Month: December 2014

Army Times – by Michelle Tan

About 250 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division will deploy in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, officials announced Monday.

The soldiers from 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, will begin deploying in late December.

They will deploy for nine months to the Central Command area of responsibility to conduct security operations.   Continue reading “About 250 Fort Bragg soldiers to deploy to support Iraq operations”

All Gov – by Steve Straehley

The U.S. drone program in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Yemen is referred to as “targeted killing” of those deemed to be a danger to American interests. President Barack Obama even said in a speech on May 23, 2013, “[B]y narrowly targeting our action against those who want to kill us, and not the people they hide among, we are choosing the course of action least likely to result in the loss of innocent life.” Instead, the Central Intelligence Agency attacks are anything but targeted; hundreds often die in the multiple attempts to kill each individual.   Continue reading “Aiming for Two Militant Leaders in Pakistan, U.S. Drone Pilots Killed 233 People, including 89 Children”

The New American – by Chip Wood

Did you hear about the four black men, armed to the teeth, who pulled up to a white-owned gas station in Ferguson, Missouri, a week ago? They weren’t there to join the rioters, who burned and looted stores and vehicles up and down the streets that night. No, they were there to protect the gas station from the vandals.

One of the men, who was identified only as “R.J.,” explained the reason for the men’s actions. He said the owner, Doug Merello, had given many of them jobs over the years. “He’s a nice dude,” R.J. said. “He’s helped a lot of us.”   Continue reading “The Real Heroes of Ferguson”

The New American – by Joe Wolverton, II, J.D.

Utah state Representative Marc Roberts is ready to try again to cut off the water to the massive National Security Agency (NSA) data center near Salt Lake City.

Although the legislation won’t be considered by the state House of Representatives until sometime early in 2015, Roberts’ bill, H.B. 161, is already facing scrutiny from some of his fellow lawmakers. Members of the Public Utilities and Technology Interim Committee met to conduct preliminary hearings into the ends and means of the measure. As reported by the Salt Lake Tribune:    Continue reading “Utah Rep. Introduces Bill to Cut off Water to the NSA Data Center”

AOL

‘Tis the season for giving and good cheer — but it looks like one shopping mall Santa and his not-so-friendly little helper may have missed that memo.

Abcde Santos, 7, who has been diagnosed with autism, was at the shops in Mission Viejo, California, last Sunday when she was told she couldn’t take a picture with the shopping center’s Santa Claus.

Santos stood in line for 30 minutes with her pit bull service dog, Pup-Cake, when she was shooed away because of Santa’s fear of pit bulls.   Continue reading “Santa, elf fired after refusing to pose with little girl and her service dog”

Fox News

Bobby Keys, a saxophonist and lifelong rock ‘n’ roller who played on recordings by Buddy Holly and John Lennon and performed one of the all-time blowout solos on the Rolling Stones’ “Brown Sugar,” has died at his home in Franklin, Tennessee. He was 70 years old.

Michael Webb, who played keyboard with Keys, said Keys died Tuesday after a lengthy illness. Keys had been on tour with the Stones earlier this year before his health prevented him from performing.   Continue reading “Rolling Stones’ saxophone player Bobby Keys dies at 70”

BBC – by Rory Cellan-Jones

Prof Stephen Hawking, one of Britain’s pre-eminent scientists, has said that efforts to create thinking machines pose a threat to our very existence.

He told the BBC:”The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race.”

His warning came in response to a question about a revamp of the technology he uses to communicate, which involves a basic form of AI.   Continue reading “Stephen Hawking warns artificial intelligence could end mankind”

24/7 Wall Street – by Paul Ausick

Experts have already begun to mention the chance that the average price for a gallon of regular gas will drop below $2 in some parts of America. There are several states where this is highly likely. As a matter of fact, the prices in these states could drop below $2 as early are the start of next year.

Most of the states likely to post sub- $2 gas have three things in common. These are the general drop in oil prices, proximity to large refineries, and low state gas taxes.   Continue reading “8 States Where Gas Will Drop Below $2”

Money Metals Exchange – by David Smith

For over two thousand years, China practiced what came to be known as the “tributary system,” reflecting the view that it alone was the center of the civilized world. All who wished to do business with the Chinese were considered tributary states. Rulers and travelers from other lands had to follow certain procedures, including gift giving, in order to associate or do business with them.

When Japan ignored this policy, it brought about two invasion attempts by the Mongols under Kublai Khan.   Continue reading “Dramatic Increase in Gold Flows into China”

Wall Street Journal – by NICHOLAS CASEY and JOSHUA MITNICK

JERUSALEM—Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday fired two top cabinet ministers, bringing about the collapse of his coalition government and calling for fresh parliamentary elections.

The ministers, Yair Lapid and Tzipi Livni, ran the finance and justice ministries respectively. They came from parties that were increasingly coming to blows with the conservative Mr. Netanyahu over a growing list of subjects—from the country’s budget to a proposed law that would declare Israel a Jewish state.   Continue reading “Netanyahu Fires Two Top Ministers, Setting Stage for Fresh Israeli Elections”

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Bangor Daily News – by Paul Nussbaum

PHILADELPHIA — Chinese investors have begun signing up to spend $500,000 each to help pay for a long-awaited connection between the Pennsylvania Turnpike and I-95.

In exchange, the investors hope to get permanent residency in the United States for themselves and their families.   Continue reading “Chinese investors sign up to fund I-95 Turnpike link in exchange for fast-track to US citizenship”

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RT

Kim Dotcom, wanted in US for copyright infringement, says his Internet Party plans to enter American politics next year. The taunt came shortly after a New Zealand court rejected a US plea to revoke Dotcom’s bail.

Dotcom, who is engaged in a number of court battles in New Zealand over US extradition for his Megaupload service, described himself as “your Internet Freedom fighter” and “Hillary’s worst nightmare in 2016!” in a tweet.   Continue reading “‘Hillary’s worst nightmare’: Kim Dotcom flags US Internet Party launch”