Most often = Animals dont eat where they void dont beat their young spit at each other for no good reason harass until one bloody beats the smirk off the other's face dis-cooperate, so no one has any resource left: either absent or fouled take more turf than they can actually defend carry guns hunt their own make excuses waste time spend time … [Read more...] about Cockamamie & Addled Instincts in Human Beings
A GREAT World Cruise Part 3
Editor's Note: Cruises that go terribly or tragically wrong are always in the news, starting with the Titanic. But what about the many, many cruises that are sheer joy? Last year retired French professor Jeffry Foster went on a world voyage. We are presenting his diary in several parts. Here's Part 3: World Voyage Part 3 by Jeffrey Foster SIXTEEN Saturday, February … [Read more...] about A GREAT World Cruise Part 3
1980 Saw Unlimited Big-Name Democrats Fall
Birch Bay (Monticello photo) lost to Quayle 1972 Presidential Nominee George McGovern lost bid for 4th term by wide margin (CNN photo) Frank Church was nipped by Steve Symms (Ebay photo) 1980 was a year that many remember for Ronald Reagan coming in like a tractor-trailer, denying Jimmy Carter a second term. But that was only part of the story. Reagan's landslide … [Read more...] about 1980 Saw Unlimited Big-Name Democrats Fall
The Worst Driver in Russia (and Beyond)
The worst driver in Russia (and beyond): … [Read more...] about The Worst Driver in Russia (and Beyond)
Spain hesitates on contentious abortion reform
Spain hesitates on contentious abortion reform (via AFP) Despite ramming through austerity measures that sparked popular protest in the streets, Spain's right-leaning government seems to be hesitating on a potentially more divisive reform: tightening the abortion law. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's Popular Party promised, in a manifesto ahead of its 2011… … [Read more...] about Spain hesitates on contentious abortion reform
Syria’s online troops wage counter-revolutionary cyber war
Syria's online troops wage counter-revolutionary cyber war (via AFP) Sometimes, attacks in Syria's bloody civil war start not with a bullet or a bomb blast, but with an innocuous-looking email. A message pings into an inbox, apparently from a friend or colleague. The recipient clicks a link, and suddenly hackers are one step closer to snatching sensitive information… … [Read more...] about Syria’s online troops wage counter-revolutionary cyber war
Hanging up on the right to privacy
WASHINGTON -- Someday, a young girl will look up into her father's eyes and ask, "Daddy, what was privacy?" The father probably won't recall. I fear we've already forgotten that there was a time when a U.S. citizen's telephone calls were nobody else's business. A time when people would have been shocked and angered to learn that the government was compiling a detailed … [Read more...] about Hanging up on the right to privacy
Tails of the Superhorse
1973 was an interesting year. When the year started, the number one song on the Billboard Charts was Carly Simon's "You're So Vain" ... The L(ong)-P(laying) Record album cover And I remember graduating from high school between the Preakness and the Belmont, where, on June 9th, 40 years ago, Secretariat became the Triple Crown winner by 31 lengths -- still a record. … [Read more...] about Tails of the Superhorse
NSA Surveillance Whistleblower, Edward Snowden, Comes Forward, Works as Contractor for Booz Allen at NSA
BREAKING: The NSA surveillance whistleblower has come forward. His name is Edward Snowden and he is a 29-year-old former technical assistant for the CIA and a current employee for defense contractor Booz Allen Hamilton. He has been working at the NSA for the last four years as an employee for various contractors, the Guardian reports. In a note accompanying the first set of … [Read more...] about NSA Surveillance Whistleblower, Edward Snowden, Comes Forward, Works as Contractor for Booz Allen at NSA
McCain: Senators Should Have Known About Government Snooping
One strand is now emerging in the chain of revelations about government snooping: some politicians may wish to pretend it ain't so, but members of Congress from both parties were apparently aware of the programs. These weren't procedures secretly put into place and never revealed to politicos. The latest person to make this assertion: Senator John McCain: Lawmakers who are … [Read more...] about McCain: Senators Should Have Known About Government Snooping
Army Special Forces Veteran Accidently Shot by 4 Year Old Son
