Show's over! Back to business!
German minister wants to rebuild trust with Russia after spy standoff

Germany relies on Russia for roughly a third of the gas it uses and, before Western states imposed sanctions on Russia over its role in the Ukraine crisis, Europe's biggest economy exported about 38 billion euros of goods to Russia.

SPD leading, literally, from behind?

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

Italy protests to France over border incident
1920 called: ""French police do whatever they want on Italian territory without being disturbed, as if they are at home. What happened in Bardonecchia is grave and shows how our so-called friends in Europe have little or no consideration for us," [Massimiliano Fedriga of the right-wing League] said in a statement.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

The correct and agreed locution is "family members" and "frontier workers" (19 Mar Draft, PART TWO, CITIZENS' RIGHTS, TITLE I, GENERAL PROVISIONS, Article 8, Definitions (a) and (b) respectively, p 8)

Gibraltar Chronicle | Withdrawal agreement `protects cross-border passage', Lords told
"Lord Callanan, Minister of State at the Department for Exiting the European Union, was responding to a question from the Liberal Democrat peer Lord Jones of Cheltenham, who had asked what arrangements the UK Government would introduce to 'deal with the border' after Brexit."

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

Berlin protesters demand release of Catalan ex-leader Carles Puigdemont

In the coming week, the German justice system in Schleswig-Holstein is expected to decide whether to proceed with Puigdemont's extradition. The decision hinges on whether the German legal system recognizes the crime of rebellion as defined under Spanish law.

The German federal government has said it will not interfere in the state court's decision, to avoid any politicization [?] of the affair.
[...]
The marchers in Berlin used banners to call on the German government not to support the Spanish government's "political justice." Independence supporters use the term to describe the Madrid government's attempt to quell their movement through the courts instead of seeking a political resolution.

Extradition for embezzlement, rebellion, or both?

The public prosecutor's decision rests on the extent to which the charges as laid out under the Spanish Penal Code coincide with crimes publishable under German law. While embezzlement is straightforward, the contested point remains whether the crime of rebellion as defined by Spain is comparable with that of high treason in Germany.

archived
charge: "organizing an illegal referendum on secession" hmm 25 Mar

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

Macron reform drive is make-or-break for French unions

Workers at the state rail operator SNCF will start downing tools two days out of every five -- a strategy aimed at limiting lost wages -- but the disruptions are likely to spill over into non-strike days as well.
[...]
Only a slim majority, 51 percent, thought the government "should complete the reform as it has been announced".

- Comparisons with Thatcher -
[...]
"His tactical approach is working. By constantly opening new fronts, he renders opposition to the previous one obsolete," said political expert Philippe Braud.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

Independent

British scientists cannot prove that the novichok nerve agent used to poison ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter was made in Russia, the military laboratory which tested it has said.

Experts at the Porton Down research laboratory have been unable to establish the chemical's country of origin, the chief executive of the Ministry of Defence facility told Sky News.

Statement by Jewdas

While we remain opposed to the monarchy, we were delighted that the leader of Her Majesty's Opposition, Jeremy Corbyn accepted our invitation to join the Jewdas community Seder. Jeremy was a 10/10 guest and provided delicious maror from his allotment.

In 1812 the British Government designated Jewdas to be the sole representative body for British Jews. We fulfill our role of being the voice for Anglo-Jewry by writing funny tweets, holding great parties and passing on the memes which we receive from God, via Geoffrey Cohen.

Sadly our God-given right to be the sole spokespeople for Anglo-Jewry is not respected by many heretical organisations which are known as `The Jewish Establishment'.

One such organisation is the dangerous fringe group which calls itself `The Bored of Deputies'. They continue to insist that their outdated and niche views represent all Jews.

We have been campaigning against antisemitism on the Left and the Right for many years. Like, way before it was popular. We have run anti-antisemitism workshops in such far flung corners as Marseille and Bloomsbury, opposed neo-Nazi demos in Stamford Hill and Golders Green, produced and distributed information on how to criticise Israel WITHOUT being antisemitic, demonstrated against left-antisemite Gilad Atzmon, and most importantly mercilessly took the piss out of Ken Livingstone. You could call us trend setters.

