Year: 2018

Gun Watch – by Dean Weingarten

The National Instant background Check System (NICS) checks performed in August, 2018 numbered 2,073,296. This is the highest number for August since NICS was started in 1998. The NICS checks for August of 1999, the first on record, were 703,394.

The previous record for August was last year, in 2017, when NICS checks totaled 1,925,146. The 2018 checks are a 7.7% increase over last years.   Continue reading “New Record for August 2018 NICS Background Checks (gun sales indicator)”

Reuters

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Oil prices rose more than 2 percent on Tuesday as U.S. sanctions squeezed Iranian crude exports and after U.S. crude oil production in 2019 was forecast to grow at a slower rate than previously expected, prompting supply concerns.

Since spring when the Trump Administration said it would impose sanctions on Iran, crude traders have priced in a risk premium reflecting the supply shortages that may occur when exports from the third-largest OPEC member are cut. As the Nov. 4 date for imposing sanctions draws nearer, the premium has increased.   Continue reading “Oil up over 2 percent on concerns over Iran, slower U.S. output growth”

Yahoo News

DALLAS (AP) — Attorneys for the family of a black man who was shot and killed by a white Dallas police officer who says she mistook his apartment for hers criticized the officer’s account, saying it was overly sympathetic and contradicted statements from neighbors.

The officer’s account emerged in an arrest affidavit released Monday, shortly after the district attorney announced that the case against officer Amber Guyger would be presented to a grand jury, which could decide on more serious charges than manslaughter.  Continue reading “Attorneys question officer’s account of neighbor’s shooting”

Zero Hedge – by Tyler Durden

North and South Carolina nuclear power plants are in line for a possible direct hit from Hurricane Florence.

According to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), there are twelve operating nuclear power plants in the Carolinas that make electricity by the continuous splitting of uranium atoms (i.e., a nuclear reaction). These plants generally reside near a body of water—a river, lake, estuary or ocean—because they require a constant source of water for cooling purposes. Without cooling water, a nuclear reactor will overheat, leading to core damage, containment failure, and release of harmful radiation into the environment.  Continue reading “Nuclear Power Plants At Risk Of Direct Hit By Hurricane Florence”

Free Thought Project – by Matt Agorist

Philadelphia, PA — For those who have been keeping up with the child sex abuse scandal in the Catholic church that erupted late last month in Pennsylvania, many have been wondering how it was allowed to go on for so long without anyone getting charged or arrested. Now, we may have the answer—the police were complicit.

During a grand jury report into the child sex abuse by priests in Pennsylvania, the state Attorney General, Josh Shapiro provided insight into how priests were allowed to go on for decades preying on children. He singled out the two groups responsible for covering up the crimes of the church.   Continue reading “Grand Jury Finds Police Were Complicit in Covering Up Massive Child Sex Ring in Catholic Church”

Zero Hedge – by Tyler Durden

More details have emerged revealing just how extensive the joint China-Russia week long ‘Vostok’ war games will be, set to kick off Tuesday, which is to involve a combined total of 300,000 troops, 36,000 military vehicles, 1,000 aircraft, two Russian naval fleets and all airborne units, along with a contingent from China, a clear sign to the west of just how close military ties between the two nations have become.  Continue reading “China Joins Russia In Massive War Games In Sign Of Growing Military Ties”

Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Russia is the main suspect in U.S. agencies’ investigation of mysterious illnesses in American personnel in Cuba and China, NBC News reported on Tuesday.

Evidence from communications intercepts has pointed to Moscow’s involvement during the investigation involving the FBI, CIA and other agencies, NBC reported, citing three unidentified U.S. officials and two other people briefed on the probe.   Continue reading “Russia the main suspect in U.S. diplomats’ illness in Cuba: NBC”

France 24

CAPE TOWN (AFP) –  South Africa’s murder rate rose again last year, official statistics showed Tuesday, with over 20,000 killed across the country — about 57 a day — as police admitted they were struggling to keep control.

A total of 20,336 people were killed in the 12 months to March this year, up from 19,016 the previous year.   Continue reading “S.Africa ‘close to war zone’ with 57 murders a day: minister”

Billings Gazette – by Matthew Brown

Continue reading “Lawsuit claims Trump ignored tribes’ rights in approving Keystone XL pipeline”

Ron Paul Institute – by Ron Paul

Last week, I urged the Secretary of State and National Security Advisor to stop protecting al-Qaeda in Syria by demanding that the Syrian government leave Idlib under al-Qaeda control. While it may seem hard to believe that the US government is helping al-Qaeda in Syria, it’s not as strange as it may seem: our interventionist foreign policy increasingly requires Washington to partner up with “bad guys” in pursuit of its dangerous and aggressive foreign policy goals.

Does the Trump Administration actually support al-Qaeda and ISIS? Of course not. But the “experts” who run Trump’s foreign policy have determined that a de facto alliance with these two extremist groups is for the time being necessary to facilitate the more long-term goals in the Middle East. And what are those goals? Regime change for Iran.   Continue reading “Why Are We Siding With al-Qaeda?”

Alamogordo Daily News

SUNSPOT, NM – The Sunspot Observatory is temporarily closed due to a security issue at the facility that’s located 17 miles south of Cloudcroft in the Sacramento Mountains Friday, an Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) spokeswoman Shari Lifson said.

“The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy who manages the facility is addressing a security issue at this time,” Lifson said. “We have decided to vacate the facility at this time as precautionary measure. It was our decision to evacuate the facility.”  Continue reading “Sunspot Observatory closed due to security issue”