Humankind has gone to fantastic lengths to explore space. In the All About Space Annual Volume 3, you’ll find a collection of the best articles from the last year of All About Space magazine. From the power of supermassive black holes and the search for a new Earth to 10 daring space rescues and how we may colonise space, this is the perfect book for any space fan!

Find it on the Imagine Shop today: https://www.imagineshop.co.uk/bookazines/all-about-space-annual-volume-3.html

In anticipation of returning human spaceflight launches to American soil, and in preparation for the agency's journey to Mars, NASA announced it will soon begin accepting applications for the next class of astronaut candidates. With more human spacecraft in development in the United States today than at any other time in history, future astronauts will launch once again from the Space Coast of Florida on American-made commercial spacecraft, and carry out deep-space exploration missions that will advance a future human mission to Mars.

The agency will accept applications from 14 December through mid-February and expects to announce candidates selected in mid-2017. Applications for consideration as a NASA Astronaut will be accepted here.

The next class of astronauts may fly on any of four different U.S. vessels during their careers: the International Space Station, two commercial crew spacecraft currently in development by U.S. companies, and NASA's Orion deep-space exploration vehicle.

From pilots and engineers, to scientists and medical doctors, NASA selects qualified astronaut candidates from a diverse pool of U.S. citizens with a wide variety of backgrounds.

"This next group of American space explorers will inspire the Mars generation to reach for new heights, and help us realise the goal of putting boot prints on the Red Planet," explains NASA Administrator Charles Bolden. "Those selected for this service will fly on U.S. made spacecraft from American soil, advance critical science and research aboard the International Space Station, and help push the boundaries of technology in the proving ground of deep space."

The space agency is guiding an unprecedented transition to commercial spacecraft for crew and cargo transport to the space station. Flights in Boeing's CST-100 Starliner and SpaceX Crew Dragon will facilitate adding a seventh crew member to each station mission, effectively doubling the amount of time astronauts will be able to devote to research in space.

Future station crew members will continue the vital work advanced during the last 15 years of continuous human habitation aboard the orbiting laboratory, expanding scientific knowledge and demonstrating new technologies. This work will include building on the regular six-month missions and this year’s one-year mission, currently underway aboard the station, which is striving for research breakthroughs not possible on Earth that will enable long-duration human and robotic exploration into deep space.

In addition, NASA's Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft, now in development, will launch astronauts on missions to the proving ground of lunar orbit where NASA will learn to conduct complex operations in a deep space environment before moving on to longer duration missions on its journey to Mars.

"This is an exciting time to be a part of America's human space flight program," says Brian Kelly, director of Flight Operations at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. "NASA has taken the next step in the evolution of our nation's human spaceflight program – and our U.S. astronauts will be at the forefront of these new and challenging space flight missions. We encourage all qualified applicants to learn more about the opportunities for astronauts at NASA and apply to join our flight operations team."

To date, NASA has selected more than 300 astronauts to fly on its increasingly challenging missions to explore space and benefit life on Earth. There are 47 astronauts in the active astronaut corps, and more will be needed to crew future missions to the space station and destinations in deep space.

Astronaut candidates must have earned a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in engineering, biological science, physical science or mathematics. An advanced degree is desirable. Candidates also must have at least three years of related, progressively responsible professional experience, or at least 1,000 hours of pilot-in-command time in jet aircraft. Astronaut candidates must pass the NASA long-duration spaceflight physical.

Keep up to date with the latest space news in All About Space – available every month for just £4.50. Alternatively you can subscribe here for a fraction of the price!

The galaxy cluster called MOO J1142+1527 can be seen here as it existed when light left it 8.5 billion years ago. The red galaxies at the center of the image make up the heart of the galaxy cluster. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Gemini/CARMA

Astronomers have discovered a giant gathering of galaxies in a very remote part of the universe, thanks to NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope and Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). The galaxy cluster, located 8.5 billion light years away, is the most massive structure yet found at such great distances.

Galaxy clusters are gravitationally-bound groups of thousands of galaxies, which themselves each contain hundreds of billions of stars. The clusters grow bigger and bigger over time as they acquire new members.

How did these clusters evolve over time? What did they look like billions of years ago? To answer these questions, astronomers look back in time to our youthful universe. Because light takes time to reach us, we can see very distant objects as they were in the past. For example, we are seeing the newfound galaxy cluster – called Massive Overdense Object (MOO) J1142+1527 – as it existed 8.5 billion years ago, long before Earth formed.

As light from remote galaxies makes its way to us, it becomes stretched to longer, infrared wavelengths by the expansion of space. That's where WISE and Spitzer help out.

For infrared space telescopes, picking out distant galaxies is like plucking ripe cherries from a cherry tree. In the infrared images produced by Spitzer, these distant galaxies stand out as red dots, while closer galaxies look white. Astronomers first combed through the WISE catalog to find candidates for clusters of distant galaxies. WISE catalogued hundreds of millions of objects in images taken over the entire sky from 2010 to 2011.

They then used Spitzer to narrow in on 200 of the most interesting objects, in a project named the "Massive and Distant Clusters of WISE Survey," or MaDCoWS. Spitzer doesn't observe the whole sky like WISE, but can see more detail.

The Spitzer Space Telescope, which launched in 2003, assisted in the discovery. Image Credit: NASA

"It's the combination of Spitzer and WISE that lets us go from a quarter billion objects down to the most massive galaxy clusters in the sky," says Anthony Gonzalez of the University of Florida in Gainesville.

From these observations, MOO J1142+1527 jumped out as one of the most extreme.

The W. M. Keck Observatories and Gemini Observatory on Maunakea in Hawaii were used to measure the distance to the cluster at 8.5 billion light-years. Using data from the Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy (CARMA) telescopes near Owens Valley in California, the scientists were then able to determine that the cluster's mass is a quadrillion times that of our Sun – making it the most massive known cluster that far back in space and time.

MOO J1142+1527 may be one of only a handful of clusters of this heft in the early universe, according to the scientists' estimates.

"Based on our understanding of how galaxy clusters grow from the very beginning of our universe, this cluster should be one of the five most massive in existence at that time," says Peter Eisenhardt, the project scientist for WISE at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

In the coming year, the team plans to sift through more than 1,700 additional galaxy cluster candidates with Spitzer, looking for biggest of the bunch.

"Once we find the most massive clusters, we can start to investigate how galaxies evolved in these extreme environments," says Gonzalez.

Keep up to date with the latest space news in All About Space – available every month for just £4.50. Alternatively you can subscribe here for a fraction of the price!

By Theodore Shoebat

Because of the Supreme Court’s decision on homosexual marriage, a homosexual man is now demanding that the government allow him to marry his son. According to the report:

Now that same-sex marriage is legal across the United States, a gay man and his legally adopted son are seeking the right to nullify the adoption so they can get married.

Before the Obergefell v. Hodges U.S. Supreme Court decision effectively legalized same-sex marriage across the country, many same-sex couples who were looking for a way to be legally recognized as a family used the adoption process as an avenue to grant them family benefits, such as hospital visitation rights and lesser inheritance taxation.

In 2012, Pennsylvania resident Nino Esposito and his partner of over 42 years, Roland “Drew” Bosee, decided to go down the adoption route to seek some sort of legal validation for their relationship at a time when they believed same-sex marriage would never be legalized in their home state.

Esposito, 78, adopted Bosee, 68, as his son. Bosee quickly moved in with Esposito and his parents in Pittsburgh and the couple later got their own place.

“We just wanted some legitimacy and to be connected and be a family,” Esposito, a retired school teacher, told People.

But now that marriage is an option for gay couples in Pennsylvania, the only thing standing in the couple’s way is the state’s law that considers relations between parents and adopted children to be incest.

As the couple knew of at least one other same-sex couple living in Harrisburg who were able to get their adoption annulled so they could be married, Esposito and Bosee decided to try to get their own adoption annulled.

The couple petitioned Allegheny Court Judge Lawrence O’Toole, who, The Washington Post reports has a reputation of being a progressive on LGBT issues, to see if he could grant them an annulment.

O’Toole, however, ruled in June that Pennsylvania’s adoption laws would not allow him to grant the couple an annulment, leaving the couple’s quest for marriage in limbo.

Upon issuing his ruling, Lawrence explained that this case and similar gay adoption annulment cases should be settled by an appellate court.

“Their fundamental right to marry has been denied,” Andrew Gross, the couple’s attorney, said.

The couple have appealed Lawrence’s ruling to the state’s Superior Court and arguments are scheduled to be heard in December.

“We don’t believe the Pennsylvania judge who refused to annul this adoption was unsympathetic,” Witold Walczak of the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania told CNN. “He simply felt that the legal path to doing so should be forged by an appellate court.”

In a letter this week, Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. Bob Casey called on U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch to issue a guidance to “courts across the country so that gay couples who have previously entered into adoptions can annul them in order to receive marriage licenses.”

“LGBT couples should have the right to obtain a marriage license, no matter the state or jurisdiction in which they reside,” Casey argued. “In adoption cases such as these, the law has changed dramatically since the adoptions were first carried out.”

This is just another incremental step to pederasty, pedophilia, and all other perversions. Don’t forget that St. Paul describes the homosexuals as “being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality” (Romans 1:29), all sexual immorality signifies pedophilia, and this is what the sodomites want. If the sodomites get their way, they will make it mandatory that every boy get groomed into homosexuality, and that means obligatory molestation. A lot of homosexuals are involved in grooming children into homosexuality. If you don’t believe me, I suggest that you read the testimony of Moira Greyland who was molested by her homosexual father, Walter Breen, a science fiction author, and her lesbian mother, Marion Zimmer. Here is an excerpt from the testimony, (which can be read by clicking here):

My mother molested me from ages 3-12. The first time I remember my father doing anything especially violent to me I was five. Yes he raped me. I don't like to think about it. If you want to know about his shenanigans with little girls, and you have a very strong stomach, you can google the Breendoggle, which was the scandal which ALMOST drummed him out of science fiction fandom.

More profoundly, though was his disgust with my gender, despite his many relationships with women and female victims. He told me unequivocally that no man would ever want me, because all men are secretly gay and have simply not come to terms with their natural homosexuality. So I learned to act mannish and walk with very still hips. You can still see the traces of my conditioning to reject my femininity in my absolute refusal to give in and my outspokenness, and my choice of theatrical director for much of my life. But a good part of my outspokenness is my refusal to accept the notion that "deep down I must be a boy born in a girl's body." I am not. I am a girl reviled for being a girl, who tried very hard to be the "boy" they wanted.

Suffice to say I was not their only victim of either gender. I grew up watching my father have "romances" (in his imagination) with boys who were a source of frustration because they always wanted food and money as a result of the sex they were subjected to, and didn't want HIM. (OF COURSE!) I started trying hard to leave home when I was ten, after the failure of my first suicide attempt, and to intervene when I was 13 by telling my mother and her female companion that my father was sleeping with this boy. Instead of calling the cops, like any sensible human being, they simply moved my father into their apartment, which I called "The Love Nest" and they moved back into our family home.

Naturally that made things much worse. I had already been couch-surfing at the home of my directors from the Renaissance Faire for some time, but nobody could take me all the time. As might be imagined, where my father was, there were teenaged boys, drugs, and not a whole lot of food, though I wasn't really starved in my teens once my mother's books began to sell really well. I lived all kinds of places as a teen, though I moved back in with my father when I started college.