There's a price for anything.

Putin's $19,200 rent-a-mobs: Emails show Russia uses paid thugs and email hackers to sow dissent and chaos abroad - Business Insider

A tranche of emails sent by Kremlin-linked figures were leaked to the Times newspaper on Monday. They outline a dirty-tricks campaign in Ukraine, which Russia invaded in 2014 on the orders of President Vladimir Putin.

The emails allegedly outline how much Russia was prepared to pay for various services in a huge disinformation campaign in Ukraine. One set of correspondence from October 2014 appears to have been sent by an unnamed Russian politician to Inal Ardzinba, a Kremlin figure close to Putin.

It contained proposals to fund a cybercampaign that outlined various cost proposals, including:

• $100 to $300 to hack email accounts.

• $130,500: A plan to "troll" opponents of Russia, "demotivate enemies" on social media, and collect personal data of opponents in Kharviv.

Other prices discussed in the leaked emails include:

• A $120,460 proposal to discuss in June 2015 to arrange for 30 ex-communist figures elected to local government.

• A $19,200 proposal to buy a month of rallies in Ukraine's second-largest city Kharviv, including 100 participants, 3 organisers, and 2 lawyers. Organisers would orchestrate anti-Ukraine, pro-Russia rallies featuring crowds of martial-arts-trained protestors, and lawyers would buy off the police. It is unclear whether the plan happened.

It looks like we're going to have to keep voting until we get it right. Right now, they are talking about having them on June 17 or 24.

Agenzia nova

Il famoso piatto romano dei carciofi alla giudia non è kosher, ovvero non rispetta le regole stabilite dall'ebraismo, e per questo il rabbinato israeliano ne ha bandito l'importazione nello Stato ebraico

[...]

In conformità con le linee guida del rabbinato israeliano, la comunità ebraica milanese ha chiesto alla catena di ristoranti "Ba'Ghetto" di rimuovere il piatto dal menu presso il locale di Milano. Il quotidiano israeliano evidenzia che i clienti sono rimasti sorpresi dalla rimozione del piatto dal menu, mentre la comunità ebraica romana, prosegue "Haaretz", sente che la propria tradizione culinaria è sotto attacco.

'We can't back down': French students dig in for Macron battle - Guardian

After more than 50 hours manning a barricade at her university faculty building in northern Paris, Camille, 20, said she was tired but determined.

Night and day the humanities student had been keeping vigil at a lecture-hall sit-in, taking turns with another student to doze in a sleeping bag on the cold floor as they guarded the makeshift barricade made from piles of chairs.

Camille was one of scores of arts students protesting against the introduction of more selective entry requirements for universities by France's centrist president, Emmanuel Macron. The growing student protest movement has irked Macron's government, which is also grappling with strikes by rail staff in the first major test to his pro-business resolve to reshape the French economy and loosen labour rules in the state sector.

1.Zentralrat der Deutschen distanziert sich von Terroranschlag von Münster

Es  ist inzwischen ein trauriges Ritual geworden: Wieder einmal hat sich der Zentralrat der Deutschen, der größte Interessenverband der Deutschen in Deutschland, heute mit deutlichen Worten von dem Anschlag in Münster mit drei Toten und zahlreichen Verletzten distanziert.

"Wir verurteilen diesen Anschlag aufs Schärfste!", so ein Sprecher des Verbandes. "Das hat nichts mit der wahren Botschaft des Deutschsein zu tun. Echte Deutsche würden ein derart scheußliches Verbrechen niemals ausüben." Zudem dankte er der Polizei und allen Rettungskräften für ihren Einsatz und Beistand.

Bei aller Trauer um die Opfer warnte der Sprecher jedoch auch davor, jetzt nicht von der Tat eines psychisch kranken Einzelnen auf die Allgemeinheit zu schließen. "Die allermeisten Deutschen sind anständige Bürger, die sich an Recht und Gesetz halten und einfach nur in Frieden leben wollen."