There are many tragic stories -- and this is one of the more heartbreaking oness. When Justin Stanfield Thomas, 35, of Phoenix visited his former roommate in Prescott Valley, Ariz., with his son, his son found a gun, picked it up, went to show it to his dad -- and it went off and killed his father. And that's just the first part of the tragedy: An Army Special Forces … [Read more...] about Army Special Forces Veteran Accidently Shot by 4 Year Old Son
Steven Seagal Does Chechen Dancing (VIDEO)
Not only can he fight, not only can he act like a diplomat, not only can he act, but Steven Seagal is also an impressive dancer. Watch him on this video doing Chechen dancing while on a trip to the region: Still, some other "big" celebrities have done dancing better: … [Read more...] about Steven Seagal Does Chechen Dancing (VIDEO)
Steven Seagal: International man of mystery
Steven Seagal: International man of mystery (via GlobalPost) Steven Seagal is the new face of the Russian arms industry. But that's not all he's doing out in the world. Emily Lodish The fact that Steven Seagal is the new face of the Russian weapons industry raises many questions, among them: why is he doing this? Sure, he's been buddies with Putin for a while… … [Read more...] about Steven Seagal: International man of mystery
DNI Fact Sheet on the Collection of Intelligence
The “Fact Sheet” published today by the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) on Collection of Intelligence Pursuant to Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is rather long. The fact sheet can be read here. • PRISM is not an undisclosed collection or data mining program. It is an internal government computer system used to facilitate the … [Read more...] about DNI Fact Sheet on the Collection of Intelligence
Statement by DNI on U.S. Surveillance Activities
American Forces Press Service, June 8, 2013 – Despite what some media outlets are reporting, surveillance activities carried out by the U.S. government under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act are lawful, James R. Clapper, the director of national intelligence, said in a statement issued today. Clapper’s statement reads as follows: DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL … [Read more...] about Statement by DNI on U.S. Surveillance Activities
NASA’s Beautiful Animation of Hurricane Sandy’s Winds
NASA’s Beautiful Animation of Hurricane Sandy’s Winds (via Climate Central) By Andrew Freedman Follow @afreedma NASA never fails to capture dazzling images of our home planet, and on Thursday it released an animation of 2012's Hurricane Sandy that almost — almost — makes you forget how devastating that storm actually was. It's a stunningly beautiful 43-second … [Read more...] about NASA’s Beautiful Animation of Hurricane Sandy’s Winds
Nixon Faced Two Republican Congressman In ’72 Primaries
"If you can't take their money and vote against them, you shouldn't be in this business." California House Speaker Jesse Unruh In the 1972 Presidential primaries, much of the attention was on the cacophonous Democratic field. But Richard Nixon was facing two challengers within his own party, one from the left, and one from the right. Paul McCloskey and John Ashbrook were … [Read more...] about Nixon Faced Two Republican Congressman In ’72 Primaries
Exposed: Spy Powers that Obama Shouldn’t Use (Suedostschweiz, Switzerland)
Now that we know beyond doubt how The Patriot Act and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act are being used to collect every type of data on innocent citizens, what should be done? For Switzerland's Suedostschweiz, columnist Thomas J. Spang has a suggestion for president Obama: stop using them. For Suedostschweiz, Thomas J. Spang starts off this way: A secret court … [Read more...] about Exposed: Spy Powers that Obama Shouldn’t Use (Suedostschweiz, Switzerland)
Arguably, this is Espionage
Glenn Greenwald is an extremist. He believes that the individual is sovereign, probably believes, as do most post-Enlightenment Founding Father groupies, in "social contracts," which was once likened to a "gentleman's club" from which, some gentlemen being upset at the prospect of hostile rules could justifiably withdraw. This was the South's position in the Civil War 150 … [Read more...] about Arguably, this is Espionage
It’s official: Cory Booker announces candidacy in New Jersey U.S. Senate Race
It's official: Cory Booker announces candidacy for U.S. Senate (via NJ.com) NEWARK — Cory Booker this morning officially declared his candidacy for U.S. Senate. The Newark mayor put an end to days of speculation that he would enter a growing field of Democrats running in an August special primary election to fill the seat left vacant by the death on Monday of U.S. Sen. … [Read more...] about It’s official: Cory Booker announces candidacy in New Jersey U.S. Senate Race