One day he brought an eleven year old boy to stay with us for a week, with his mother's permission, which horrified me. I made sure he had a room and bedding. When I saw my father holding him upside down kissing him all over, and saw the porn books out, I called my counselor who had already agreed to call the cops if I ever saw anything happen, and my father was arrested. For that offense, he was given three years of probation. However, word got around, and a man who had given him a place to stay in Los Angeles realized his son was of the age to be a target, and asked questions, which resulted in my father's conviction on 13 counts of PC 288 A, B, C, and D. (Suffice to say that these are varying kinds of forcible sexual offenses that should never be committed on anyone, let alone a child!)

He died in prison in 1993, after my initial report in 1989. It should be noted that far from being a first offender, his first arrest had been in 1948, when he was 18.

Look to the forgotten wilderness, and what do you see? Old churches and monasteries from bygone days, from a time behind our own eyes. You can touch such an era with the finger of the mind, and you will see the hand of God in history. Old Crosses still stand in the cold meadows and on the highest mountain peaks, because the Faith assails the summits, and its icons can be gazed upon adjacent to the raze of the horizon, with fiery hues that burn our souls and ignite the flames of hope within us. For Christ is Hope, glimmering in the abyss of hopelessness; He is like an aura on the night sky, only if you try to grasp Him, You will see light greater than the luminaries of the darkest hour. Old monasteries are found on the edge of the loftiest cliffs, bringing hope to a humanity on the edge of the cliff of order, about to fall into the ocean of disorder and confusion.

The beauties of the Faith are so great that they will take one's mind to ecstasy, just by contemplating on all of the wonders of the flower of Christendom. The flower of Christ's empire sails passed the autumn winds, and lands on the seas; the waters ripple and rage, the waves split open and the anger roars, buts the pedals of this illustrious bloom emanate an aroma that makes the waters sweet. Bitterness dies, and the sweet smell and the pleasant sight of this flower gracefully floating above the most malicious waves, is the image of order; it brings illumination to those who hate chaos, and it provokes viciousness from those who love death and destruction. This is the state of Christendom when she has faith in Christ. When the flower of Christendom cleaves unto the Holy Cross, this is when she receives the sweetness of peace, "Not as the world gives do I give to you." (John 14:27) For when Moses cleaved unto God and cried for His help, the Lord of Heaven showed him a holy tree, and from this sacred wood, "the waters were made sweet" (Exodus 15:25). And so when Christendom accepts the Holy Cross, she too will have its sweetness.

Peter stood upon the waters, for in that moment he had faith. When the waters roared and raged, and its waves arose aloft, this flower of the Faith was afraid, and he sunk. The beautiful pedals that so embellished the waters was now overpowered. But as soon as he cried, "Lord, save me", the Holy One embraced him, and the flower of Christendom now hovered above the waters. The state of Christendom is that it is now under the waters, drowning, and it is about to die. The abysmal spirits crawl all over her, possessing people and pushing them to grab ahold of the flower and keep under the water.

The toleration for homosexuality is one of the most frequent ideas of the demons, and it is almost ubiquitous in how much it has been embraced. Homosexuality and all of the perversities that have been praised and put above matrimony, develops a society where the demons thrive. The Italian exorcist, Gabrielle Amorth, wrote:

"In the current environment, where we are witnessing the collapse of the family, I have encountered many cases of possessed people who, in addition to other sins, were living in irregular marriages. I have dealt many times with women whose sins included the crime of abortion. I have been confronted with numerous people who, in addition to sexual aberrations, committed other violent actions. Many times I have been faced with homosexuals who were drugs addicts and who had committed drug-related sins." (Amorth, An Exorcist Tells His Story, p. 59)

Why do all of these homosexuals get caught up in drug addictions and chaotic and violent behavior? Because they are slaves to the father of chaos — Satan, and have no connection with the Father of Harmony. They are on the side of the Antichrist, and worship the devil.

A homosexual man in Sweden murdered his homosexual “partner,” by slitting his throat. He then drunk his blood and then made a painting on the wall of a pentagram with the blood. According to one report:

A gay “vampire” is accused of killing his boyfriend by slitting his throat, drinking his blood and then painting a pentagram on the wall, according to Gay Star News. The 23-year-old Swedish man was charged with murdering his 32-year-old lover at his apartment in Stockholm in June. He admits to manslaughter but not murder, saying “threatening voices in [his] head” told him to do it.

These sodomites are truly satanic, they are possessed by the spirits of the abyss and to use the words of St. Paul, “deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.” (Romans 1:31) The Holy Faith, by the revelations of both the Old and New Testaments, declare the sodomite as worthy of death. The holy armies of Joshua slaughtered the wicked race of the Canaanites in a divinely commissioned crusade not just against idolatry and human sacrifice, but against homosexuality. In the holy law given to Moses by the Hand of God it reads, “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.” (Leviticus 18:22) And in the end of this same chapter of Leviticus God says, “all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled” (Leviticus 18:27). This verse is specifically speaking of the native peoples of Canaan — the Canaanites, and thus this verse signifies that this people were riddled with homosexuality.

Battle of Jericho

The holy Law, given to us from Heaven, written down by the finger of God on sacred stone, upon the majestic mountain where the Lord spake unto Moses with Whom the Lord spoke "face to face as a man speaketh unto his friend" and to whom God said "I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts" (Exodus 33:11, 23) — who are we to belittle such a prophet? who are we to mock and disregard the laws given to this ascetic warrior who denied the entire ego, emptied himself, humbled his heart and purified his mind and became one with God? In this same chapter of Exodus — which is amongst the most mystical texts of the Scriptures — God tells Moses, "I will drive out the Canaanite" (Exodus 33:2). And God did drive them out, though the hands of holy warriors. God destroyed evil by uniting with the righteous; by bringing his presence to them; by being in them and them in Him; by uniting them with Love Who is God.

Read the words of the Torah and the prophets — what love there is between God and Man; what harmony there is between God and man in the cosmic war against evil; what signs! what foretelling events that foreshadow God becoming one with Man and bringing humanity into the knowledge of the heavenly wisdom as He destroyed the devil in death, by being Life and crushing death in the holy tomb in which Eternal Life conquered. What beauty! what sacrifice! What a sublime beauty that permeates every area of human existence!

God is everywhere; He is in the mountains, in the rivers, in the cosmos, in the stars and in every hill; He is in the grass and in the trees. We look to nature, and see eternity. As the monk, Maximos of Mount Athos, said, "all of reality is permeated with God." (Kyriacos C. Markides, The Mountain of Silence, ch. 5, p. 63) All of the universe revolves around the Divine Icon of the Father — that is the Christ —; He is the center of all the universe, and the center of all mortals, and by Him humanity unites with God, and all of creation awaits for the appearance of holy men. "For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God." (Romans 8:19)

All of nature is centered around God; it was created for and through God, and it lies in God. All of nature is sustained by and within God, and it lies within a harmony. When the energies of humanity harmonizes with the omnipresent energies of God, hearts are enflamed with the fires of compassion and zeal; there is order, there is symmetry, there is love — the purest love, for God is Love. This was the original state of humanity and the original plan of God for us poor mortals, before we cast ourselves into the diabolical maze of confusion. As the monk Maximos of Mount Athos beautifully said:

"there was a time when the first humans lived in full accordance to their true nature. In such a state all their energy, all their powers, were totally harmonized and focused around one motion, the motion toward God. Their nous, that is their heart and mind, had but a single and exclusive preoccupation, ceaseless prayer. At that state their sole experience and focus was what the elders call the Theoria, that is, the vision of God." (Kyriacos C. Markides, The Mountain of Silence, ch. 9, p. 120)

But once humans disconnect themselves from God and choose disorder, then there is chaos, there is disarray, there is violence and cruelty, there is horror. As the Serbian monastic, Elder Thaddeus, said:

"Because of the Fall of man, the natural order of things has become chaotic. In nature, there is an order for all things, but with man there is chaos. Everything is distorted and turned around. Because of our disobedience to the commandments of our Heavenly Father, we have lost the natural order." (Elder Thaddeus, Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives, ch. 2, p. 85)

So many today, fattened by materialism and lost in their own ego, want nothing to do with the holy words of the prophet Moses, nor any of the prophets after him, nor the words of the Apostle who declared that sodomites are worthy of death, but continuously want to teach the precepts of a vain secular moralism. I am not speaking of the atheist who denies everything holy and whose blasphemies are expected; I am speaking of supposed "Christians" who carry the title of conservative and who tout themselves as advocates for family values, while at the same time exert themselves to please the sodomites and the acolytes of perversion as they try to censure those who honor the laws of God.

I myself have dealt with this numerous times. I remember when I posted my video of me calling thirteen pro-homosexual and homosexual bakeries and asking them for a cake that says "Gay marriage is wrong," and being denied service every time. The video went viral. Not too long after this happened, Janet Porter a well known conservative personality who I respect, contacted me asking if I would allow her to use clips of my video to add to her documentary exposing the homosexual agenda. I said it would be no problem. The documentary has been out for some time and has already had showings in select theaters in the United States.

But then, the spirit of fear crept its way inside. Peter LaBarbera, an Evangelical who is in the documentary, was confronted by the leftist media on the fact he is in the same documentary with me, the man who believes in God's law that says that sodomites are to be put to death. Instead of defending the law of the Bible, which he claims to believe, this hireling decided to push for me to recant my statements, and said that if I didn't that I should be removed from the documentary. Janet called me urging me to make a statement to "clarify" what I really believed, that I really don't believe in the death penalty for sodomites, but simply in the anti-sodomy laws that were once enacted in Texas.

To be honest I was quite hesitant to do this because to do so would mean recanting all of my writings in support for the death penalty. Janet sent me the first draft of the statement to receive my stamp of approval. The draft stated:

"While I have had homosexual activists call for my death and beheading, etc., I have not called for anyone to take the life of those practicing homosexual behavior. I do want the laws of the United States to once again make sodomy illegal as they did prior to the 2003 Lawrence v. Texas ruling because such practice is not only immoral, but physically dangerous, as well."

But Peter LaBarbera objected to the draft and expressed his dissatisfaction with it, pushing for me to recant my position that an inquisition should be established to uproot homosexuality and other perversities. Peter LaBarbera responded to the draft with this email to Janet:

"Not good enough, if he called for an “Inquisition” against homosexuals. We need to look at the exact comments and craft a statement based on those. I do not have time to do that today or tomorrow as I’m driving to DC. We need transcripts of the exact comments and then he needs to disavow that approach (or clarify what he meant). Otherwise people will keep asking about those specific comments."

Peter Labarbera, more afraid of the sodomites than the law of God

All of these words are filled with fear. LaBarbera is afraid of negative attention from the leftist media. Such behavior is contrary to God, Who is Love, "because perfect love expels all fear." (1 John 4:18) Why should a Christian be afraid or ashamed of the law of God which states that "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death" (Leviticus 20:13)? Why should a Christian be ashamed of the words of the Apostle when he said that homosexuals do things that "are worthy of death" (Romans 1:32)? They will say that such words are against love. But how could a Christian use such argumentation when St. Paul himself says that "the purpose of the commandment is love" (1 Timothy 1:5), and in the same epistle goes on to say that "we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully, knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites" (1 Timothy 1:8-10)?

In Christianity, love and justice and indistinguishable, for all virtues, be it justice, charity or endurance, are in love, for God is Love, and in God is all virtue. So how could such Christians say that I am against love, when the purpose of the law is love, and this very law declares that sodomites are worthy of death?