2.Steckt Puigdemont dahinter? Schleswig-Holstein plant Unabhängigkeitsreferendum

RT

It is a world where the neocon establishment has no clothes - but we're not supposed to mention it. To get a proper understanding of British politics in 2018, two writers from the 19th century are essential reading. The first is Lewis Carroll, author of 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.' The second is the Danish storyteller, Hans Christian Andersen.

The official UK government narrative on the Skripal case could easily have been penned by Lewis Carroll. For a start, there was the rush to blame - and punish - Russia, even before a proper investigation had begun. That was straight out of the trial of the Knave of Hearts in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

[..]

In Britain today, you could say we're expected to believe six impossible things at breakfast (particularly if you listen to the BBC Radio 4 Today program or read The Times newspaper).

It's not just impossible things in relation to the Skripal case - like being told in The Times that Sergei Skripal was already dead, and then being informed that he is "improving rapidly," having been poisoned by the world's deadliest nerve agent, which is actually not always deadly.

Consider the most recent establishment smears against the anti-war Labour leader Corbyn. He celebrated Passover with a Jewish group.

Remarkably, this was used as evidence that he wasn't taking anti-Semitism seriously.

Yes, that's right. A non-Jew spending Passover with a group of Jews is 'proof' that they're not interested in Jewish issues.

UK Ambassador to the UN, making the US Ambassador look like a genius.

Strikes in Germany continue as Verdi union leader warns of 'real trouble' ahead

workers of the world &tc?

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

Little known fact:China taking the long road to solve the petro-yuan puzzle 26 Mar 2018

Beijing's media strategy seems to have consisted in substantially play down the official launch of the petro-yuan at the Shanghai International Energy Exchange.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

South Korea denies that foreign exchange policies were included in KORUS FTA talks
" 'Discussions are under way with financial officials on both sides and the IMF and are separate from the KORUS FTA amendment negotiations, which have already essentially been concluded,' the official said."

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

China imposes tariffs in response to U.S. duties on steel, aluminium
effective Monday, 2 April 2018

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

Trade dispute escalates as Trump threatens $100 billion more in China tariffs

The further tariffs were being considered "in light of China's unfair retaliation" against earlier U.S. trade actions, which included a proposed $50 billion of tariffs on Chinese goods, Trump said in a White House statement.

Let us note: At the last volley, one week ago, Anglo-merican press valued China tariffs added to imports (excluding treasuries) from USA at $3B.

Representative By-stander, not US, EU 'producers'
South Korean exports expected to take big hit as a result of tariff increases

A rise in the average global tariff rate to 20% from its current 4.8% would result in US$50.5 billion in lost exports and the loss of around 460,000 jobs for South Korea, researchers predicted in an analysis of the effects of a global trade war in which countries around the world compete to raise tariffs.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

U R doin it rong
EU sugar companies struggle to survive as prices plunge post-quotas

"At the current price level, there is hardly a sugar company in Europe which can still produce at a break-even," a spokesman for the EU's number two producer Nordzucker said.

The EU abolished limits on sugar beet production at the end of September 2017, dramatically boosting output and paving the way for the EU to become a net exporter for the first time in more than a decade.

The rise in EU production has come at a time when appetite for sugar is declining in the increasingly health-conscious trading bloc, throwing supplies onto a world market already awash with the sweetener.

Britain's sugar tax on soft drinks comes into effect

Britain's sugar tax on soft drinks came into effect today, a move that will lead to some higher prices as the country seeks to battle childhood obesity.

The tax, announced in March 2016, has already cut sugar content in drinks by 45 million kg per year, Britain's Treasury said, as over 50% of manufacturers have reformulated their products to be below the levy's sugar threshold.

archived beets
For the first time since 1968 the UK can produce and sell as much sugar around the world as it would like. Feb 2018

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

CNN

President Donald Trump issued a proclamation Friday designating April as National Sexual Assault Awareness month.

