: Technology and ideology have radically changed gender relations in America. Perhaps we should fear the future.

"Don't Dare Sit with Us if You Want to Live"

"Don't Dare Sit with Us if You Want to Live": "They get paid for every Coptic Christian girl they bring in. In some cases, police provide the kidnappers with drugs they seize. The drugs are then given to the girls to weaken their resistance... I even know of cases in which police offered helped to

Hamilton College students protest too many "white, upper class, able-bodied males" at campus pub

Hamilton College students protest too many "white, upper class, able-bodied males" at campus pub: "makes women, alongside other LGBTQIA+ and POC members of our community feel inferior, unwelcomed, and outnumbered"

New York has toughest cybersecurity in US — and it's still not enough - Business Insider

New York has toughest cybersecurity in US — and it's still not enough - Business Insider: Officials in New York are worried a major cyber attack could bring down the economy. But the state Department of Financial Services has a plan to prevent it.

The Berniefication of the Democratic Party Is Almost Complete

The Berniefication of the Democratic Party Is Almost Complete: Feinstein loses Cali Democrats, CAP pushes Medicare for All, and the DCCC attacks establishment Democrats

Washington governor calls out Trump — to his face — on arming teachers - Vox

Washington governor calls out Trump — to his face — on arming teachers - Vox: "We need a little less tweeting, a little more listening."

Growing Risk of U.S.-Iran Hostilities Based on False Pretexts, Intel Vets Warn – Consortiumnews

Growing Risk of U.S.-Iran Hostilities Based on False Pretexts, Intel Vets Warn – Consortiumnews

Sunday, February 25, 2018

Jerusalem's Church of Holy Sepulchre closes in protest amid row with Israel - Israel News - Haaretz.com

Jerusalem's Church of Holy Sepulchre closes in protest amid row with Israel - Israel News - Haaretz.com: After rare move by heads of churches in Jerusalem in protest of legislation to expropriate church lands, ministers postpone debate on bill

Stanford Prof Drops $10 Million Lawsuit | The Daily Caller

Stanford Prof Drops $10 Million Lawsuit | The Daily Caller: A Stanford University professor has dropped a lawsuit filed against researchers and the National Academy of Sciences' official journal.

Tomgram: Rajan Menon, Normalizing Nukes, Pentagon-Style | TomDispatch

Tomgram: Rajan Menon, Normalizing Nukes, Pentagon-Style | TomDispatch: null

Why China Loves Trump - The Atlantic

Why China Loves Trump - The Atlantic: The people love a winner. The leadership loves a dupe.

Pope to Artists: Your Gifts a Responsibility and a Mission – ZENIT – English

Pope to Artists: Your Gifts a Responsibility and a Mission – ZENIT – English

Saturday, February 24, 2018

The DOJ and FBI Abuse of The FISA Court – Three Part Video Series… | The Last Refuge

The DOJ and FBI Abuse of The FISA Court – Three Part Video Series… | The Last Refuge: The release of a memo today by HPSCI ranking member Adam Schiff, a feeble attempt to defend evidence of DOJ/FBI abuse, provides an opportunity for a recap of the surrounding issues.  Here's the full three-part video series: Why - How - Who? "WHY" - The first video highlights the historic backdrop of DOJ/FBI FISA court…

Chairman Devin Nunes and HPSCI Rebuttal to Points Within Adam Schiff Minority Memo… | The Last Refuge

Chairman Devin Nunes and HPSCI Rebuttal to Points Within Adam Schiff Minority Memo… | The Last Refuge: The majority members of the House Intelligence Committee present a point-and-counterpoint rebuttal to the construct of the HPSCI minority memo.

BREAKING: Adam Schiff Memo Released – House Intelligence Minority Memo (Full pdf)…

BREAKING: Adam Schiff Memo Released – House Intelligence Minority Memo (Full pdf)…



https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2018/02/24/breaking-adam-schiff-memo-released-house-intelligence-minority-memo-full-pdf/

Hard-Line Supporter of Israel Offers to Pay for U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem - The New York Times

Hard-Line Supporter of Israel Offers to Pay for U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem - The New York Times: The State Department is reviewing whether the offer by Sheldon Adelson to donate up to an estimated $500 million is legal.

The Privatization of U.S. Foreign Policy | The National Interest Blog

The Privatization of U.S. Foreign Policy | The National Interest Blog

What Rick Gates' Guilty Plea Means For Mueller’s Probe | WIRED

What Rick Gates' Guilty Plea Means For Mueller’s Probe | WIRED: Paul Manafort’s longtime deputy is cooperating with the special prosecutor, so we may soon have answers to these questions hovering around the Russia investigation.

