Month: December 2016

What A Difference A Word Can Make

You have probably heard, as have I, your whole life that a single word could make a difference in so many ways…..so mind how you use your words……

Well our part-time Congress in a bi-partisan way have opened up a can of worms……which could be very difficult to shut if the need arises.

By removing a single word from legislation governing the military, Congress has laid the groundwork for both a major shift in U.S. nuclear defense doctrine and a costly effort to field space-based weaponry.

Source: Congress scrapped this one word from the law, opening the door to a space arms race – LA Times

Plus our brand new president has made it clear what he thinks about a nuke arms race……

Donald Trump woke everyone from their pre-Christmas slumber Thursday with a tweet calling for a strengthened and expanded US nuclear arsenal. His tweet followed remarks made earlier by Vladimir Putin in which he called for his country’s “need to strengthen the military potential of strategic nuclear forces,” per Yahoo. On Friday, Trump doubled down on his previous remarks during what Politico calls an “off-air conversation” on MSNBC’s Morning Joe. “Let it be an arms race … we will outmatch them at every pass and outlast them all,” he said. (Politico notes some flip-flopping on nuclear issues, citing a March New York Times interview in which he said, “It’s a very scary nuclear world. Biggest problem, to me, in the world, is nuclear, and proliferation.”)

Not in on his latest stance, apparently: his own team. Per a transcript posted by NBC’s Katy Tur on Twitter, Trump’s new White House counselor Kellyanne Conway told Rachel Maddow Thursday night “we’re getting ahead of ourselves” when Maddow mentioned a “new nuclear arms race.” And, per a tweet by CNN’s David Wright, incoming White House press secretary Sean Spicer insisted on Today Friday that “there is not going to be” an arms race and that “we will all be just fine.” A short time later on CNN’s New Day, Spicer said the remarks Trump made to Morning Joes’ Mika Brzezinski “was a private conversation. I was not privy to that,” per Mediaite. Daniel Dale of the Toronto Star wonders: “Is there any point of quoting clarifications from Trump spokespeople? They’ve proven to be unreliable interpreters of him.” One person shrugging off arms race chatter: Putin, who said Friday Trump’s tweet was “nothing new,” per Politico.

Oh goodie….a return to the good old days of the 1950’s…..the days of paranoia and fear…..oh how I’ve missed those days….

Putin’s Revenge

There is lots of idle chatter these days about Russia and Putin…..did he or didn’t he?

What most Americans do not know is the Putin has been part of the post-Soviet government from the first days…..he was a subordinate to Yeltsin, the popularly elected president of Russia.  He was a KGB operative that wanted to win the Cold War…is he still pursuing that end?

Putin has done more to influence political ideology in Europe and the world than did his predecessors in the USSR…..and it is growing…..

Humiliated by the 1990s, Russia’s strongman is determined to win Cold War 2.0. He may be succeeding.

Twenty years before Vladimir Putin began his ingenious campaign to influence the U.S. presidential election, his predecessor as Russia’s president stood on a dark street near the White House. In his underpants. Looking for a pizza.

It was September 1994, and Boris Yeltsin was in Washington for a state visit with his new friend, President Bill Clinton. The Soviet Union had collapsed just three years earlier, and a relationship was blossoming between the U.S. and Russia, one that held the promise of burying decades of hostility. Russia’s abrupt transition from communist dictatorship was chaotic, but a fragile democratic process and nascent capitalism were taking hold. U.S. officials entertained visions of a Western-friendly Russia as a partner in a stable and secure Europe. To that end, Clinton and Yeltsin had built an alliance on the shared goal of preventing a revanchist security state from taking power in Moscow and returning the U.S. and Russia to a Cold War state of hostility. During one early visit to Moscow, Clinton told a young audience to “choose hope over fear” and “find a new definition of Russia’s greatness.”

Source: Putin’s Revenge – POLITICO Magazine

There is a wealth of opinions on what the actual situation is all about….some think he interfered in the election and others do not see any problem with Russia (something I never thought I would hear another American do….take the side of Russia over their own)…..

But as the song says…”the times they are a changing”……makes me think of the Manchurian Candidate (the original not the piss poor re-make)…if confused then watch the original and you will see what I am going on about.

There Is A Syrian Plan?

The Civil War has been raging in Syria for years and it appears that we are NO closer to an end game than we were last year…..but wait!

According to the Tasnim News Agency Iran, Turkey and Russia have issued a statement on the future of Syria……

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran, Russia and Turkey issued a joint statement on Tuesday, calling for continued cooperation on Syria and reiterating their respect for Syria’s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity.