VOX |  Matthew Yglesias | Let's not repeal the 2nd Amendment

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

Trump's got his Trade War.

China imposes tariff on 128 items of U.S. imports

China suspended tariff concessions on 128 items of U.S. products including pork and fruits starting Monday, according to the Ministry of Finance.

The Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council has decided to impose a tariff of 15 percent on 120 items of products imported from the United States including fruits and related products, and a tariff of 25 percent on eight items of imports including pork and related products from the country, according to a statement posted on the ministry website.

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

BuzzFeed

For five days now hundreds of Central Americans -- children, women, and men, most of them from Honduras -- have boldly crossed immigration checkpoints, military bases, and police in a desperate, sometimes chaotic march toward the United States. Despite their being in Mexico without authorization, no one has made any effort to stop them.

Organized by a group of volunteers called Pueblos Sin Fronteras, or People Without Borders, the caravan is intended to help migrants safely reach the United States, bypassing not only authorities who would seek to deport them, but gangs and cartels who are known to assault vulnerable migrants.

Organizers like Rodrigo Abeja hope that the sheer size of the crowd will give immigration authorities and criminals pause before trying to stop them.

"If we all protect each other we'll get through this together," Abeja yelled through a loudspeaker on the morning they left Tapachula, on Mexico's border with Guatemala, for the nearly monthlong trek.

When they get to the US, they hope American authorities will grant them asylum or, for some, be absent when they attempt to cross the border illegally. More likely is that it will set up an enormous challenge to the Trump administration's immigration policies and its ability to deal with an organized group of migrants numbering in the hundreds.

The number of people who showed up to travel with the caravan caught organizers by surprise, and has overwhelmed the various towns they've stopped in to spend the night. Pueblos Sin Fronteras counted about 1,200 people on the first day.

Israeli troops wound dozens on Gaza border as Palestinians bury [15] dead from earlier violence, Reuters Staff

An Israeli military spokesman said he was checking the details of Saturday's unrest. It broke out when Palestinians gathered on the border between the Hamas-run enclave and Israel then began throwing stones. Palestinian health officials said about 70 [MOAR] were wounded.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

Fate of a UK "Protectorate"
Sierra Leone heads to the polls to seek successor to Koroma

Whoever succeeds Koroma, who is stepping aside after his maximum two five-year terms in office, faces an uphill struggle to overturn [200] years of hardship. A slump in the price of its commodity exports since 2015 and the Ebola crisis in 2014 and 2015 crippled the economy, which shrank by a fifth in 2015.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

Koku Anyidoho Granted Bail 30 Mar

The embattled Deputy General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho has been granted bail after spending two nights in the custody of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI).
[...]
Mr Anyidoho was picked up at the International Press centre on Tuesday for making comments deemed treasonable. He was subsequently charged with treason.
[...]
Mr Anyidoho landed in hot waters when, in an interview on Accra-based Happy FM, he called for the overthrow of President Nana Akufo-Addo over the ratification of the controversial defence cooperation agreement between Ghana and the US.

run up

Ghanaians protest over expanded military co-operation deal with U.S. 28 Mar
"They (the American military) become a curse everywhere they are, and I am not ready to mortgage my security"
'Ghana First:' US military deal leads thousands to protest
"Wherever the U.S. has built bases in Africa there have been terrorist bombings. It is a major security threat to Ghana and we must oppose it."
Ghana: Parliament Ratifies Ghana/U.S. Defence Agreement 26 Mar
"Infuriated by the failure of the report to reflect their disapproval, the stage was set for confusion after attempts by the Ranking on Defence and Interior was denied the opportunity on the floor."
What is in the 2018 Ghana-US military agreement that you can't find in a 1998 document 23 Mar

The current agreement says, "Ghana hereby provides unimpeded access to and use of agreed facilities and areas to United State forces, United States contractors, and others as mutually agreed. Such agreed facilities and area: or portions thereof, provided by Ghana shall be designated as either for exclusive use by United States forces or to be jointly used by United States forces and Ghana. Ghana shall also provide access to and use of a runway that meets the requirements of United States forces."