Peter LaBarbera was blocked from entering Canada, and he goes before the media showing how persecuted he is, but yet he wants to block me — a Christian — from being in a documentary for being more politically incorrect than him. And at the same time, he kisses the feet of the sodomite to deny me as Peter denied Christ. A filthy sodomite who calls himself "Joe My God", began to attack LaBarbera for being in the documentary with me. Peter LaBarbera quickly went on Twitter to appease the sodomite, even going to far as to address him with the blasphemous title of "Joe My God":

Why would a Christian address an evil person with such a blasphemous title as “Joe My God”? It is truly pathetic how these modern Christians get on their hands and knees for these useless sodomites. The sodomites make up such a small part of the population, and yet the Christians, who are supposedly the majority, are terrified of them. Caesar wanted the whole world to address him as kyrios, or lord. And yet you never see any of the early Christians ever address Caesar as kyrios. In fact, St. Paul went directly against this idea when he said “that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:11), that is that Christ is Kyrios. Yet this Peter LaBarbera wants to do an inquisition on me, firmly saying “We need to look at the exact comments” and “We need transcripts of the exact comments and then he [Theodore Shoebat] needs to disavow that approach”, while at the same time he runs to some sodomite to get his approval. What an absolutely pathetic person. Peter LaBarbera does not want to respect God, but rather “Joe My God”.

This is why the Christians keep losing ground and the sodomites keep gaining ground. Instead of using the attention that controversy brings, Christians run away from controversy. This is why Christendom is drowning.

The pedal of Christendom, beneath the dreary waters and suffocating, must look up to the rays of the sun that beam through the waves, and be inspired by the light of hope, and being invigorated, rise above and stand upon the oceans of the world.

We have to prepare our minds and intellect for this spiritual war that we are in. This is why I made a 2-disk DVD series on teaching the warring spirit of the Christian Faith.

For too long Christianity has been watered down in our modern day as a pacifist faith with no inclination of fighting evil. But is the Church here to be weak and useless? This shocking and riveting two disk DVD set lecture series, passionately shows how Christianity is not here to be feeble, but for warfare, to be militant against tyranny and the forces of darkness.

You will not be dissatisfied after watching this lecture, and Bible studies will forevermore never be the same again.

There are major homosexual rings in the Vatican, what I like to call “homosexual hornets nests.” I myself have had experience with the homosexual infiltrators in the Catholic Church.

While we were doing some work in Texas we were told of a man named Msgr. Michael Yarbrough (also known as Michael Yarborough), of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, and how he is a deviant priest who forcefully kissed a young man named Hector Escalante on the lips, and how he was supporting a pro homosexual group called Call to Action. Here is a photo of Msgr. Michael Yarbrough:

Well, we decided that we were going to bait Msgr. Michael Yarbrough. I visited him in a confessional booth where I told him my age and apparently it registered an interest and he asked me if I wanted to come and hang out with him. He fell for the bait. I found it very odd that a priest of his high position, with a very busy schedule, would all of a sudden want to spend time with me.

I accepted his offer, and gave him a call, and asked him if we would meet at a book store. He said that he preferred that we meet in his office. I found this quite disturbing because it was in his office where he kissed Hector Escalante. When I did research on Msgr. Michael Yarbrough, I found a 2002 report written in the San Antonio Express which stated:

Hector Escalante complained that Monsignor Michael Yarbrough kissed him on the lips and groped him in his office in 1998 when Escalante was 27, on his last day on the job as a St. Matthew’s Parish employee.

Yarbrough admitted kissing him but said Escalante misunderstood the gesture, which the priest said was common among men in his family. He denied groping Escalante.

Imagine, a man kissing another man on the lips as “common.”

I told Msgr. Michael Yarbrough that it would be better that we meet in a book store, to which he agreed. I asked him how much time he had, and he said, as long as I wanted. After doing some more research, I also found out that on top of kissing a young man on the lips, Msgr. Michael Yarbrough is a also a major donor to a pro homosexual group, called Call to Action, and I found his name on a list made by Call to Action designated as “major donors”. I took a snapshot of the list with Msgr. Michael Yarbrough’s name highlighted:

So, we had the meeting at the bookstore, and after some conversation, I busted him on his heresies and his scandals, and also paid a visit to his church where I was eventually kicked out by his followers (who probably know nothing on how evil this heretic is). Here is the video:

For years we have seen how the Vatican covers up for sexual predators and deviants, heretics and debased theologians. But we have never seen how the agents of the Vatican cover up for such evildoers in their private conversations. Well, Shoebat.com is now giving you this exclusive video showing you how the conniving is really done.

I confronted Deacon Ron Walker, an official of the Vatican, asking why the Church has done nothing to punish Robert L. Kincl, a priest and canon law judge who was appointed by the Pope himself, who teaches that if two men masturbate each other they do not commit sin, and who himself defended confirmed child molester priest, Fr. Robert Hrdlicka. This is after Shoebat.com filed a complaint against Kincl after we caught him teaching us depravity.

Deacon Ron Walker and the Bishop of Austin, Joe Vasquez, and Vicar General Daniel Garcia, did nothing to have Robert L. Kincl punished, even after they promised to take care of this evil. Shoebat.com realized that they were just patronizing us and so we made this video.

Here is the video:

Robert L. Kincl, who was appointed by the Pope, had befriended us as a fan of Shoebat.com acting as conservative, yet referred to homosexual fondling as permissible in the conversation. Having been shocked at his remarks, I told Kincl:

How can you, as a priest, be so liberal toward such a sick evil as two men fondling each other, or as two men having a “relationship” just as long as they are not going with other men. It is evil and it is reprobate.

I also told him:

It is not tolerable for you, as both a priest and a canon law judge, to be permissive to somebody having a homosexual relationship just as long as they are not being promiscuous with other men. It is deplorable, and in the words of St. Paul, “worthy of death” (Romans 1:32).

Kincl defended his position and responded with a rejection of the Old Testament and a twisting of St. Paul’s condemnation of homosexuality in Romans, stating

We do not follow the Hebrew Scriptures. We follow Jesus Christ who never mentioned gay relationships. When St. Paul mentioned such a relationship he was referring to the promiscuousness of the Romans using sodomy.

Shoebat.com decided to investigate Kincl and found that he has a dark past. In 1993, Kincl worked as a Commander in charge of clergy at the U.S. Navy, and while he was in the service he defended another chaplain confirmed to be guilty of child molestation, named Robert Hrdlicka.

The investigation revealed that Robert L. Kincl had even written the authorities, not to charge the pedophile who molested the young boys, but urged them to send him back to serve as a chaplain:

Catholic chaplain Lt. Robert Hrdlicka pleaded guilty to molesting boys in 1993. Before his sentencing, six other Catholic Navy chaplains and the church's archbishop for the military services urged authorities to send Lt. Hrdlicka to a church-run treatment center.

"It is my fervent hope and prayer that he will be able to return to the active ministry as soon as possible," wrote then-Cmdr. Robert L. Kincl.

Instead, Lt. Hrdlicka went to prison.

Shoebat.com looked up Kincl’s My Life page, to find out that after all these years Kincl is still friends with Hrdlicka the pedophile, since he is on his friends list, of which I took snapshots:

Just as we have Muslims, like Bergdahl, who have infiltrated the military, we have people like Kincl who have infiltrated both the military and the Catholic Church, with their depravity.

Kincl is now serving as a priest in Our Lady’s Maronite Catholic Church alongside Msgr. Don Sawyer. When I confronted Sawyer on Kincl, Sawyer vehemently defended Kincl.

Robert L. Kincl, depraved priest who defended a child molesting priest

Don Sawyer, Msgr. at Our Lady’s Maronite Catholic Church where Kincl serves

Shoebat.com decided to contact the Diocese of Austin to file a complaint, and spoke with the Very Reverend Daniel E. Garcia as the Vicar General for the Diocese of Austin, and Chancellor and Secretariat Director for Administration, Deacon Ron Walker, who were under Bishop Joe S. Vásquez of the Diocese of Austin.

We asked them how could someone who supports homosexuality and defended a pedophile still be serving as a priest and not be excommunicated, to which Deacon Ron Walker, rolling his eyes, said that the Church’s main objective would be to reconcile him with God, and not excommunicate him.

It seems that the Diocese of Austin could care less if one of its priests supports homosexuality and defended a pedophile.

Bishop Joe S. Vásquez

Vicar General Danny Garcia of the Diocese of Austin

Why is this man serving as a priest when the Catholic Church, in its teachings, forbids homosexuality?

It is not surprising to see how far reaching homosexuality has gone in the Vatican. What other deviancies will enter the Vatican in the next decade remains to be seen. Whatever happened to normal sin? In the good old days, steeling a chicken perhaps constituted such sin, but these days, its sleeping with it.

Christianity is not about sycophancy, its about war against evil and the devil. We must arm ourselves to fight in this war. CLICK HERE TO GET OUR NEW 2-DISK DVD SPECIAL ON CHRISTIAN MILITANCY AND PREPARE YOURSELF FOR THE WAR AGAINST ISLAM, TYANNY, AND THE FORCES OF DARKNESS

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The post Because Of The Supreme Court’s Decision On Gay Marriage, A Homosexual Man Is Now Demanding That The Government Allow Him To Marry His Son appeared first on Walid Shoebat.

The post The Homosexuals In Houston Try To Establish Tyranny Against Christians And Also Try Make Law That Will Allow Cross Dressers And Gay Men To Enter Bathrooms With Women. Christians In Houston Stand Up And Vote Against It And Strike It Down appeared first on Walid Shoebat.

By Theodore Shoebat

Homosexuals in the US military are raping and molesting tens of thousands of American soldiers. If you truly care about the troops, then fight against the homosexual agenda. The government needs to throw out these perverts and have them court marshaled and executed for perversity. I did a whole video on this evil that few want to expose:

According to the report:

Far more military men are being raped by other men and experience other sexual traumas than is reported by the Pentagon because of the stigma attached to such assaults, says a new study released Tuesday by the American Psychological Association.

"Rates of military sexual trauma among men who served in the military may be as much as 15 times higher than has been previously reported, largely because of barriers associated with stigma, beliefs in myths about male rape, and feelings of helplessness," the APA said in releasing findings published in its periodical Psychological Services.

If the survey of male combat veterans is accurate, it could mean the U.S. armed forces are dealing with an epidemic of male-on-male sex crimes.

Comparing the new study's numbers and the Pentagon's survey results produced some shocking statistics.

The Rand Corp., which conducted the most recent Pentagon sexual assault survey in 2014, found that about 12,000 men reported being assaulted. Sexual assault in the military is defined as unwanted sexual contact, including rape and other assaults or the attempt to commit those acts.

Of the 12,000 male victims, 3,850 reported "penetrative" attacks — meaning they were raped.

Extrapolating the study's estimates of up to 15 times greater than the Pentagon's count, it would mean that as many as 180,000 men are assaulted in one year and, of those, 57,750 are "penetrative" attacks.

The scholarly survey refers to "male sexual trauma," which translated to this survey question response: "I was sexually assaulted while serving in the military."

"That was the question. It was quite literally it," Sean Sheppard, a psychologist and research fellow at the University of Utah who led the study, told The Washington Times.

Mr. Sheppard said researchers used a random response technique that allowed them to extract more accurate data from a sample of 180 male combat veterans. From that technique, they derived the 15-times rate compared with anonymous surveys such as the Pentagon's.

He said the military should "consider the fact that stigma and other biases potentially leads to underreporting and to utilize techniques like the randomized response technique to try to determine more accurate base rates. It would be a tool in addition to what the Pentagon is doing."

Does the survey mean that the 3,850 male military rape victims count is actually nearly 60,000?

"In the research that we conducted, broadly speaking, the rates of sexual assault are significantly higher," Mr. Sheppard said. "I couldn't tell you whether that is due to rape or not, but you can make that hypothesis."

The study said: "Data from this study, although preliminary, suggest that published rates of male MST [military sexual trauma] may substantially underestimate the true rate of the problem. Current work is underway to replicate these findings and expand the scope of this research by assessing a broader range of behaviors that comprise sexual assault."