Source: Tasnim News Agency – Iran, Russia, Turkey Underline Respect for Syria’s Territorial Integrity

So far I have not been able to confirm this elsewhere so there is a possibility that this is just a propaganda piece….but it needed to be covered because of the implications.

Whereas the statement above is a bit of positive news there are others in the Middle East that do not see the “good” of this plan…..

This is an op-ed piece in another news source in the Middle East, al-Monitor….

Despite successful cooperation with Moscow to help retake Aleppo, Tehran is likely to remain suspicious of Russian intentions and maneuvering in Syria.

On Dec. 8, Moscow announced a new round of talks between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his US counterpart, Secretary of State John Kerry, to try to find a solution for the embattled city and possibly the entire country. As anticipated from the moment the talks were announced, and like the previous peace efforts by the two powers, the new diplomatic initiative did not lead to a successful outcome. Indeed, as early as Dec. 12, it was declared that the dialogue had ended in deadlock.

Of interest, however, is that Iran was once again not a part of Russia’s diplomatic maneuvering on Syria, and this raises questions about Tehran’s place in Russia’s overall Syrian strategy. In fact, although Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bugdanov said that he had informed Iran of the latest US proposal, the Iranians denied receiving information in this regard.

Source: Three reasons Iran should worry over Russia’s Syria plans

Conflicting views of the situation in Syria…..seems it is not only the West that has these types of thoughts….

Just wanted to let my readers know that the divisions over Syria are not just a western problem……

The only thought I have is….Syria is so screwed!

Christmas–2016

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all my readers a Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays whichever they prefer…..

It is a time for joy and family….the only draw back is that people are so busy this time of year that the readership slips a bit…but it is to be expected….so many things to do and so little time….

I am still considering the possibility of a podcast for IST and I would like to hear from my followers what they think of the idea.

This will be my only post today….nothing major to be said or written……

I hope everyone has a great day….don’t eat too much and do not let crazy uncle Bob get under your skin….hide the booze…he will eventually fall asleep and then he will be rendered harmless.

I also want to thank all those who have participated in IST….your participation is a great gift from you to me and I appreciate you loyalty and your comments.

Thank you…..something I cannot say enough or too often.

Have fun…….enjoy family….I will return tomorrow.

Peace and love….my friends.  Hoping you have a great Christmas……

Christmas Eve Post–2016

It is Christmas Eve and I would like to share the historic and archaeologic finds of this past year…..gifts to extend our knowledge of our ancestors.

We’ve learned quite a bit about the past in the past 12 months. Heritage Daily rounds up the top archaeological discoveries of 2016, from an ancient Greek city to a shrine dedicated to a Viking king:

  1. A well-preserved Bronze Age settlement of wooden homes on stilts in England
  2. The ancient Greek city of Vlochós, which hit its peak around 2,400 years ago
  3. A 1,600-year-old shipwreck in Caesarea, Israel
  4. A lost city first established 5,000 years ago in Iraq
  5. An Iron Age monument built 2,500 years ago in Britain
  6. A shrine to a Viking saint-king in Norway
  7. Structures in a French cave likely made by Neanderthals 176,500 years ago

Click for the full list, which includes the mummy of an Egyptian queen.

Some great finds but it does not include some far more reaching discoveries….after years of speculation it is now confirmed….some dinosaurs had feathers.

Researchers were perusing an amber market in Myanmar when they stumbled across a truly extraordinary specimen, National Geographic reports. Trapped inside a golden piece of amber—already partially shaped to be sold as jewelry—was a fully feathered section of a dinosaur’s tail. According to the Los Angeles Times, the person selling the amber thought it was some kind of plant. While scientists have found evidence of feathered dinosaurs, not to mention feathered prehistoric birds, this piece of amber is the first time feathers have been found perfectly preserved and attached to what is unmistakably a dinosaur. The find was published Thursday in Current Biology.

The tail section is believed to belong to a young, sparrow-sized coelurosaur that lived 99 million years ago. Researchers know the tail belongs to a dinosaur because of its articulated vertebrae; birds have vertebrae that are fused together. And because of the way the features are structured, researchers believe they were useless for flight. It remains unclear exactly what purpose the feathers served, though researchers theorize dinosaurs may have used them for camouflage, regulating their body heat, or signaling to other animals. Now that researchers can see how feathers actually appeared on a dinosaur’s body, they hope to learn how they evolved for flight in modern-day birds. They also believe that, given access to Myanmar’s amber mines, they may one day find a whole preserved dinosaur.