Ghana Backs Germany for UN Security Council Seat During Berlin Talks, "special relationship"
"Up to 50,000 people of Ghanaian origin are believed to be living in Germany; the second largest of the country's diaspora populations in Europe, after the UK. The Volta Region of Ghana was part of the German colony of Togo before World War One."

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

Ha'aretz

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that Canada, Germany and Italy are among the countries that will take in asylum seekers after Israel signed a deal with the UN refugee agency canceling its mass deportation plan.

La Repubblica

Ma la Farnesina nega. "Non c'è alcun accordo con l'Italia nell'ambito del patto bilaterale tra Israele e l'Unhcr per la ricollocazione, in cinque anni, dei migranti che vanno in Israele dall'Africa e che Israele si è impegnata a non respingere", precisano fonti del ministero degli Esteri. E poco dopo arriva anche la precisazione dagli uffici di Netanyahu: "L'Italia era solo un esempio, il Primo ministro non intendeva in modo specifico quel paese", così un collaboratore del premier israeliano ha risposto ad una domanda dell'agenzia Ansa sulle affermazioni riguardanti l'Italia come luogo di destinazione di una parte dei migranti ora in terra israeliana.

Maybe the UK should try this approach: "Russia was only an example" etc.

Hankoreh | Editorial | Park's sentence an appropriate punishment for the severity of her crimes

Former president Park Geun-hye has been sentenced to 24 years in prison and a fine of 18 billion won (US$16.8 million). This is the punishment that the law hands down to a woman* who described her trial as "political retribution passing as the rule of law." While this is effectively a life sentence for Park, given her age of 66 years, it cannot be described as harsh given the severity of the crimes that she committed.

Trials are still pending for charges that she took bribes from the National Intelligence Service's special activity [!] fund and that she violated election law. It is likely that her sentence will become even heavier. She obviously brought all this upon herself, not only through the influence peddling itself but also through her consistently haughty demeanor and her defiance of the will of the people through her attempts to game the justice system. This sentence brings to a close the initial trial of her influence peddling, showing that the history of Korean democracy has been elevated to the next level through the power of 14 million protesters at the candlelit rallies....

We won't be see any of that in westworld. Rather, more paradoxical political cant.
VOA | South Korean President Calls for Change to Single Term Limit Oct 20016

South Korean President Park Geun-hye has called for a constitutional amendment to permit two terms for the country's president. Currently, the president can hold office for only a single five-year term.
[...]
"The single five-year presidency makes it difficult for the government to pursue consistent and sustainable policy goals," she said.

One of the goals might include pressing North Korea on its nuclear weapons program. Park also said that changes in policy have made it difficult for South Korean economic leaders to carry out long-term plans. She said the current single term system has served its purpose....

* Time'sUp story developing ....


Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

27 FEB: NYT | U.N. Links North Korea to Syria's Chemical Weapons Program
"The possible chemical weapons components were part of at least 40 previously unreported shipments by North Korea to Syria between 2012 and 2017 of prohibited ballistic missile parts and materials that could be used for both military and civilian purposes, according to the report, which has not been publicly released but which was reviewed by The New York Times."
12 MAR: REUTERS | Russian agencies say Syrian army found rebel chemical weapons workshop in Ghouta
"MOSCOW (Reuters) - Syrian military said on Monday that it had found a rebel workshop in eastern Ghouta used to make chemical weapons, Russian news agencies reported on Monday citing a Syrian colonel."
26 MAR: Syrian rebels withdraw from Ghouta
"Rebel fighters agreed to be transported to northern Syria after the government's month-long offensive to capture the last major rebel stronghold near the capital Damascus."
01 APR: WaPoo | The Latest: Russia in talks with last rebel group in Ghouta

A council member of the opposition-controlled town of Douma in the eastern Ghotua suburbs of Damascus says reports of an agreement to surrender the town to the central government are not true.