The Defense Department issues a biannual report on sexual assaults. Based on Internet emailed surveys, Rand found that more men than women, in pure numbers, are sexual assault victims. Women make up about 14.5 percent of the 1.3 million active-duty force.

Its time that the state get rid of all of these sodomites. We keep talking about the troops and how much we support them, but if we truly cared about them, we would get rid of these reprobates.

Look to the forgotten wilderness, and what do you see? Old churches and monasteries from bygone days, from a time behind our own eyes. You can touch such an era with the finger of the mind, and you will see the hand of God in history. Old Crosses still stand in the cold meadows and on the highest mountain peaks, because the Faith assails the summits, and its icons can be gazed upon adjacent to the raze of the horizon, with fiery hues that burn our souls and ignite the flames of hope within us. For Christ is Hope, glimmering in the abyss of hopelessness; He is like an aura on the night sky, only if you try to grasp Him, You will see light greater than the luminaries of the darkest hour. Old monasteries are found on the edge of the loftiest cliffs, bringing hope to a humanity on the edge of the cliff of order, about to fall into the ocean of disorder and confusion.

The beauties of the Faith are so great that they will take one's mind to ecstasy, just by contemplating on all of the wonders of the flower of Christendom. The flower of Christ's empire sails passed the autumn winds, and lands on the seas; the waters ripple and rage, the waves split open and the anger roars, buts the pedals of this illustrious bloom emanate an aroma that makes the waters sweet. Bitterness dies, and the sweet smell and the pleasant sight of this flower gracefully floating above the most malicious waves, is the image of order; it brings illumination to those who hate chaos, and it provokes viciousness from those who love death and destruction. This is the state of Christendom when she has faith in Christ. When the flower of Christendom cleaves unto the Holy Cross, this is when she receives the sweetness of peace, "Not as the world gives do I give to you." (John 14:27) For when Moses cleaved unto God and cried for His help, the Lord of Heaven showed him a holy tree, and from this sacred wood, "the waters were made sweet" (Exodus 15:25). And so when Christendom accepts the Holy Cross, she too will have its sweetness.

Peter stood upon the waters, for in that moment he had faith. When the waters roared and raged, and its waves arose aloft, this flower of the Faith was afraid, and he sunk. The beautiful pedals that so embellished the waters was now overpowered. But as soon as he cried, "Lord, save me", the Holy One embraced him, and the flower of Christendom now hovered above the waters. The state of Christendom is that it is now under the waters, drowning, and it is about to die. The abysmal spirits crawl all over her, possessing people and pushing them to grab ahold of the flower and keep under the water.

The toleration for homosexuality is one of the most frequent ideas of the demons, and it is almost ubiquitous in how much it has been embraced. Homosexuality and all of the perversities that have been praised and put above matrimony, develops a society where the demons thrive. The Italian exorcist, Gabrielle Amorth, wrote:

"In the current environment, where we are witnessing the collapse of the family, I have encountered many cases of possessed people who, in addition to other sins, were living in irregular marriages. I have dealt many times with women whose sins included the crime of abortion. I have been confronted with numerous people who, in addition to sexual aberrations, committed other violent actions. Many times I have been faced with homosexuals who were drugs addicts and who had committed drug-related sins." (Amorth, An Exorcist Tells His Story, p. 59)

Why do all of these homosexuals get caught up in drug addictions and chaotic and violent behavior? Because they are slaves to the father of chaos — Satan, and have no connection with the Father of Harmony. They are on the side of the Antichrist, and worship the devil.

A homosexual man in Sweden murdered his homosexual “partner,” by slitting his throat. He then drunk his blood and then made a painting on the wall of a pentagram with the blood. According to one report:

A gay “vampire” is accused of killing his boyfriend by slitting his throat, drinking his blood and then painting a pentagram on the wall, according to Gay Star News. The 23-year-old Swedish man was charged with murdering his 32-year-old lover at his apartment in Stockholm in June. He admits to manslaughter but not murder, saying “threatening voices in [his] head” told him to do it.

These sodomites are truly satanic, they are possessed by the spirits of the abyss and to use the words of St. Paul, “deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.” (Romans 1:31) The Holy Faith, by the revelations of both the Old and New Testaments, declare the sodomite as worthy of death. The holy armies of Joshua slaughtered the wicked race of the Canaanites in a divinely commissioned crusade not just against idolatry and human sacrifice, but against homosexuality. In the holy law given to Moses by the Hand of God it reads, “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.” (Leviticus 18:22) And in the end of this same chapter of Leviticus God says, “all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled” (Leviticus 18:27). This verse is specifically speaking of the native peoples of Canaan — the Canaanites, and thus this verse signifies that this people were riddled with homosexuality.

Battle of Jericho

The holy Law, given to us from Heaven, written down by the finger of God on sacred stone, upon the majestic mountain where the Lord spake unto Moses with Whom the Lord spoke "face to face as a man speaketh unto his friend" and to whom God said "I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts" (Exodus 33:11, 23) — who are we to belittle such a prophet? who are we to mock and disregard the laws given to this ascetic warrior who denied the entire ego, emptied himself, humbled his heart and purified his mind and became one with God? In this same chapter of Exodus — which is amongst the most mystical texts of the Scriptures — God tells Moses, "I will drive out the Canaanite" (Exodus 33:2). And God did drive them out, though the hands of holy warriors. God destroyed evil by uniting with the righteous; by bringing his presence to them; by being in them and them in Him; by uniting them with Love Who is God.

Read the words of the Torah and the prophets — what love there is between God and Man; what harmony there is between God and man in the cosmic war against evil; what signs! what foretelling events that foreshadow God becoming one with Man and bringing humanity into the knowledge of the heavenly wisdom as He destroyed the devil in death, by being Life and crushing death in the holy tomb in which Eternal Life conquered. What beauty! what sacrifice! What a sublime beauty that permeates every area of human existence!

God is everywhere; He is in the mountains, in the rivers, in the cosmos, in the stars and in every hill; He is in the grass and in the trees. We look to nature, and see eternity. As the monk, Maximos of Mount Athos, said, "all of reality is permeated with God." (Kyriacos C. Markides, The Mountain of Silence, ch. 5, p. 63) All of the universe revolves around the Divine Icon of the Father — that is the Christ —; He is the center of all the universe, and the center of all mortals, and by Him humanity unites with God, and all of creation awaits for the appearance of holy men. "For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God." (Romans 8:19)

All of nature is centered around God; it was created for and through God, and it lies in God. All of nature is sustained by and within God, and it lies within a harmony. When the energies of humanity harmonizes with the omnipresent energies of God, hearts are enflamed with the fires of compassion and zeal; there is order, there is symmetry, there is love — the purest love, for God is Love. This was the original state of humanity and the original plan of God for us poor mortals, before we cast ourselves into the diabolical maze of confusion. As the monk Maximos of Mount Athos beautifully said:

"there was a time when the first humans lived in full accordance to their true nature. In such a state all their energy, all their powers, were totally harmonized and focused around one motion, the motion toward God. Their nous, that is their heart and mind, had but a single and exclusive preoccupation, ceaseless prayer. At that state their sole experience and focus was what the elders call the Theoria, that is, the vision of God." (Kyriacos C. Markides, The Mountain of Silence, ch. 9, p. 120)

But once humans disconnect themselves from God and choose disorder, then there is chaos, there is disarray, there is violence and cruelty, there is horror. As the Serbian monastic, Elder Thaddeus, said:

"Because of the Fall of man, the natural order of things has become chaotic. In nature, there is an order for all things, but with man there is chaos. Everything is distorted and turned around. Because of our disobedience to the commandments of our Heavenly Father, we have lost the natural order." (Elder Thaddeus, Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives, ch. 2, p. 85)

So many today, fattened by materialism and lost in their own ego, want nothing to do with the holy words of the prophet Moses, nor any of the prophets after him, nor the words of the Apostle who declared that sodomites are worthy of death, but continuously want to teach the precepts of a vain secular moralism. I am not speaking of the atheist who denies everything holy and whose blasphemies are expected; I am speaking of supposed "Christians" who carry the title of conservative and who tout themselves as advocates for family values, while at the same time exert themselves to please the sodomites and the acolytes of perversion as they try to censure those who honor the laws of God.

I myself have dealt with this numerous times. I remember when I posted my video of me calling thirteen pro-homosexual and homosexual bakeries and asking them for a cake that says "Gay marriage is wrong," and being denied service every time. The video went viral. Not too long after this happened, Janet Porter a well known conservative personality who I respect, contacted me asking if I would allow her to use clips of my video to add to her documentary exposing the homosexual agenda. I said it would be no problem. The documentary has been out for some time and has already had showings in select theaters in the United States.

But then, the spirit of fear crept its way inside. Peter LaBarbera, an Evangelical who is in the documentary, was confronted by the leftist media on the fact he is in the same documentary with me, the man who believes in God's law that says that sodomites are to be put to death. Instead of defending the law of the Bible, which he claims to believe, this hireling decided to push for me to recant my statements, and said that if I didn't that I should be removed from the documentary. Janet called me urging me to make a statement to "clarify" what I really believed, that I really don't believe in the death penalty for sodomites, but simply in the anti-sodomy laws that were once enacted in Texas.

To be honest I was quite hesitant to do this because to do so would mean recanting all of my writings in support for the death penalty. Janet sent me the first draft of the statement to receive my stamp of approval. The draft stated:

"While I have had homosexual activists call for my death and beheading, etc., I have not called for anyone to take the life of those practicing homosexual behavior. I do want the laws of the United States to once again make sodomy illegal as they did prior to the 2003 Lawrence v. Texas ruling because such practice is not only immoral, but physically dangerous, as well."

But Peter LaBarbera objected to the draft and expressed his dissatisfaction with it, pushing for me to recant my position that an inquisition should be established to uproot homosexuality and other perversities. Peter LaBarbera responded to the draft with this email to Janet:

"Not good enough, if he called for an “Inquisition” against homosexuals. We need to look at the exact comments and craft a statement based on those. I do not have time to do that today or tomorrow as I’m driving to DC. We need transcripts of the exact comments and then he needs to disavow that approach (or clarify what he meant). Otherwise people will keep asking about those specific comments."

Peter Labarbera, more afraid of the sodomites than the law of God

All of these words are filled with fear. LaBarbera is afraid of negative attention from the leftist media. Such behavior is contrary to God, Who is Love, "because perfect love expels all fear." (1 John 4:18) Why should a Christian be afraid or ashamed of the law of God which states that "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death" (Leviticus 20:13)? Why should a Christian be ashamed of the words of the Apostle when he said that homosexuals do things that "are worthy of death" (Romans 1:32)? They will say that such words are against love. But how could a Christian use such argumentation when St. Paul himself says that "the purpose of the commandment is love" (1 Timothy 1:5), and in the same epistle goes on to say that "we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully, knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites" (1 Timothy 1:8-10)?

In Christianity, love and justice and indistinguishable, for all virtues, be it justice, charity or endurance, are in love, for God is Love, and in God is all virtue. So how could such Christians say that I am against love, when the purpose of the law is love, and this very law declares that sodomites are worthy of death?

