Reuters

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry demanded on Wednesday that Russia and the Syrian government immediately halt flights over Syrian battle zones, in what he called a last chance to salvage a collapsing ceasefire and find a way “out of the carnage”.

An impassioned Kerry faced off with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the U.N. Security Council in New York, during a tense televised showdown, saying the bombing of an aid convoy in Syria raised “profound doubt whether Russia and the Assad regime can or will live up to” ceasefire obligations.   Continue reading “Kerry demands Russia, Syria ground warplanes to save truce”

Ars Technica – by CYRUS FARIVAR

A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday against Defense Distributed, the Texas organization that promotes 3D-printed guns, in a lawsuit that it brought last year against the State Department.

In a 2-1 decision, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals was not persuaded that Defense Distributed’s right to free speech under the First Amendment outweighs national security concerns.   Continue reading “Court: With 3D printer gun files, national security interest trumps free speech”

The Organic Prepper

As they say on Game of Thrones, “Brace yourselves. Winter is coming.”

One of the best ways to brace yourselves for the onset of cold weather, winter storms, and potential power outages is to prep your home for the season. And this is one of the nicest parts of prepping – quite a few of the cozy touches that you add to be more prepared are also delightful and decorative.   Continue reading “25 Cozy Ways to Prep Your Home for Winter”

Daisy Luther

It’s really quite embarrassing on a global scale when members of our own government seem to be deliberately trying to pick fights with people who aren’t interested in fighting with us. If you’ve traveled outside of the United States much, you probably know that we Americans have a rather negative reputation off of our own shores. Now, generally speaking, that isn’t our fault as individuals. You and I don’t create headlines that make waves throughout Europe and Asia.

While average Americans aren’t directly responsible for this, our federal officials are. I’ve written recently about President Obama doing things in Syria that are worsening the conflict there. I’ve also written about the fact that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin are starting to butt heads. And finally, I’ve warned time and time again that war is upon us – and everyone knows but the US.   Continue reading “Here’s How CIA Puppet Masters Are Deliberately Picking a World War III Level Fight”

RT

ExxonMobil Corp will pay $12 million to Montana for a 2011 oil spill that affected 85 miles of Yellowstone River as well as farmland. While state lawmakers are praising the settlement, some residents think it’s a far cry from a real punishment.

In July 2011, an Exxon pipeline by Billings, Montana burst and leaked 1,500 barrels of crude oil into the Yellowstone River just 150 miles downstream from Yellowstone National Park. Five years later, the company has settled with the state of Montana and the US government.   Continue reading “‘Drop in the bucket’: ExxonMobil to pay $12mn in oil spill settlement”

RT

Syrian President Bashar Assad says that US airstrikes which killed 62 Syrian government troops were “intentional” and they lasted for an hour. He added that the US “does not have the will” to join Russia in fighting terrorists in Syria.

Speaking to the Associated Press in Damascus, the Syrian leader denied that the airstrikes carried out by the US near Deir ez-Zor on September 17 were an accident. Sixty-two Syrian soldiers were killed and over 100 were injured, according to the Syrian military. Assad said they were “intentionally” targeted.   Continue reading “US airstrikes on Syrian troops were ‘intentional,’ lasted nearly 1 hour – Assad to AP”

Mail.com

NEW YORK (AP) — It doesn’t matter what President Barack Obama says these days, his listeners are bound to hear two words: Donald Trump. With his proclivity for dominating the conversation, the Republican presidential nominee is forcing Obama’s final few months to be viewed almost entirely through the prism of campaign politics. As Obama carries out his presidential duties, voters can’t help but wonder what the role would look like if it were inhabited by the brash billionaire.

At the United Nations this week, Trump trailed the president both metaphorically and physically, as world leaders took stock of what a dramatic shift a Trump presidency would mean for American leadership.   Continue reading “Obama speaks, and listeners hear nothing but ‘Donald Trump’”

Mail.com

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said Thursday that it was widening efforts to deport Haitians, a response to thousands of immigrants from the Caribbean nation who have overwhelmed California border crossings with Mexico in recent months.

The move lifts special protections that shielded Haitians from deportation after their nation’s 2010 earthquake. Since 2011, U.S. authorities have avoided deporting Haitians unless they were convicted of serious crimes or posed a national security threat. Now they will be treated like people from other countries.   Continue reading “US toughens stance on Haitians seeking entry from Brazil”

anthony_weiner_official_portrait_112th_congressAnthony David Weiner (/ˈwiːnər/; born September 4, 1964) is an American politician and former Congressman who served New York’s 9th congressional district from January 1999 until June 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he won seven terms, never receiving less than 59% of the vote. Weiner resigned from Congress in June 2011 when the first of what would become multiple sexting scandals were made public.

Preferred Method: Barbecued Weiner.

Reuters

Drivers from Tennessee and Georgia to New Jersey may soon breathe a collective sigh of relief as service is restored on Colonial Pipeline, cutting gasoline prices that have surged following a leak on the key line.

Still, the 12-day disruption on Colonial, the main artery that flows about 1.3 million barrels per day of fuel from the refining hub on the Gulf Coast to cities all the way up to the East Coast illustrates the impact even a relatively brief disruption can have on gasoline prices.   Continue reading “Gasoline shortages highlight U.S. dependence on Colonial pipeline”

MassPrivateI

Argonne Labs and DHS are installing over 500 spying devices called the ‘Array of Things‘ (AoT) throughout Chicago and plan to install them in cities across the country.  Plans are in the works to replicate the project in the coming years in more than a dozen other cities.

Two cameras mounted in each AoT box will collect data on vehicle and foot traffic, standing water, sky color and cloud cover. They claim the photos taken by the cameras will automatically be deleted within “tens of minutes.”    Continue reading “‘Array of Things’ collects facial biometrics and license plates images”

BBC News

Rebel-held areas of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo saw the heaviest air strikes in months overnight, activists say, as a week-old truce collapsed.

An AFP news agency journalist reported that his entire street in the Bustan al-Qasr district was left burning after warplanes dropped incendiary bombs.

At least seven people, including three children, are believed to have died.   Continue reading “Syria conflict: Warplanes set rebel-held Aleppo ablaze”

Breitbart – by John Hayward

Bernard Sansaricq, former president of the Haitian Senate, issued a blistering statement condemning the Clinton Foundation, which has been posted at Donald Trump’s campaign website.

Sansaricq’s statement says:   Continue reading “Former Haitian Senate President: Clintons Exploited Haiti Earthquake ‘to Steal Billions of Dollars from the Sick and Starving’”

Washington Post – by Elise Viebeck

A House committee on Thursday is expected to begin the process of holding a former Hillary Clinton aide in contempt of Congress for his failure to appear before the panel under subpoena.

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee announced it will mark up a contempt of Congress resolution if the ex-State Department aide, Bryan Pagliano, does not attend its 10 a.m. hearing to testify about his role in setting up Clinton’s private email server in 2009.   Continue reading “House panel expected to move forward with contempt resolution against Clinton aide”

Seattle Times

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An Oregon State Police trooper testified a government informant was driving Ammon Bundy when the Oregon standoff leader was arrested on his way to a community meeting north of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

Trooper Jeremiah Beckert said Wednesday that informant Mark McConnell alerted police that Bundy and other occupiers were traveling Jan. 26 and provided their location.   Continue reading “Trooper: Driver for refuge occupier a government informant”