Iyad Abdelaziz says there is no agreement reached to have the Army of Islam rebel faction leave Douma for north Syria and hand over the town to government forces. He says, however, that "humanitarian cases" will be allowed to evacuate on Monday. ...

07 APR: Trump says 'big price to pay' for Syria chemical attack
"A joint statement by the medical relief organization Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) [1], [2], [3] and the civil defense service, which operates in rebel-held areas, said 49 people had died in the attack late on Saturday in the town of Douma. Others put the toll even higher."
::
Near the beginning, around 2013, I compared al Arabiya to Anglo-american reporting. As the migration gather momentum I noted with interest Syrian men complaining to al Arabiya that families left behind were being held for ransom.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

Ha'aretz

Israel announced on Tuesday that it had barred Dublin Lord Mayor Mícheál Mac Donncha from entering the country - while he was already in the West Bank city of Ramallah and had flown to Tel Aviv.

The announcement, by both the Interior and the Strategic Affairs Ministries, said that Mac Donncha would be denied entry to Israel over his ties to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.

[...]

The Interior Ministry confirmed to Haaretz that Mac Donncha had entered the country, initially saying that he must have arrived before the ministry's instruction was delivered.

Later the Interior Ministry admitted that Mac Donncha was able to enter Israel due to the fact that his name was misspelled. A spokesman for Interior Ministry Arye Dery admitted that "we made a mistake at the border crossing."

Quantum messaging links China and Austria 22 Jan 2018

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

Water restrictions still stand as rain hits drought stricken Cape Town
" 'We need much, much more rain to start re-filling our dams. Please continue to save water as before. Level 6B restrictions still apply. Thank You,' she tweeted."
Western Cape Government | Water Alert

Extreme water savings are needed in the following regions:  

• City of Cape Town - level 6B water restrictions.
  
• Drakenstein Municipality - level 6 water restrictions in effect.
  
• Saldanha Municipality - level 5 water restrictions in effect.
  
• Stellenbosch Municipality - level 5 water restrictions in effect.
  
• Swartland Municipality - level 5 water restrictions in effect.

High Alert: City of Cape Town
Residents and visitors in the City of Cape Town are restricted to using 50 litres of treated water per person, per day for the purposes of drinking, washing and cooking. All exemptions have been revoked.
[...]
Cape Town dam levels on 29 March 2018:  22.1%

archived
Don't Ask Me About Day Zero, 16 Apr 2018

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

Scottish renewable energy enjoys record year

A record high of 4.8TWh of electricity was transferred from Scotland to England in the final quarter of 2017, almost double that recorded in the same period a year earlier, with overall transfers south up 31 per cent in 2017 compared to 2016. [...] It is estimated that the equivalent of 68.1 per cent of gross electricity consumption came from renewable sources, up 14.1 percentage points from 54 per cent in 2016. The Scottish Government said: "This is 45 percentage points more than the equivalent figure for the rest of the UK." [...] "Despite damaging policy changes from the UK Government that will soon come into full effect, we continue to harness, galvanize and support Scotland's renewables potential, both in generation and infrastructure."

Scottish Power chief: Subsidy free wind is "bonkers"
"During a panel debate on `post-subsidy' renewables at Aurora's Spring Conference, Anderson said the UK market was not mature enough for power purchase agreements (PPAs), which large organisations use to mitigate risks."

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

photo credit: Aerospace Corporation

China's falling space station highlights the problem of space junk crashing to Earth

By some estimates, the amount of space junk is in the hundreds-of-thousands to millions of pieces and this interactive illustration shows some of them.
[...]
Electro-Optic Systems (EOS) and Mount Stromlo Observatory are part of the Space Environment Research Centre (SERC) which is planning to build a laser system capable of safely de-orbiting [!] small bits of space junk

You'd be surprised how often space junk falls out of the sky
"A rocket booster from the recently launched Cygnus spacecraft fell back down to Earth over Saskatchewan, creating a spectacular plume of light in its wake."
China Space Lab Mostly Burns Up on Re-Entry in South Pacific
"The lack of control was not unusual given that about 15 percent of satellites re-enter the atmosphere prior to the end of their useful lives, [Brad Tucker, astrophysicist] said."