Peter LaBarbera was blocked from entering Canada, and he goes before the media showing how persecuted he is, but yet he wants to block me — a Christian — from being in a documentary for being more politically incorrect than him. And at the same time, he kisses the feet of the sodomite to deny me as Peter denied Christ. A filthy sodomite who calls himself "Joe My God", began to attack LaBarbera for being in the documentary with me. Peter LaBarbera quickly went on Twitter to appease the sodomite, even going to far as to address him with the blasphemous title of "Joe My God":

Why would a Christian address an evil person with such a blasphemous title as “Joe My God”? It is truly pathetic how these modern Christians get on their hands and knees for these useless sodomites. The sodomites make up such a small part of the population, and yet the Christians, who are supposedly the majority, are terrified of them. Caesar wanted the whole world to address him as kyrios, or lord. And yet you never see any of the early Christians ever address Caesar as kyrios. In fact, St. Paul went directly against this idea when he said “that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:11), that is that Christ is Kyrios. Yet this Peter LaBarbera wants to do an inquisition on me, firmly saying “We need to look at the exact comments” and “We need transcripts of the exact comments and then he [Theodore Shoebat] needs to disavow that approach”, while at the same time he runs to some sodomite to get his approval. What an absolutely pathetic person. Peter LaBarbera does not want to respect God, but rather “Joe My God”.

This is why the Christians keep losing ground and the sodomites keep gaining ground. Instead of using the attention that controversy brings, Christians run away from controversy. This is why Christendom is drowning.

The pedal of Christendom, beneath the dreary waters and suffocating, must look up to the rays of the sun that beam through the waves, and be inspired by the light of hope, and being invigorated, rise above and stand upon the oceans of the world.

We have to prepare our minds and intellect for this spiritual war that we are in. This is why I made a 2-disk DVD series on teaching the warring spirit of the Christian Faith.

For too long Christianity has been watered down in our modern day as a pacifist faith with no inclination of fighting evil. But is the Church here to be weak and useless? This shocking and riveting two disk DVD set lecture series, passionately shows how Christianity is not here to be feeble, but for warfare, to be militant against tyranny and the forces of darkness.

You will not be dissatisfied after watching this lecture, and Bible studies will forevermore never be the same again.

CLICK HERE TO GET OUR 2-DISK DVD SERIES ON CHRISTIAN MILITANCY AND CHRISTIAN WARFARE AND JOIN THE FIGHT TODAY!

We have to prepare our minds and intellect for this spiritual war that we are in. This is why I made a 2-disk DVD series on teaching the warring spirit of the Christian Faith.

You will not be dissatisfied after watching this lecture, and Bible studies will forevermore never be the same again.

But is the Church here to be weak and useless? This shocking and riveting two disk DVD set lecture series, passionately shows how Christianity is not here to be feeble, but for warfare, to be militant against tyranny and the forces of darkness.

CLICK HERE TO GET OUR 2-DISK DVD SERIES ON CHRISTIAN MILITANCY AND CHRISTIAN WARFARE AND JOIN THE FIGHT TODAY!

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The post Homosexuals In The Military Are Raping And Molesting Tens Of Thousands Of American Soldiers. In Just One Year The Homosexuals Have Raped 57,750 American Soldiers. If You Support The Troops, Then Fight Against The Homosexual Agenda appeared first on Walid Shoebat.

The post Three Muslims In Norway Brutally Rape 14 Year Old Girl. One Of The Muslims In Sentenced To Only 344 Hours Of Community Service, The Other Is Only Sentenced To 17 Months In Prison, And The Other Muslim Is Only Sentenced To 10 Months In Prison. appeared first on Walid Shoebat.

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thanks to rev17 for the link..

in his own words..a classic masonic family with links going to back to the “real” illuminati..rosicrucian..you really have to keep this in mind whilst watching his shows..and the hysterical speech at the end is sort of sad really..

401

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-34711923

Taiwan says its President Ma Ying-jeou will meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Singapore on Saturday.

It would be the first meeting between leaders of the two countries.

A Taiwanese spokesman told the BBC the men would discuss relations across the Taiwan Straits. There was no immediate word from China.

China has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan since 1949, when the Nationalist government fled to the island after defeat by the Communists.

The Chinese government claims Taiwan as part of its sovereign territory and threatens to counter any move to outright independence by military force.

Taiwanese spokesman Chen Yi Hsin said President Ma’s aim was “to promote peace cross the Taiwan Strait and maintain status quo”.

“No agreement will be signed, and no statement issued,” he said, adding that Mr Ma would hold a news conference on Thursday to explain his decision.

Relations with China have warmed under Ma Ying-jeou, who leaves office next year.

———–

very significant meeting..

“It would be the first meeting between leaders of the two countries.”

master and slave..

“The Chinese government claims Taiwan as part of its sovereign territory and threatens to counter any move to outright independence by military force.”

401

https://www.rt.com/news/320655-a321-midair-explosion-version/

The nature of passengers' injuries from the Russian jet that crashed in Egypt's Sinai on Saturday may indicate that an explosion took place aboard before the plane hit the ground, an Egyptian doctor who examined the bodies said, Sputnik news agency reported.

“A large number of body parts may indicate that a powerful explosion took place aboard the plane before it hit the ground,”an Egyptian forensic expert told the agency.

A DNA analysis would be required to identify the victims of the Russian A321 airliner crash in Egypt, the expert added.

Earlier, Russian tabloid LifeNews claimed to have obtained the results of a forensic medical examination that allegedly stated that the passengers "in the tail section of the liner died because of so-called blast injuries."

According to the broadcaster, they were diagnosed with burns of over 90 percent, with experts noting particles of metal and aircraft covering piercing the bodies of the deceased.

The people in the front part of the plane died from different causes, including blood loss, shock, open head injuries and multiple fractures, it added.

However TASS news agency cited Russian and Egyptian experts as saying that they failed to find any blast-related trauma during their preliminary examination of the bodies of the victims.

"There were no signs of an explosion impact found during the preliminary examination," the source said.

One of the Egyptian experts also told TASS that "there were no signs of external impact" found on the bodies.

There have been no official announcements made so far on the results of forensic medical examination of the crash victims.

An unnamed US official said on Tuesday that before the Russian passenger airliner crashed in Sinai, an American infrared satellite had detected a heat flash in the same vicinity, indicating that an explosion may have occurred onboard.

"The flash, which was observed by the satellite, that's a piece of evidence, but against it's inconclusive. It can also occur if there was a missile attack, a fire onboard or an explosion onboard," retired flight commander, Sultan Mahmoud Hali, told RT.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-34710375

Investigators are turning their attention to the flight recorders retrieved from the wreckage of a Russian plane that crashed in Egypt.

Egypt says its experts are being joined by teams from Russia and also the Republic of Ireland, where the Airbus 321 was registered.

It crashed over the Sinai peninsula, killing all 224 people on board.

Egypt dismissed as “propaganda” claims that militants linked to Islamic State (IS) brought down the aircraft.

President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi told the BBC that it was too early to say what had caused the crash.

The aircraft – flying from Sharm el-Sheikh to St Petersburg – is thought to have broken up in mid-air.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/islamic-state-bomb-may-have-downed-russian-airliner-us-officials-say/

The Russian jet that crashed in Egypt this weekend may have been taken down by an Islamic State bomb, US officials told CNN and NBC on Wednesday.

"There is a definite feeling it was an explosive device planted in luggage or somewhere on the plane," an American official told CNN. US investigators believed Islamic State terrorists or sympathizers may have been behind the attack, NBC reported.

———–

us and uk now hinting at a bomb on the plane..if it is a bomb it could have been done by ANYONE..

“However TASS news agency cited Russian and Egyptian experts as saying that they failed to find any blast-related trauma during their preliminary examination of the bodies of the victims.”

hmm..propaganda and counter propaganda on overdrive here..

401

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/vatican-arrests-priest-laywoman-suspected-leaking-confidential-documents-125828004.html

Two members of a commission Pope Francis set up to study reforms, including a high-ranking Holy See official, have been arrested on suspicion of leaking confidential documents, the Vatican said on Monday.

It was one of the biggest internal scandals to hit Francis’ papacy so far and was reminiscent of the “Vatileaks” furor that preceded the resignation of former Pope Benedict in 2013.

Spanish Monsignor Lucio Angel Vallejo Balda, number two at the Vatican’s Prefecture for Economic Affairs, and Italian laywoman Francesca Chaouqui, a public relations expert, were arrested over the weekend, a Vatican statement said.

Vallejo Balda, 54, was believed to be the highest-ranking member of the Vatican’s central bureaucracy, known as the Curia, ever to have been arrested.

Chaouqui, 33, whose sexy photo of herself on her Facebook page raised Vatican eyebrows when she was appointed to the commission in 2013, was released on Monday after she agreed to cooperate with the investigation, it said.

The Vatican said the leaks represented a “serious betrayal of the trust bestowed by the pope”, without providing any details. There was no immediate comment from Vallejo Balda and Chaouqui, or their lawyers.

Both were members of a commission that Francis set up shortly after his election to advise him on economic and bureaucratic reforms in the Curia.

The committee completed its work last year and handed its report to the pope, who subsequently made some changes in Vatican administration, including the establishment of a new economic ministry.

The twin arrests came just days before two Italian authors were due to release books that their publishers say will reveal new evidence of scandals in the Vatican and alleged conspiracies by the old guard to undermine Francis’ reform efforts.

They were the first such arrests since Paolo Gabriele, Benedict’s butler, was arrested in 2012 for stealing documents from the pope’s desk and leaking them.

Those leaks included letters to the pope from Vatican officials complaining to the former pope about alleged corruption in the Holy See.

One of the two books due to be released on Wednesday is “Merchants in the Temple”, by Italian journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi, whose 2012 book “His Holiness”, was based on the leaked documents he received from Gabriele.

Gabriele was convicted and served several months in the Vatican jail before Benedict pardoned him and he was released. He is now working in a Vatican-run hospital.

The other book, called “Avarice,” is by Italian journalist Emiliano Fittipaldi.

The Vatican said its police had been investigating the disappearance of documents for the past few months.

———–

if you are meant to be the face of transparency then you should welcome whistle blowers ..not “jail” them..their words never match their actions..

and here is a picture of francesca..possible honeypot blackmailer?

401

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-10-30/orban-accuses-soros-of-stoking-refugee-wave-to-weaken-europe

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban accused billionaire investor George Soros of being a prominent member of a circle of “activists” trying to undermine European nations by supporting refugees heading to the continent from the Middle East and beyond.

“His name is perhaps the strongest example of those who support anything that weakens nation states, they support everything that changes the traditional European lifestyle,” Orban said in an interview on public radio Kossuth. “These activists who support immigrants inadvertently become part of this international human-smuggling network.”

Rights groups have criticized Orban for building a razor-wire fence on the border, tightening asylum laws and boosting his support among voters with anti-immigrant rhetoric. Soros, who was born in Hungary and is one of the biggest philanthropists in eastern Europe via his foundations and university, gives grants to organizations that provide legal assistance to asylum seekers.

Soros said in an e-mailed statement that a six-point plan published by his foundation helps "uphold European values" while Orban's actions "undermine those values."

"His plan treats the protection of national borders as the objective and the refugees as an obstacle," he said in the statement. "Our plan treats the protection of refugees as the objective and national borders as the obstacle."

————

“His name is perhaps the strongest example of those who support anything that weakens nation states, they support everything that changes the traditional European lifestyle,” Orban said”

the fingerprints of soros are behind many international events..and this time he has been outed by the leader of a country..

Soros: "Our plan treats the protection of refugees as the objective and national borders as the obstacle."

national borders are an obstacle..

401

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2015/11/03/world/asia/ap-as-japan-post-ipo.html?_r=0

Shares of Japan Post jumped nearly 17 percent Wednesday in the first day of trading after the company and its banking and insurance units raised a combined 1.44 trillion yen ($11.9 billion) in the world’s biggest initial public offering this year.

The long awaited sale of shares in the state-owned company is the biggest since Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holdings raised $25 billion in its IPO in September 2014.

The Japan Post sale is meant to tease out some of the more than $14 trillion that Japanese have squirreled away in savings accounts. Some IPO funds will help pay for rebuilding from the 2011 tsunami disaster.

