Iran's Army Day ParadeBloomberg – by David Lerman

International inspectors won’t be allowed access to military bases in a deal with world powers to curb Tehran’s nuclear program, a top Iranian commander said.

“They will not even be permitted to inspect the most normal military site in their dreams,” said Brigadier General Hossein Salami, deputy head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to the state-run Press TV news channel.   Continue reading “Iranian Commander Rejects Nuclear Inspections at Military Bases”

SlideshowValley Central – by Dave Hendricks

When Border Patrol agents checked a bus passenger’s papers at the Falfurrias checkpoint last week, they did a double-take.

The bus passenger handed them a driver’s license identifying himself as David, a 34-year-old man from Edinburg, according to federal court records.

Along with the driver’s license, the man had a birth certificate and a Social Security card identifying him as David.   Continue reading “Records: Mexican immigrant stole Border Patrol agent’s identity”

The guided missile cruiser USS Vicksburg escorts the USS Theodore Roosevelt as they pass the Rock of Gibraltar in the Mediterranean SeaYahoo News – by LOLITA C. BALDOR

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a stepped-up response to Iranian backing of Shiite rebels in Yemen, the Navy aircraft carrier, USS Theodore Roosevelt, is steaming toward the waters off Yemen to beef up security and join other American ships that are prepared to intercept any Iranian vessels carrying weapons to the Houthi rebels.

The deployment comes after a U.N. Security Council resolution approved last week imposed an arms embargo on the Iranian-backed Shiite Houthi rebels. The resolution passed in a 14-0 vote with Russia abstaining.   Continue reading “US warship heads to Yemeni waters; could block Iran weapons”

Silver is the New

Shortly after Russia announced early last week that it would take advantage of the lifting of the Iran sanctions and proceed to deliver an unknown number of S-300 “defensive” surface-to-air missiles, the Kremlin sought to reassure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that any deliveries of these to Iran will not threaten Israel’s security.

Judging by the following video which captures what happens when a launch of a S-300 SAM goes horribly wrong (and the immediate stunned aftermath), he may very well be right.   Continue reading “What Happens When A Russian Surface-To-Air Missile Launch Goes Horribly Wrong”

How would it feel to be a student here? (Image: Weibo.com)Vision Times – by Iris Lu

Chinese students usually face high pressure at school, especially before the college entrance exam or gaokao.

The three-year period for Chinese high school students is a cruel battle, full of tests, scores, and ranking. Many students stress out during this long-term struggle, and some even commit suicide as they can see no other way out.   Continue reading “Terrifying Photos of a Chinese High School: Is This a School or a Jail?”

ban ki-moonCNS News – by Patrick Goodenough

More than five years after President Obama and other leaders agreed on a 2020 goal of raising $100 billion each year from public and private sources to help developing countries deal with climate change, the United Nations wants to see action.

Ahead of Earth Day on Wednesday, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is pointing to a meeting next month in New York where he says he will be looking for clear indications from governments and investors as to how the ambitious goal will be reached.   Continue reading “UN Chief Wants Action on $100 Billion Climate Fund”

sandbagsReady Nutrition – by Joshua Krause

When most people think of sandbags, images of flood barriers and military fortifications typically come to mind. However, what most folks don’t know is that sandbags can be used to build more than just temporary structures. With a little more time, resources, and elbow grease, they can form long-lasting freestanding buildings.

When you think about it, the potential was always there. This is a building material that is frequently used by civilians to seal off flood waters. It’s also been used by the military to shelter their soldiers from small arms fire and rocket attacks, as well as reinforcing damaged buildings in war-torn areas. Sandbags are by all accounts, incredibly strong and structurally sound.   Continue reading “How to Build a Sturdy Freestanding House out of Sandbags”

ABC News – by David Rising

Hedy Bohm had just turned 16 when the Nazis packed her and her parents onto a cattle car in May 1944 and sent them from Hungary to the Auschwitz death camp in occupied Poland.

After three days and nights in darkness, crammed into the standing-room-only car with babies wailing, the doors were flung open. “An inferno,” is how she remembers the scene she saw.

“The soldiers yelling at us, guns and rifles pointed at us,” she recalled. “Big dogs barking at us held back on their leashes by the soldiers.”   Continue reading “SS ‘Accountant of Auschwitz’ Going on Trial in Germany”

Huffington Post – by Ryan Grim

Warren Haynes, the Allman Brothers Band guitarist, routinely plays with the surviving members of the Grateful Dead, now touring as The Dead. He’s just finished a Dead show in Washington, D.C. and gets a pop quiz from the Huffington Post.

Where does 420 come from?

He pauses and thinks, hands on his side. “I don’t know the real origin. I know myths and rumors,” he says. “I’m really confused about the first time I heard it. It was like a police code for smoking in progress or something. What’s the real story?”   Continue reading “420 Meaning: The True Story Of How April 20 Became ‘Weed Day’”

Sipsey Street Irregulars

“No, Ted Cruz, the 2nd Amendment doesn’t protect your right to rebellion.”

America’s standing army in 1787 wasn’t exactly intimidating. By contrast, America’s standing army in 2015 is, and I’m sure Ted Cruz would agree, not to be messed with. An AR-15 doesn’t hold a candle to your local police force; starting beef with the full firepower of the American military with nothing more sophisticated than a semi-auto is like bringing a ham sandwich to a gun fight. If citizens really did rise up and revolt with the guns currently available, they would lose and lose badly.

Continue reading “This would come as a distinct surprise to the Founders. Collectivist trots out the old “resistance is futile” Borgian meme.”

Reuters/Adnan AbidiRT

When a computer security expert from Denver tweeted some amusing remarks about hacking the onboard systems of his United Airlines flight, he didn’t know FBI agents would be waiting at his destination. Later, he was refused boarding to another flight.

Watch out what you tweet – or face the consequences! Chris Roberts, of One World Labs in Denver, has learnt that sharing knowledge in Twitter about how transport security systems operate is a bad idea.   Continue reading “US computer expert ‘grounded’ after playful plane security tweets”