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

Environment Commissioner Karmenu Vella confirms that infringement procedures will indeed be launched on #airquality against a number of member states in April. Background on #cleanaireu here: https://t.co/svap6RVx8F

— Sam Morgan (@SamJamesMorgan) March 26, 2018

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

In the movie this apocalypse arrives over, like, eight weeks weeks. Or three months? In any case, less time than it takes a high school student reach final exam period. Then again, the timeline must be sketchy to make haste for the moral.
Gulf Stream system at weakest point in 1,600 years

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

Script for FOX, CBS, ABC, SINCLAIR local affiliate stations

"Trusted" PBS presenter Judy Woodruff EXPOSES "How Sinclair Broadcasting puts a partisan [?] tilt on trusted local news"


Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

He was rejected: Franciscan University of Steubenville

"He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not." (Isaiah 53:3)

We posted yesterday a series of ads to Facebook to promote our online MA Theology and MA Catechetics and Evangelization programs.

One ad was rejected, and an administrator of our Facebook page noticed this rejection today. The reason given for the rejection?

"Your image, video thumbnail or video can't contain shocking, sensational, or excessively violent content."

Here is a picture of the San Damiano cross that causes the rejection (WARNING: Excessive violence)

[Electronic Engineering Journal]. "`Dennard Scaling and Moore's Law are dead, Now what?'- a 4-act play by Dr. David Patterson." via Naked Capitalism:

David Hogg Thinks His Conspiracy Theorist Trolls Are Full of Shit - Motherboard

 This attitude is consistent with Hogg's previous declarations. He's gone after everyone from former sheriff and noted media hated David Clarke--he said "You disgust me" after Clarke tweeted that the Parkland teens were connected to George Soros-- to Fox News host Laura Ingraham and her advertising revenue. He chalks this approach up to his age, which is both encouraging (today's teens know how to harness and handle the internet better than any of us) and depressing (this is likely the only version of the internet they've experienced.)

"[We're] the generation of 9/11, the recession, cyberbullying, and school shootings," he said. "We've had to live around that and through that our entire lives. We've had to learn to deal with these sick fuckers that are saying this stuff, that are out there, claiming that we're not real people, claiming that we're actors--and we know not to let this stuff online affect us."

(The attitude may also come from his mother, who at one point said, in reference to online threats made against her family, "You fucked with the wrong mama bear.")

Admit Everyone

We should always be clear on what the goal is: a world in which we don't all have to fight each other all the time, where we can work together in solidarity rather than having to wage war against our friends for the privilege of having a good job. There is no reason why everyone shouldn't have equal access to the highest-quality education, and in a properly organized society it would be perfectly simple to provide it. We don't need "best" and "worst" universities, ranked from top to bottom, we just need "universities," places where people go to explore human knowledge and acquire the skills that enable them to do things that need doing. Progressive education means an end to the illusion of meritocratic competition, an end to the SAT, and the realization of a vision of equal education for all.

I love this stupid meme, especially the way people are making legitimately intellectual arguments with it. (Credit: Artist unknown) pic.twitter.com/XU5G9sooXq

— Clausewitz's Razor (@TheGospelOfTom) 9. April 2018

○ Starry Blue or Brexit bulldog: which one would you choose? | The Observer |

Brought to you by BBC News and author Scherzo Primavera

'Sapere aude'

Jacob Rees-Mogg warned to stop impersonating cartoon character

The Beano, based in Dundee, Scotland, accused Rees-Mogg of "masquerading" as Walter Brown, better known as Walter the Softy, the next-door neighbor of the comic's most famous character, Dennis the Menace.

It says this is "a clear breach of our copyright" and lists attributes that Rees-Mogg shares with Brown, including his hairstyle, glasses, "bullish behaviour" and "snootiness."

The letter says: "It has been brought to our attention that you have been infringing the intellectual property rights of one of our cartoon characters and masquerading as Walter Brown.