Top 10 Signs the U.S. Is the Most Corrupt Nation in the World - Truthdig: Expert Reporting, Current News, Provocative Columnists

Top 10 Signs the U.S. Is the Most Corrupt Nation in the World - Truthdig: Expert Reporting, Current News, Provocative Columnists

The Five Most Amazing Things That Were 3-D-Printed This Year - MIT Technology Review

The Five Most Amazing Things That Were 3-D-Printed This Year - MIT Technology Review: Each of these items gives us clues to what the future of manufacturing might look like.

Every study we could find on what automation will do to jobs, in one chart - MIT Technology Review

Every study we could find on what automation will do to jobs, in one chart - MIT Technology Review: There are about as many opinions as there are experts.

China through a glass, darkly

China through a glass, darkly

‘Russiagate’ Is Revealing Alarming Truths About America’s Political-Media Elites | The Nation

‘Russiagate’ Is Revealing Alarming Truths About America’s Political-Media Elites | The Nation: Its allegations and practices suggest disdain for American institutions, principles, best interests, and indeed for the American people.

The 50 best places to live in America - Business Insider

The 50 best places to live in America - Business Insider: U.S. News ranked the best places to live based on each city's quality of life, value, desirability, and job market.

Where’s the Beef Stroganoff? Eight Sacrilegious Reflections on Russiagate

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Professor Forte describes the wasteland of social media

Professor Forte describes the wasteland of social media: Professor Maximilian Forte provides a brilliant analysis of social media & us. It's a sad picture.

Dealmaking Accelerates as US Federal Contractors Jockey for Spending | Asharq AL-awsat

Dealmaking Accelerates as US Federal Contractors Jockey for Spending | Asharq AL-awsat: Middle-East Arab News and Opinion - Asharq Al-Awsat is the world’s premier pan-Arab daily newspaper, printed simultaneously each day on four continents in 14 cities

Does Jihad Really Have "Nothing to do with Islam"?


Does Jihad Really Have "Nothing to do with Islam"?

by Denis MacEoin  •  February 24, 2018 at 5:00 am
  • "National Security officials are prohibited from developing a factual understanding of Islamic threat doctrines, preferring instead to depend upon 5th column Muslim Brotherhood cultural advisors." — Richard Higgins, NSC official.
  • At the heart of the problem lies the fantasy that Islam must be very similar to other religions, particularly Judaism and Christianity, out of which it was, in fact derived.
  • The use of force, mainly through jihad, is a basic doctrine in the Qur'an, the Prophetic sayings (ahadith), and in all manuals of Islamic law. It is on these sources that fighters from Islamic State, al-Qa'ida, al-Shabaab, and hundreds of other groupings base their preaching and their actions. To say that such people have "nothing to do with Islam" could not be more wrong.
U.S. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Recently, US National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster once again downplayed the significance of faith by claiming that Islamic ideology is "irreligious"; meanwhile, up to 1.5 billion Muslims continue claiming, as they have done for 1400 years, that it is.
As Stephen Coughlin, an expert on Islam, told Gatestone, "It is the believers who define their religion, not the non-believers. If someone says his religion is that the moon is made of green cheese, that has to be your starting point."
On February 20, 2017, President Trump appointed McMaster, a serving Lieutenant General of the US Army, to the important position of National Security Advisor, after the forced resignation of Michael T. Flynn. McMaster came to the post with a reputation for stability, battlefield experience, and intelligence. According to the Los Angeles Times:https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/11623/jihad-islam

My Failed Love Affair With Guns

My Failed Love Affair With Guns

Friday, February 23, 2018

Russiagate Suddenly Becomes Bigger, by Philip Giraldi - The Unz Review

Russiagate Suddenly Becomes Bigger, by Philip Giraldi - The Unz Review

Painting Attack on Syria as Israeli “Retaliation”


Painting Attack on Syria as Israeli “Retaliation”


http://lobelog.com/painting-attack-on-syria-as-israeli-retaliation/#more-43430

American Manufacturing Doesn’t Have to Die


American Manufacturing Doesn’t Have to Die

But will businesses make the choice to try and save it?


https://www.racked.com/2018/2/20/17029148/american-giant-manufacturing-supply-chain/?src=longreads&mc_cid=b5d9a23232&mc_eid=9528811089

Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on the Gun Debate and Her PBS Documentary, American Creed « The Hugh Hewitt Show

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Thoughtful Ideas: Sub-Saharan Africa Is Really Poor, Part Two

Thoughtful Ideas: Sub-Saharan Africa Is Really Poor, Part Two

Post-Modern Propaganda: The Gatekeepers Are Gone | Hoover Institution

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Looking at a Masterpiece By Madeleine Stebbins


Looking at a Masterpiece

By Madeleine Stebbins

https://stpaulcenter.com/product/looking-at-a-masterpiece/

Can Russia Succeed Where America Failed in the Middle East? – LobeLog

Can Russia Succeed Where America Failed in the Middle East? – LobeLog

D.C.’s Graduation-Rate Scandal and the Problem with Top-Down Education Reform | National Review

D.C.’s Graduation-Rate Scandal and the Problem with Top-Down Education Reform | National Review: Obama-era reforms incentivized public-school administrators to engage in fraud.

McCain Associate Invokes Fifth Amendment on Trump Dossier Questions

McCain Associate Invokes Fifth Amendment on Trump Dossier Questions: An associate of Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) has invoked his fifth amendment rights to avoid answering questions on the dossier on President Donald Trump.

| The New Yorker

| The New Yorker

Broward County Sheriff’s Office Did Not “Miss Warning Signs” or Make “Mistakes”… | The Last Refuge

Broward County Sheriff’s Office Did Not “Miss Warning Signs” or Make “Mistakes”… | The Last Refuge: A few points need to be emphasized for those unfamiliar with the Broward County system. First, with revelations of frequent LEO contact and calls from people warning about school shooter Nikolas Cruz, there's a common narrative mistakenly being pushed by mainstream media. (left to right) Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel, Hillary Clinton, Broward County School…

40 Ways to Get More Out of Lent - The Great Adventure Catholic Bible Study

40 Ways to Get More Out of Lent - The Great Adventure Catholic Bible Study: The Great Adventure Catholic Bible study, videos, prayers, downloads, articles, poetry, and blog from Jeff Cavins, Mark Hart, Thomas Smith, Edward Sri, Sarah Christmyer, Emily Cavins, and more.

Holy See to U.N.: End detention of migrant children

Holy See to U.N.: End detention of migrant children: The Holy See and Catholic migration groups are urging for an end to the detention of migrant and refugee children as U.N. delegates meet at the United Nations to negotiate a Global Migration Compact.

Change your heart, change your abortion votes, bishop tells senator

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Martin van Creveld: we are in the Age of Muzzled Americans

Martin van Creveld: we are in the Age of Muzzled Americans: The West is changing. Martin van Creveld points to one of its darker trends, as the West appears to be reversing its long journey to greater personal freedom.

Ez 18:21-28

Ez 18:21-28

Thus says the Lord GOD:
If the wicked man turns away from all the sins he committed,
if he keeps all my statutes and does what is right and just,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.
None of the crimes he committed shall be remembered against him;
he shall live because of the virtue he has practiced.
Do I indeed derive any pleasure from the death of the wicked?
says the Lord GOD.
Do I not rather rejoice when he turns from his evil way
that he may live?

And if the virtuous man turns from the path of virtue to do evil,
the same kind of abominable things that the wicked man does,
can he do this and still live?
None of his virtuous deeds shall be remembered,
because he has broken faith and committed sin;
because of this, he shall die.
You say, "The LORD's way is not fair!"
Hear now, house of Israel:
Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair?
When someone virtuous turns away from virtue to commit iniquity, and dies,
it is because of the iniquity he committed that he must die.
But if the wicked, turning from the wickedness he has committed,
does what is right and just,
he shall preserve his life;
since he has turned away from all the sins that he committed,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.

Pushing Iran To Take Steps Against Terrorist Financing

By By Katherine Bauer,   /  February 22, 2018 10:00 AM

By focusing on Tehran’s struggle to reach an acceptable legal definition of terrorism, Washington can avoid further politicizing the traditionally technocratic effort to bring Iranian banks in line with international norms. Earlier this month, the Euromoney Iran Conference was held in Paris with the aim of bringing together “Iranian bankers and industrial leaders with their
Keep reading →https://breakingenergy.com/2018/02/22/pushing-iran-to-take-steps-against-terrorist-financing/?utm_source=Breaking+Energy+Newsletters+Master+List&utm_campaign=569b8fd6eb-MAILCHIMP_BD_DAILY&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_88392479a3-569b8fd6eb-411632309

A Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel

“Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.”
Amen.