Author: Paul

Common Dreams – by Deirdre Fulton

With little fanfare, the United States and NATO formally ended the longest war in U.S. history with a ceremony in Kabul, Afghanistan on Sunday, leaving observers to wonder what—if anything—was achieved.

Over 13 years, U.S.-led war in Afghanistan claimed the lives of about 3,500 foreign troops (at least 2,224 of them American soldiers) and an estimated 21,000 Afghan civilians; most experts agree that the country is as violent as ever and that the death toll will continue to rise. Many say the war is over in name only.   Continue reading “After 13 Years, US-Led Afghanistan War is Officially Over but Nightmare Goes On”

Number 8 –  Death is the number 1 killer in the world.

Number 7 –  Life is sexually transmitted.

Number 6 –  Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.

Number 5 –  Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day.  Teach a person to use the Internet and they won’t bother you for weeks, months, maybe years.   Continue reading “Facts to remember as we grow older”

Riehl World View

An image being shared by the NYPD supposedly showing uniformed officers gathering for the funeral of Rafael Ramos was actually taken in 2007.

Examiner – by Ken LaRive

Last month I went for my yearly exam at the Veteran’s Administration. Most men my age are carrying a full zip-lock bag of drugs to show the doctor. I carried my iPhone and a book to read while waiting. I’d say I’m pretty lucky at sixty-five.

We are hearing a lot these days about the lack of viable health service administered to our Veterans, from long waits for very needed operations, administering a wrong or unneeded drug, to being grossly underfunded. The following is my first hand experience…   Continue reading “Out-of-date health advice from the Veterans Administration”

An unlimited power to tax involves, necessarily, a power to destroy; because there is a limit beyond which no institution and no property can bear taxation. – John Marshall, McCullough v. Maryland, 1819

Epoch Times

GUECKEDOU, Guinea—West Africa’s fight to contain Ebola has hampered the campaign against malaria, a preventable and treatable disease that is claiming many thousands more lives than the dreaded virus.

In Gueckedou, near the village where Ebola first started killing people in Guinea’s tropical southern forests a year ago, doctors say they have had to stop pricking fingers to do blood tests for malaria.   Continue reading “Malaria Kills Thousands More Than Ebola in West Africa”

IFL Science – by Justine Alford

Have you ever noticed a strange little worm-like speck drifting aimlessly about in your field of vision? These annoying little squiggly lines, or “cobwebs,” are called floaters and are experienced by around 70% of people. So what are they?

Floaters are actually shadows cast by objects suspended in the clear, gel-like substance that makes up the majority of the eye’s interior. This substance is called vitreous humor and helps to maintain the eye’s round shape. After passing through the lens, focused light has to pass through the vitreous humor in order to reach the retina at the back of the eye. It’s mostly composed of water but also contains proteins and various other substances.   Continue reading “What Are Those Strange Things You See Floating In Your Eye?”

Oddity Central – by Spooky

Known as Dekotora, Decotora, or simply as Japanese art trucks, these incredible masterpieces on four wheelshave become a symbol of Japan.

Dekotora is an abbreviation for “decoration truck”, and if you can say something about these trucks it’s that they are very decorated. That’s basically what defines the Dekotora art movement – adding as many decorations to your truck, as you possibly can, while keeping it operational. And making use of the ingenuity that defines the Japanese, they have been able to create some truly impressive rigs that blow your mind. Neon lights, flashy spoilers, manga and kabuki artworks are all part of a Dekotora artist’s arsenal, in his quest of creating the flashiest truck possible.   Continue reading “Japan’s Amazing Dekotora Trucks”

Publius Forum – by Warner Todd Huston

This is why I despise government. Every decision made in DC adds thousands of new government placemen at a cost of millions in salary and an ever expanding government. That is what happened when John Boehner did not immediately put a stop to Obama’s amnesty plans in that recently concluded budget negotiations.

One of the things that Barack Obama kicked into high gear with his illicit amnesty announcement was a government employee hiring frenzy. As The New York Times reports, as soon as GOP House Speaker John Boehner allowed Obama’s amnesty plan to keep its funding, 1,000 new federal jobs were opened up at a cost to the taxpayer of $40 million annually in salaries and benefits.   Continue reading “Boehner and GOP Allowed Obama to Add thousands of New Amnesty Workers With That 2015 Budget”

Society in every state is a blessing, but government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one; for when we suffer or are exposed to the same miseries by a government, which we might expect in a country without government, our calamity is heightened by reflecting that we furnish the means by which we suffer. – Thomas Paine, Common Sense, 1776

Concealed Nation – by Brandon

A woman was inside her Tennessee home Tuesday night when there was a knock on her door a little after 6pm. When she opened the door, she was greeted by two armed thugs who stormed into the home.

As they entered, one of the suspects pushed a handgun up against the woman’s neck. That suspect, identified as 22-year-old Nico Carlisle, was not yet aware of the huge mistake he had just made.   Continue reading “Armed Home Intruders Put Gun To Woman’s Neck, Quickly Learn They Made a Huge Mistake”

Chicago Tribune – by Liam Ford and Alexandra Chachkevitch

A 25-year-old man who had been threatening suicide was shot and killed by police near his home after he attacked an officer with a knife Thursday night in the West Woodlawn neighborhood, police said.

The incident took place about 6:40 p.m. in the 400 block of East Marquette Road, according to a statement from Police News Affairs.   Continue reading “Cops: Suicidal man shot to death by police after attacking officer with knife”

Next Gov

In 2009, when Susan Clements-Jeffrey purchased a used laptop from a student at the high school where she substitute taught, chances are she didn’t expect that the transaction would conclude with local police in her living room, laughing at her and calling her “stupid” while showing her explicit pictures of herself taken from her computer. Later, at the police station, according to court documents, the abuse continued, with the men now calling her disgusting while reading from her private instant message chats. The laptop, it turned out, had been stolen before she bought it, and it came equipped with a Remote Access Tool, or RAT.   Continue reading “The Webcam Hacking Epidemic”

CNBC

A rocket hit a storage tank at the eastern Libyan oil of port Es Sider as armed factions allied to competing governments fought for control of the country’s biggest export terminal, officials said on Thursday.

Clashes were also reported from Sirte, a city west of Es Sider, killing up to 19, residents said. No more details were immediately available.   Continue reading “Rocket hits tank at Libya’s biggest oil port”