The government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has sought to push share prices higher as part of its economic policies meant to revive Japan’s sluggish growth. The massive IPO had the expected impact, pushing the benchmark Nikkei 225 index up 2.2 percent to 19,101.64, its highest level in over two months.

Japan Post Bank shares surged 15.4 percent and Japan Post Insurance shares soared 38.2 percent.

“Through privatization, we can play a role in revitalizing the Japanese economy,” Japan Post president Taizo Nishimuro told reporters after ringing a bell at the Tokyo Stock Exchange to start trading.

The IPO comes more than a decade after Japan began privatizing its postal system and the postal banks that are the backbone of the country’s massive household savings pool.

———–

“The Japan Post sale is meant to tease out some of the more than $14 trillion that Japanese have squirreled away in savings accounts.”

cant have nest eggs..we need that cash!

“Through privatization, we can play a role in revitalizing the Japanese economy,”

i see..

401

http://time.com/4092011/indonesia-project-loon-google-balloons-internet/

Less than a third of Indonesians currently have access to the web

Google has unveiled an ambitious project to boost Internet access across much of rural Indonesia using 20,000 helium balloons.

The California tech giant has partnered with some of Indonesia's top telecoms companies for its Project Loon initiative that aims to improve connectivity in the Southeast Asian nation of 250 million, especially for those scattered across its 17,500 mountainous and jungle-filled islands, USA Today reports.

At present, only some 29% of Indonesians have access to the web and most connections are relatively slow, the Guardian reports. And so three Indonesian telecom firms — Telkomsel, Axiata and Inmost — are partnering with Google to try to get the remaining two thirds of the country online, Mike Cassidy, the vice-president of Project Loon, and Sergey Brin, Google's co-founder, announced Wednesday at Google's headquarters in Mountain View, Calif.

"Occasionally getting out of communications range is healthy for all of us," Brin said. "But if its part of your daily life and you don't have access to the information and the ability to communicate with people important to you that's a real disadvantage."

Google will spend the next 12 months testing the balloons before introducing 20,000 of the devices commercially, according to theGuardian. Indonesians will be able to get online via the balloons using any mobile device.

Project Loon was first revealed in New Zealand in June 2013 as a part of the Google X department, which comes up with innovations like the driverless car. Since then, designers have found ways to make the balloons easier to launch and increase their range of connectivity. Companies in Sri Lanka and Australia have also signed up for balloon-driven Internet access.

———–

project loon..apt eh?

“Project Loon was first revealed in New Zealand in June 2013 as a part of the Google X department, which comes up with innovations like the driverless car.”

401

Season 3 | Episode 7 | “Peanut Butter and Jealous” | Aired Nov 4, 2015

The game is taking its toll on the Are You the One? cast. MTV’s most ambitious dating show is a mystery these players can’t crack. Around this time during the last two seasons, the Are You the One? cast members slowly (but surely) started guessing their perfect matches and were over four beams. This time around, the guessing is proving too much, even without an eleventh girl running around. But it only takes one lucky match to build momentum. Could this be their week?

After another lackluster Matchup Ceremony, the Are You the One? singles head back to the house to discuss their latest failure over food and drinks. The group wonders how they can come back to win with only four Matchup Ceremonies left. Cheyenne overhears Hunter talking about his writing and comes up with an idea to break the tension: a talent show!

Some of the singles perform for the group, jumping in with rap sessions, comedy, and a bit of entertainment. Devin, on the other hand, has a more sinister idea in mind. He wants to get over Kiki as he’s done with her, but he’s not done messing with her mind. He’s going to play hard-to-get and make her jealous so that it torments her for not being with him. It’s an evil game he’s playing, and the rest of the house starts to notice.

The following morning at the challenge, the singles are working in pairs. In a challenge called “You Guys REALLY Need a Helping Hand,” the men will be blindfolded with their arms around their partner as she gives orders for stacking a tower of blocks. The men must arrange a tower to match the colors while the girls balance the tower pedestal with their legs. The first two teams to do it the fastest wins!

The balancing is hard at first, especially with instructing the boys to match the colors. Melanie and Alec pull ahead first and score the first date spot, but it’s a close race for the second team. As it gets down to the wire, Rashida and Hunter finish their tower next and will be joining on the group date.

Back at the house, the chemistry is already starting to appear. Melanie and Alec spend time together in the backyard figuring out if they’re a perfect match, but their flirting is quite noticeable. The two are positive they’re a match, much to Stacey’s frustration as she watches them get closer. Amanda, meanwhile, is feeling Stacey’s pain. While most of the house is in the kitchen chatting, Mike and Kayla are goofing off and flirting. She gets upset at them for breaking an egg, but everyone can see through her—she’s jealous! Amanda doesn’t want to lose her man.

While the two couples enjoy the group date, the house votes for one of them to head to the Truth Booth. Melanie and Alec are the lucky pair, as they’ve shown the biggest connection. They head to the Truth Booth, which reveals: NO MATCH! The seventh Truth Booth is another dud, and the group’s spirits are lower than ever, except for Tyler. He’s happy Melanie isn’t Alec’s match, as he likes her and wants her to be HIS match.

The group scrambles to find a sign or some direction. They decide to set up time for everyone to chat in couples and see if they have a connection. Most are open to the idea, and for the most part, it does work. However, Kiki can’t keep her eyes off Devin. She notices him flirting with Britni and she gets jealous. She goes to him, and Devin does what he does best—he manipulates her. He pulls Kiki in and kisses her, and the two hook up later that night.

The next morning, the girls are mad at Kiki. She’s falling back into bad habits and going to Devin, who treats her terribly. She’s sorry about the whole situation, but the girls don’t want to hear it anymore. A heartbroken and tearful Kiki finds comfort in Devin; his plan is working, but it’s hurting her more than he realizes.

Later, at the Matchup Ceremony, it’s the ladies’ turn to choose. The topic everyone wants to talk about is the Devin/Kiki situation. The house is angry at Devin for manipulating Kiki, knowing full well what he’s doing. Connor and Cheyenne are the most upset, as they can see through Devin’s lies. He’s manipulating Kiki and they want to protect her; they need him to stop. It’s a tense Matchup Ceremony, and the group needs this to be a lucky one.

MATCHUP CEREMONY

• CONFIRMED: Chelsey and Connor.
• Rashida chooses Alec.
• Kiki chooses Nelson.
• Amanda chooses Hunter.
• Britni chooses Devin.
• Melanie chooses Chuck.
• Hannah chooses Zak.
• Stacey chooses Mike.
• Kayla chooses Austin.
• Cheyenne chooses Tyler.

PERFECT MATCHES: 3/10!

No changes with this round. The group tried new pairings, yet they’ve only confirmed two new beams. Beyond Chelsey and Connor, they have no idea whom those beams belong to. The Are You the One? cast only has three more chances to guess 10 perfect matches. If this is where they turn things around, they’d better move fast.

LEADS, CLUES, AND PREDICTIONS

• Since Melanie isn’t Alec’s match, the potential odds of Rashida or Stacey being his match go up. The group would be luckier if Rashida were his match, as it would help their game more.
• The three matches from the first round (Hunter and Britni, Zak and Kayla, and Alec and Stacey) were broken up this time around. Once again, one of these three pairs NEEDS to go into the Truth Booth next.

Are You the One?airs Wednesdays at 10/9C on MTV.

Season 11 | Episode 6 | “Pariahville” | Aired Nov 4, 2015

Criminal Minds touches on dozens of subjects. But nothing brings bile to the throats of viewers quite like sex crimes. In this week’s episode, a community of past deviants comes under scrutiny when a grisly murder threatens their very existence.

The death in question is that of Paige Lincoln, wife of Kyle. Kyle is a resident of Glenport Village, a controlled community of registered sex offenders. Socially banned after their scarlet-letter crimes, Glenport (also known as “Perv-ville,” according to the sign) is a haven for offenders to reform and rebuild away from the vengeful eyes of society.

But before we can dive into the case, a minor bombshell hits. Tara has been given the opportunity to leave the BAU for a federal job researching convicts. Hotch tells her it’s a great opportunity, but Tara has found a home at the BAU. Conflicted, she goes off to contemplate her future. We begin mourning the loss—we just got to know her!

It also turns out Tara has some history with Glenport. She helped consult the community’s creator, Reverend Santos, on how to screen and profile those who want to live there. Reid is quick to point out to the team (and us at home) that none of the residents have ever been convicted of violent crimes. Kids even live there.

But that doesn’t help Paige, who was found in her bathtub, cut open and wearing a cheerleader outfit. Kyle admits cheerleaders are “his thing,” but he couldn’t have done it. Upon further grilling, Reid and Morgan learn about the community’s hidden rules.

The investigation
Now involved in the investigation, Reverend Santos reveals why Glenport has such an impeccable record. All residents are extensively interviewed, have to sign a conduct contract, and are implanted with a tracking chip. This implausible method of control angers the team, especially the clueless local sheriff (Paul), but at least now they have leads.

Upon examining the body, Reid discovers that the victim wasn’t sexually assaulted, and the cheerleader outfit was added postmortem. Thanks to the tracking devices, we know that only one person was in the house that day: a fellow resident named Randy Nelson.

After meeting Paul’s children (David and Riley), Tara and Morgan interview Randy. He swears he didn’t kill Paige, as she was his only friend. After some digging, Tara discovers why. Randy was never into the mothers he stalked. He was into their young boys. Since pedophiles are a big no-no in Glenport, Paige was the only one who knew the truth.

But that’s not enough to hold him. Afterward, we see Paul allow his daughter to go to a party the next night. It’s not in Glenport, so he’s okay with her being out of town for the evening. What he doesn’t know is that a new victim has just been axed in the next town over!

The profile
The new victim is Victoria Taylor, a high school cheerleader. The different nature of the kill allows the team to throw out their “Glenport Only” theory and deliver the profile.

The unsub is most likely in his late thirties and a resident of the nearby community. He’s experienced, patient, and shows self-control. He’s most likely fantasized about the killings for years, and now that he’s had his first taste, will likely go for more.

After the profile, doubt is everywhere. Tara is wrestling with her big decision, and Santos is already mourning the death of the community he spent years building. Rossi tells Tara to go where she can do the most good with the least personal impact, and Tara tells Santos to keep fighting. She’s on his side regarding the creeper community.

The ramp-up
After some extensive interviews, Reid reports that everybody in the town checks out. It’s time to expand the search to the surrounding area, but there are hundreds of people who could have wanted to frame the town. All they need is somebody who would have noticed an outsider at the Lincoln residence. Tara then has an AHA! moment: Bring Randy back in.

Meanwhile, Paul brings his kids into the station to spend the night. David is cool with the sleepover, but Riley is none too happy. Paul promised she could go to the party. Paul says no way and leaves. But kids are easily bribed. Riley promises David two weeks of time on her computer in return for his silence as she sneaks out with a kid she knows from town.

All is fine until the driver, who we saw earlier being a bit creepy, suddenly tries to make out with Riley. When Riley refuses, he throws her out of the car and tells her to walk home. Complete jerk move!

So what does Riley do as she’s walking home? Get into another car with a perfect stranger! The kid at the wheel accelerates and stops short, smashing Riley’s head into the dash. Bang! An unsub! To quote myself on Twitter:

The closing-in
While Riley is having the worst Uber ride ever, Tara is working with Randy. Randy should be able to visualize the details of the day of the murder. With Tara’s help, Randy comes up with a car description. Garcia does some magic, and the team zeroes in on Matt Franks. And the final bit of irony? He’s the son of Paul’s next-door neighbor!