Finally another find of our first ancestors…..Lucy and the bunch…..

Famous footprints of nearly 3.7-million-year-old hominids, found in 1976 at Tanzania’s Laetoli site, now have sizable new neighbors.

While excavating small pits in 2015 to evaluate the impact of a proposed field museum at Laetoli, researchers uncovered comparably ancient hominid footprints about 150 meters from the original discoveries. The new finds reveal a vast range of body sizes for ancient members of the human evolutionary family, reports an international team led by archaeologists Fidelis Masao and Elgidius Ichumbaki, both of the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.

Source: New footprint finds suggest range of body sizes for Lucy’s species | Science News

Some great finds to extend our knowledge of our ancestors……

Go now and start enjoying your Christmas break from school or work or just life…..

I thank everyone for their loyalty and their comments it has been a good year…..so….Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays (whichever you prefer)…..

Peace!  Out!

Closing Thought–23Dec16

Repent!  The End Is Near!

There have been many horrible situations this past year but as we draw closer to the celebration of Christmas the absolute worst situation is evolving….could possibly bring the end of civilization as we know it……

Your favorite whipped desserts might be a little less whipped this holiday. A deadly explosion back in August at a nitrous oxide plant home to North America’s largest producer means the gas used in aerosol toppings is in short supply, reports the Chicago Tribune. Reddi-wip—with $278 million in annual sales—is just one of the products affected, with maker Conagra Brands claiming it won’t be producing its usual supply of the whipped topping until February, per the Boston Globe. “It’s in stores now, but we’re encouraging people to buy it early,” a rep says. “There will be a shortage if people buy at the typical levels during the holidays.”

It isn’t clear what caused two gas tankers and a nitrous oxide holding tank to explode at Airgas’ plant in Contonment, Fla., killing a worker. Production is back to normal while an investigation continues, but Airgas is focused on getting nitrous oxide—also a general anesthetic—to medical customers before food manufacturers, reports the Los Angeles Times. That doesn’t mean your holiday pies and frothy drinks must go without whipped cream. Popular Science notes it’s possible to survive “the Great Whipped Cream Shortage of 2016” simply by making your own using heavy whipping cream and elbow grease.

This has made the national news…so we know this must be a life changing occurrence….can we survive as a civilization with this apocalypse hanging over our heads?

Damn!  This is becoming a pathetic society!

May all my friends have a safe holiday and a wealth of love and enjoyment.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good day!

DACA–Repeal And Replace

Well for as long as I can remember the Repubs have been on their high horse about immigration….and this election was NO different…even the mighty Trump had lots to say about people coming to this country….most of it was the typical rubbish and campaign bullshit…and question now is after 20Jan17 will he, Trump, do something or will it be later down the political line?  Or will he leave the high lifting to others?

We know that Trump has had his rhetoric about Obamacare…the repeal and replace chant that has been around since about 2010….but what about DACA?

DACA?  Anyone scratching their head about now?

Let me help those of the slower persuasion…….DACA is an acronym for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals…..got it now?

The question is can this somehow be repealed and replaced?

Ike Brannon and Lyle Albright have written about it in Bill Kristol’s Weekly Standard…..(a conservative mag that has all the GOPer loyal reading)……let me say here and now that I do NOT subscribe to much written in this site….but some of it is well thought out and bears scrutiny.

The issue of illegal immigration was a central plank in the campaign of President-elect Donald Trump and played no small role in getting him elected to the White House. His populist, “America First” position spoke to the economic anxieties of many Americans, and it could be argued that he has a mandate to make immigration enforcement a key priority in the first year of his presidency.

There are different ways to address immigration, however, and the path Trump chooses will go a long way towards setting the tone for his administration, as well as in defining him as a leader. Handling immigration enforcement in the right way is an opportunity for him to show that he actually cares about solving problems, as opposed to simply scoring political points and managing public perception. And a big part of this opportunity involves how he intends to deal with President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

Source: How Trump Can Repeal and Replace DACA | The Weekly Standard

Is this the action that will be pursued by the Trump admin?  Or does he have his own plan that he will find more to his liking?

There has been talk even promises about immigration reform for years now and little has been accomplished….is this the admin to actually do something on this issue?

Once again….we will have to wait for the days and years after 20Jan17 to see what direction he will choose….but rest assured that I will visit this subject later down the line. (you have been warned…tee hee)

How About a Federalized Iraq?

I am slowly returning to my main focus…..conflicts and their resolution….it has been a long thoroughly hilarious 6 months…..now back to work.