As the BAU screams to the scene, Matt coerces Riley to play out his cheerleader fantasy. In her own house, she leads him to the bedroom with the intention of grabbing her dad’s gun. Matt finds out, and a scuffle ensues as the BAU rolls up. Morgan and Tara bust in and confront Matt with Riley at knifepoint. Tara tries to talk him down, but just as Matt softens, she blows him away!

As Morgan walks out with Tara, we learn it’s the first time she’s killed somebody. Morgan assures her it’s part of the job and at that moment, it looks like she’s heading to the other opportunity. Say it aint so!

Luckily, Hotch has a different plan. When Tara admits she can’t decide, Hotch says she can take the research gig, so long as she agrees to be an on-call consultant for the BAU. Best of both worlds, and yep: Hotch already got the approval.

As Tara walks out of the BAU to a fantastic Dali Llama quote, we have a Criminal Minds compromise. Tara may not be a regular on the show, but she’ll be lingering in the background, hopefully coming back occasionally to drop some wisdom. It’s sad we won’t get weekly doses, as her character was just starting to develop, but I’m glad she’ll be back on a case at some point. Better late than never.

Criminal Mindsairs Wednesdays at 9/8C on CBS.

Season 1 | Episode 5 |“A Bittersweet Grind”| Aired Oct 27, 2015

On the The Grinder, Dean utters his catchphrase at every given opportunity, whether it’s on his show or IRL. It’s his “Bam!” His “Bazinga!” There’s only one time he resents saying the scripted words … during sex. When his dates want him to murmur “Grinder rests” while they, well, grind, he knows they’re more interested in his character than him. One date even hangs her head off the end of the bed so she can simultaneously watch his show. Dean looks at Stewart and Deb with great envy, fearing he’ll never know true love like theirs.

He’s not the only one contemplating love. Ethan wants to ask a girl out for a movie date at their house. His parents are charmed, tickled by his innocent request. He’s “Ethan” after all, heir apparent to his father’s awkwardness. They view it as little more than a play date, but older sister Lizzie is furious by their double standard. She’s never allowed to see Zadak, or have him over. How’s that fair?

Stewart can’t find it in himself to feel bad for Dean. Boohoo, girls throw themselves at him for sex. Waawaa, he’s extraordinarily good-looking. Deb motivates Stewart by telling him that the sooner Dean finds love, the sooner he’ll move out. Excited by that prospect, Stewart contacts Dean’s high school love, Gail Budnick (Christina Applegate), and brings her to the law office—where she says she’s never seen The Grinder and doesn’t even own a TV. (Oh, the horror!) But Dean is enthralled by her seeming ignorance to his fame and all too happy to see the beauty who took his virginity. Love at last!

Dean: “You look exactly the same.”

Gail: “Thank you, so do you. Really, in kind of a scary way, the same.

A few days later, Dean asks Stewart if he can cover for him at work so he can whisk Gail away. Stewart’s all too happy to get his faux-lawyer brother away from the office. Without the inherent distraction Dean brings, Stewart’s able to kick ass on the job and get things done. When Dean returns, he professes to being head-over-heels. He apologizes about his effusiveness to Claire, who assures him that, as always, she’s impervious to his charms and that, despite his vivid imagination, which always reads like a cheesy script, they never had a thing between them. Stewart just wants to find another reason to out him from the office.

After Lizzie presses Deb about their hypocrisy and Dean sides with his niece, Stewart allows both kids to invite their dates over for a movie. He figures Ethan’s innocence will keep Lizzie and Zadak in line, but to his and Deb’s shock they find Ethan openly making out with his date! He’s not the guileless guy his dad was; he’s like—gulp!—his uncle.

Dean has been parenting Gail’s son and finds it an exhausting and thankless job. He has more appreciation for everything his dad and Stewart have dealt with. When Deb and Stewart go to Gail’s for a dinner date, they’re stunned to meet her 23-year-old, grungy man-child. When Gail talks about the difficulty she’s had with him, she inadvertently quotes The Grinder. Further investigation reveals that she’s hidden her 50-inch plasma. Dean breaks things off, but not before agreeing to give her one last parting gift: coitus with the counselor while watching his show.

During a late-night talk, Stewart assures his brother that he will find love, but he needs to slow down. Then he swallows his pride and asks Dean to talk to Ethan about girls. Uncle Dean is all too happy to take his lady-killer nephew under his wing … right now!

My favorite part of the episode was the bedroom banter between Deb and Stewart. The effortless, playful chemistry between Savage and Ellis is so sparkling the show could easily revolve just around them and I’d watch. Not that I think it should, because I love this entire cast!

Connor Kalopis is an ascending scene-stealer who should be put under lock and key by his parents. If he’s this cute and crafty now, imagine what being inside Rob Lowe’s orbit could potentially do to him.

My only objection to “A Bittersweet Grind” is that Christina Applegate’s role seems like a one-and-done. I would’ve liked to see this storyline drawn out a little longer, with a slower reveal of her deceit. There was a lot more that could’ve been done here. Hopefully they’ll see that too and bring her back.

The Grinderairs Tuesdays at 8:30/7:30C on Fox.

Season 2 | Episode 9 | “LCD Soundsystem” | Aired Nov 4, 2015

Each week, EW Community contributors chat about the newest episode of You’re the Worst while they watch. This week, Tamar Barbash and Sundi Rose Holt share their thoughts as they watched “LCD Soundsystem.”

Tamar: I’m confused. What am I watching?
Sundi: I dunno. I’m standing by for more info. Ahhh … it’s a little context for how the world sees Gretchen and Jimmy. And possible antagonists for them.
Tamar: I feel like I need to rewatch that. I wasn’t paying attention, I thought it was the wrong show.
Sundi: These characters are Gretchen-and-Jimmy–lite.
Tamar: Ha! Love the Lost reference.
Sundi: I’m loving this contrasting of characters.
Tamar: Really? So far I’m kind of like, “Who are these people and where is my show?”
Sundi: It’s definitely a departure, but it seems like we’re supposed to make some comparisons.
Tamar: I agree. Gretchen’s being creepy. What’s she thinking when she’s watching them?
Sundi: Maybe envy?
Tamar: Maybe. Okay, I just rewatched the open, cause I wasn’t plugged in enough the first time. It seems the idea is that with just a little evolution Gretchen and Jimmy could be functioning and contributing members of society.

Sundi: I wonder how YTW‘s depiction of Gretchen’s depression is being received by those who actually suffer from it.
Tamar: I do, too. She’s following them now?
Sundi: I like your idea about the open. I wonder if Gretchen is feeling that, too. Except she has no idea how to process those feelings, and is doing some wildly inappropriate creeping.
Tamar: I wonder if she feels like if there was some small change in her life, she wouldn’t feel so sad.
Sundi: Well, as long as Jimmy is eating Craisins out of the box in his pocket, then we aren’t supposed to sympathize with Gretchen’s existential crisis.
Tamar: What do you mean?
Sundi: Or at least, Jimmy isn’t sympathizing. I’m just using the Craisins as metaphor. Another was for Jimmy to avoid Gretchen’s actual deal. Like, if he knew how much she was actually hurting, or was taking her feelings seriously, he wouldn’t really be worried about the box of Craisins in his pocket or maintaining the silly illusion that he’s “writing.”
Tamar: Ah. Right. I think last week’s whole purpose was to make it clear that Jimmy does not understand that this is not something that’s just going to go away.
Sundi: Which I find admirable in the YTW writing. It would be really cheap for them to “cure” Gretchen within a few episodes. And I imagine struggling to relate the illness to loved ones is a common struggle.
Tamar: Absolutely. Okay. Maybe she is pregnant? I mean she’s been drinking a s—t ton so I hope she’s not, but this is weird.
Sundi: She just kidnapped that child. And suddenly this show just took a very strange turn. Are we supposed to believe that Gretchen’s biological clock is ticking? She did give the little girl back, at least.
Tamar: Yes, at least. Did she kidnap the dog?? WTF.
Sundi: Tamar … I don’t know if this being fair to the depression sufferers. Are we on board with this?
Tamar: I don’t think this is the depression.
Sundi: I’m no expert, but it doesn’t seem like it to me either. What are we watching?
Tamar: This is Gretchen dealing with the depression.
Sundi: That makes more sense. I guess we can’t expect Gretchen to do anything reasonable. Like take meds or go to therapy.
Tamar: This is choices she’s making to try to shift something in her life that I guess she sees as responsible for her mental illness. Based on her comment to Edgar earlier, she seems to have some Sliding Doors notion of her life. If she had just made one decision differently, maybe she could be that couple across the street.
Sundi: I always wonder about Gretchen and Jimmy’s guilt threshold. Surely she must feel some remorse for her terrible decisions. Which sort of looks like regret, but she continues to be completely absurd in her choices.
Tamar: The thing that’s always been so fascinating to me about Jimmy and Gretchen is that lack of remorse. I’ve done some crazy things in my life, but I always wake up the next morning feeling horrible. Jimmy and Gretchen celebrate those nights and are proud of them.
Sundi: I agree totally. And that’s why this storyline doesn’t track for me. All of a sudden she’s examining her entire life. It rings false.
Tamar: This is going to end badly.
Sundi: Gretchen is staring into a fun-house mirror of her own life.
Tamar: Whatever else is happening, I love Jimmy through and through.
Sundi: Right? He’s such a nerd, but I love his confidence in it.
Tamar: I have rewatched “Hakuna Matata” at least 20 times.
Sundi: Is she making a pass at him?
Tamar: Oh god. This guy is going to undo the whole thing. The wife just made it all okay for her, and now he’s going to to tear it down.
Sundi: You can see your illusions just crumbling.
Tamar: Okay, I get it now. She allowed herself to believe she could be happy because those two did it.
Sundi: They were some kind of aspirational model, but when he lifted the curtain, she was disappointed at what it really looked like. Nobody wants to know how the sausage is made. Sorry to mix my metaphors.
Tamar: Right, and I think he said exactly the things she’s afraid of. That she’s going to feel trapped, that she’ll never be truly happy, that she’ll always miss her old life.
Sundi: Interesting that she could be so disappointed by the loss of something that she’s never admitted she wanted. The baby, the husband, the domesticated life. She’s mourning it, in a way.
Tamar: I’m not sure if she’s mourning those specifics as much as just the idea that she might ever be happy. It feels like in the midst of this depression, she was looking for some guarantee that she can, in fact, be happy. And that speech at the end from the husband confirmed for her that the answer is “no.”
Sundi: I agree with that. I’m just surprised at the symbols she chose to focus on. Especially since she’s been so adamant about not wanting any part of it.
Tamar: Right. We’ve never gotten anything but horror from Gretchen when it came to the ideas of settling down and having kids.
Sundi: I wonder if this depression arc, and the subsequent recovery, might mark a shift in the characters’ ethos. Could we see a baby in season 3?
Tamar: I have given up completely on guessing what might come next.
Sundi: I like the bold choices this season. Sophomore attempts can be notoriously hard to execute, but I feel pretty satisfied with YTW season 2.
Tamar: It’s impressive. We knew they couldn’t stay thematically where they were in season 1. I never would have guessed this is where they’d go with season 2, but it’s adding depth to these characters that is really enjoyable to watch.
Sundi: And scope to the show, as well. I like an expanding universe. And this episode did the job in that aspect.
Tamar: Agreed. Although, I did miss Edgar.

You’re the Worstairs Wednesdays at 10:30/11:30C on FXX.

Season 2 | Episode 6 | “Brothers of the Broken Horn” | Aired Nov 4, 2015

For many fans of The Clone Wars, Hondo Ohnaka is one of the greatest space pirates in all of the Star Wars Universe and they felt his loss keenly when The Clone Wars ended. But you know a pirate like Hondo isn’t going to fade into the sunset that easily.