We invade then occupied Iraq in 2003….after the major hostilities were over there were some that were calling for a federal republic for Iraq….among those was VP Joe Biden…..most people scoffed at the idea for various reasons…..I for one was not convinced that it would be a good idea….but as time went on I came around to the idea.

Iraqis did not have much input back in those days….was going to be up to the US and its allies to decide the course for a new government for Iraq.

My op-ed on this subject are pressed below…….

Source: Rethink Iraqi Federalism – In Saner Thought

I bring up this bit of Iraqi history for good reason….it seems that the tribes of Anbar province are thinking that federalism would be a good idea at this time…..

For much of Iraq, the ISIS war is seen as just a continuation of the sectarian warfare between Sunni Arabs and Shi’ite Arabs which has raged in the country since the US occupation. Iraq’s Shi’ite-dominated government has long sought to dispel this notion by recruiting Sunni allies.

They haven’t had much success, but the Sunni Arab tribal factions they have managed to recruit are seen as key allies against ISIS. At the same time, the tribal leaders warn that Iraq needs massive reforms, not just a military victory, to end these conflicts.

The Lions of the Tigris faction are urging federalization as a solution to the ongoing tensions. They are far from the first to suggest this, but as allies in the current war, they may have the government’s ear more than some others.

(antiwar.com)

With the divides in the country…Kurds, Sunni and Shia, federalism may be the only way to bring stability in Iraq again.

But because it has worked well for the US does not mean that it will be so for Iraq…..there are so many other situations developing in the country that could prove hazardous to the federal experiment……problems like the Assyrians, Chaldeans and Yazidis…just to mention a few.

The New Exterminatory Warfare

Since ISIS became a major thorn in the ass of civilization there has been all sorts of promises to completely destroy and eliminate ISIS from the face of the earth.

No matter how hard the world tries ISIS keeps on keeping on….even with the entire free world on a mission from”God”…..

During its final years in office, the Obama administration has devised a new form of warfare with major implications for how the U.S. government confronts its enemies. With the ability to quickly locate and eliminate potential adversaries with little to no risk to US forces, the Obama administration has begun to eradicate some of its main enemies in a new kind of exterminatory warfare.

So far, the Obama administration has applied its innovation to militant groups throughout the Middle East and the surrounding area. Its primary target has been the Islamic State (ISIS or IS), but it has expanded its campaign to include IS forces in Libya and al-Shabab in Somalia.

Source: The New Exterminatory Warfare – Antiwar.com Original by — Antiwar.com

And the beat goes on.

Closing Thought–22Dec16

School is out and a visit from my granddaughter….our conversation rolled around to school and education…..she asked a billion question about my time in school and we compared notes…

She then asked me why some people seem to disparage people that are educated…..a damn good question…..

I remember back in my younger days when my mother was determined that I get an education and then a good job and on and on….what we use to call the American Dream.

When I quit college after a year and enlisted in the Army she, my mother, was noticeably disappointed in my choice…..she was concerned that once I returned that I would settle for something less than she thought was best (a typical mother)……or that I would follow in my father’s footsteps and make the military a career.

I made her day when after the service I returned to school and finished my BS degree….sadly she passed before I finished all my studies….but I would like to think she is proud of what I have accomplished.

My hard work got me a good job with good wages, travel and life experience.

But these days to be educated, at least in some circles, makes you an outsider.  Today if you are educated and voice an opinion from a scholarly point of view then you are labeled many derogatory things……like an apologist or a bleeding heart or a socialist or something worse…today I am a “globalist”….(if the users had spent more time in school and less time with their head up their butt then they would know that they are using the term wrongly)

If you are an academic or scholarly or even opinionated then you are the dregs of society…you are a know nothing….and stupid……that is unless you agree with their warped sense of society….then you are a patriot even possibly a saint.

There is a certain sector of our society that cannot tolerate being wrong….that their opinions are the ONLY opinions……they do not want a society of thinkers but a society of head bobbing sheep…..people who will NOT question the reasoning of the day….or the warped reasoning of their minions.

These are the same “people” that wear flag pins, have bumper stickers and use the term patriotic and hero ad nauseum……and will label anyone that will not conform as un-American and a whole array of other labels that make absolutely NO sense.

The direction of the country appears to be one that I am concerned about….it has been coming for a long time but now it is front and center….to be educated in America is a negative……now where have I seen this before? (That is a history question that may require Google for some)

People are worried about a Pres. Trump….I am also….but when I start seeing terms like “traitor” and “cancer” applied to another American then we have a PROBLEM.