His return, first announced during the Star Wars Rebels season 2 trailer at Star Wars Celebration was met with huge cheers, but we had no idea when he’d return until now. Hondo’s back in the newest episode and, let me assure you, Hondo is still Hondo. Even the way he’s introduced in the episode is, well, very Hondo.

Still, I’m getting ahead of myself.

One of the big questions from last season was how having both Rex and Kanan “training” Ezra was going to work out. As you may have guessed by now, the answer is: not well. This clip from last week’s “Rebels Recon” proves as much.

When Hera jumps in to remind him that he also has maintenance duty, Ezra’s head looks like it’s about to pop, but you know that ultimately, what Hera says goes. Plus, whataya know, her task leaves Ezra and Chopper alone with the Ghost while the rest of the crew go off in search of power cells for a planet in dire need of heat.

Side note: I am now in love with whoever put those TIE symbols on the side of the cockpit.

The distress call from Vizago’s ship is a nice way to get Ezra off on his own adventure without having him just zoom off in a huff. He needs some alone time, and he needs to work things out. Sending him off in the Phantom to check it accomplished both.

It also gave us a perfect way to reintroduce Hondo.

Of course, we all know Hondo’s up to something—because he’s Hondo. I was amused by Ezra identifying himself as Lando Calrissian and, to be completely honest, I couldn’t tell if Hondo actually believed him or not—not even when Azmorigan outed Ezra due to past dealings with the actual Lando. Also, it’s so nice to see Azmorigan again. So handsome!

However, if there’s one thing we know about Azmorigan, it’s that he’s a double-crosser. Which is good, because it allows for a really awesome action sequence. Personally, I think Chopper’s the real star here (dual-wielding a blaster rifle and pistol while chasing Azmorigan), but Ezra manages to save himself, Chopper, and Hondo by combining his training as both a soldier and a Jedi—not that he has figured it out yet.

I’m happy to see Hondo back for a number of reasons, but his assurance to Ezra that he’s a Jedi sympathizer is nice to hear and sets him up well for the future. That said, Hondo’s still Hondo, so the discovery that he didn’t win Vizago’s ship and that Vizago’s in the brig isn’t a shock.

It also makes sense that Ezra considers taking Hondo up on joining the crew. Being a Pirate Jedi sounds pretty cool if you ask me. But I’m pretty sure a pirate wouldn’t have taken payment in power generators that he’d then give to people in need. Ezra’s a good kid despite his selfish moments.

In the end, it all works out, though. Ezra has repaid Vizago’s favor by getting him his ship back, our rebels get the generators, and Hondo’s made a connection with the rebels.

Ezra’s realization at the end of the episode is an example of what gives Rebels its heart. He’s been like Hondo: alone and selfish. He’s lost his family, and he still has that to deal with. But he’s not the street rat we first met. He’s not alone anymore and, while he may still have his selfish moments, he’s figuring out how to be part of a whole. He’s finding a purpose.

He’s becoming a Jedi.

Star Wars Rebelsairs Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m.ET/PTon Disney X D.

The prominent Afghan singer Farhad Darya has been appointed as Global Ambassador to the ‘Save The Children International’ organization.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between Darya and the country director of Save The Children International Ana Locsin on Wednesday.

Darya said he will work as a bridge between Save The Children International will help the organization and the vulnerable children of the country.

“I am proud to initiate for the first time the groundworks regarding discussions on children rights, specifically the rights of needy children in Afghanistan,” Darya said.

He also added that unusual and widespread discussions regarding the right of children would be made with millions of citizens of the country in a bid to create awareness regarding the ‘major wounds’ of the little citizens of the country.

Darya also called on world leaders, specifically on Afghan leaders to start evolution from the lives of children and specially the deprived children to create a world free of violence.

Save the Children is an international independent non-government, non-profit organization founded in 1919, working in over 120 countries worldwide.

Established in 1976 in Afghanistan, the organization has currently implement programs in 15 of 34 Provinces, either directly or through partners, reaching more than 700,000 children.

The Asian World Film Festival (AWFF) awarded the ‘Best Actress’ award to Afghan film actress Malalai Zikria for her role in Utopia film.

Foreign language films from 50 countries featured in the festival which ran from October 26 to November 2 in Los Angeles.

The Best Actor award was given to to He Bing from the Chinese film "12 Citizens" (China). ‘Moira’ a drama from the Republic of Georgia took Best Picture at the first annual Asian World Film Festival, while Iraq's ‘Memories on Stone’ took the Jury Award.

Many of the films featured in the festival were official submissions for this year’s Oscar race, including the ‘Utopia’ film which is among 81 countries nominated for thee award.

The Academy Awards is scheduled to be held on February 28 in Los Angeles and will televised live in more than 225 countries around the globe.

'Utopia' is about an Afghan woman who travels to Britain for artificial insemination, while Vietnam's "Jackpot" is about a lottery ticket vendor's moral dilemma.

Produced by Malalai Zikria who is also playing the lead role, the 95-minute movie has been filmed in Afghanistan, India and Scotland.

It seems that Afghanistan and Pakistan are perennially unwilling to see eye to eye. The conflict between the two neighbor states has become a protracted conflict. As the regional situation is further deteriorating, it becomes necessary to question whether there is hope for cooperation and de-escalation of the conflict.  To this end, it is necessary to analyze the growing narrative of animosity that is spurring from within both nations. In particular, it begs to question what images both countries have of each other?

It doesn't take long to see that the varnished narrative in both nations is one of mistrust and misinterpretation. These perceptions partly developed because of legacies started 150 years ago when the region was controlled by the British Empire and partly because of the alliance system under the city states rulers prior to the British Presence.

It could be more than these two and that is all about modern definition of power; how to apply virtues and vices to survive and win. It can be said in the Machiavellian sense that men have always been ungrateful and deceivers. They always shunt danger and are greedy for profit. Perhaps this is why both countries are trying not to be good. Are Afghanistan and Pakistan really trying not to coexist? Are Afghanistan and Pakistan ready to embrace the unvarnished truth of the current condition or continue to perpetuate an imaginary conception of each other?

No need to go far in the history of conflict in the region between the old city states when they were friends on Wednesday, enemy on Thursday and again friends on Friday praying together, but let's look at the very recent history of both countries policies and decision making process since mid-20th century. Pakistan since its birth and Afghanistan were on the road towards virtual rapture; neither real friends nor real enemies, reacting towards incidents.

Pakistan blames Afghanistan for playing a dubious role during creation of Pakistan; tried to stop Pakistan from membership of United Nations. Later on, Afghanistan became the center of pakhtoonistan separatist movement and acted aggressively along borders with a military move in September 1960. Finally, According to Pakistan, Afghanistan has always favored the other neighbors over Pakistan, namely Iran and India.

Afghanistan claims that the Afghan attitude and the government of Afghanistan policy have always been friendly towards Pakistan. For instance, during three Pakistan wars Afghanistan stayed neutral with strong sympathy to Pakistan. In 1969-1971 in spite of great internal turmoil in Pakistan, Afghanistan did not attempt to destabilize the internal security of Pakistan, but Pakistan has always dishonored its words and promises such as commitments in Geneva Accord, Islamabad Accord, Peshawar Accord and transit agreement with Afghanistan.

The reality of the last four decades in the region has been completely different from the above narratives. The Soviet Union military intervention in Afghanistan changed the power politics and the ability of both countries. Pakistan embraced political realism and survival mentality in Machiavellian sense: perceiving the international system as is. For Pakistan politics and power became a zero-sum game and their politicians adapted themselves competitively to this short, nasty and brutish environment.

Afghanistan on the other hand has looked at the international system in ultra-liberal perspective and framed its worldview idealistically. Its politicians having more faith on the so called international community rather than its internal power. Afghanistan has strived to integrate into the international system by relying first on Former Soviet Union and recently the United States; talking of idealist agendas that are foreign to the nation, liberal reforms before traditional values, radical change that would somehow bring peace and prosperity to the whole nation.

Regardless of what assumption both countries may have, what really matter is to play the cards properly. In this case both countries frequently and repeatedly have played the wrong cards against each other in the conflict. Pakistan right after the Soviet intervention redirected its ties from the existing Afghan government to close ties with the exiled Mujahidin factions based in Peshawar. Since then Pakistan cannot deny interfering in the Afghans affairs. In addition to Geneva Accord signed between Afghanistan-Pakistan-United Sates and USSR, a bilateral agreement was signed between Afghanistan and Pakistan pledging non-intervention and non-interference in each other affairs, but not respected.

Pakistan, during the Soviet presence 1980s and during Mujahidin in 1990 never hid its interference in the Afghan affairs. On September 30^th 1995, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister SardarAseff Ahmad Ali publicly said that " Government of President BurhanddinRabani be removed."; A government which was the outcome of Peshawar and Islamabad accords, widely sponsored and supported by the Pakistani government. The result was that a year later the Taliban overthrew Rabanni’s government in a decisive military victory. Therefore Pakistan in the last 40 years could not adopt a balanced approached towards the Afghan conflict.

Similarly, Afghanistan cannot deny of its unpleasant behaviors discomforting Pakistan by hosting twice large military presence in its territory (Soviet Union and United States ) both super powers sympathizers with India. In Pakistan’s politics and power relations there is no room and consideration for this, as they calculate in Machiavellian style applying vices and virtues to win.

The lesson of notable Afghan "successes" on defeating 25 empires in the last two and half centuries has proved to not intervene in this region unless you are prepared to remain involved forever which certainly neither the United States and its allies nor the (China-Russia-Pakistan) are prepared for this.

Therefore, time has come to a point that Afghanistan and Pakistan can no longer go on how they have lived as neighbors so far. They must depart this point and shift on how they ought to live. They need to think what ought to be done. Reaching decisions on how to live together might be hard but not impossible. Both states need to look at the dangers which the region is plunging into: in the last fourteen years this region has become home to a new generation of violent extremists even more dangerous than the al-Qaeda thugs whom America entered Afghanistan to eradicate.

Both countries (Afghanistan & Pakistan) are sharing the largest ethnic group of the population in the region that socially, politically and economically have legitimate grievances and moving towards more acute poverty which can be a breeding ground for the international terrorists. The United States, Russia and China are competing into a sort of battle to form new global power system which affect the region negatively. Finally, organized crime is on the rise in the region.

The lessons of the volatile situation on the ground in Afghanistan and in Pakistan dictate that military operation is not the solution, but understanding of the reality and cooperation is the definite and only mechanism to overcome the problems.

To do so, Afghanistan and Pakistan have to retreat back to their positions prior to 1979 in which both countries relatively had embraced more anti-war elements in the region. Both countries have to stop the anachronism game of the Pashtuns and unresolvable Durand Line dispute; it belongs neither to Pakistan nor to Afghanistan, it belongs to the people who are attached and living along the territory. This issue has to be left for next generation to deal with. Pakistan should redirect its ties with the Afghan government not with non-state actors. Afghanistan is to balance its relations with India, Iran and United States, Afghanistan to address political and economic grievances of its large segment of the population which is dissatisfied with power sharing mechanism that has been in place since 2001.

Mohammad Dawod is an Afghan writer and geopolitical analyst at Afghanocentricism.com. He worked for several international committees and organizations in the humanitarian field for more than 20 years. Recently he has obtained his Master's degree in International Affairs from Carleton University. Author can be reached at dawod555@yahoo.com and tweets @dawod5551

The National Directorate of Security (NDS) – Afghanistan's intelligence agency has prevented three suicide bombings in capital Kabul, a statement released by the agency on Tuesday states.

According to the statement, three terrorists, two of them planners of suicide bombers, were arrested from Bagrami District of Kabul who planned to execute the attacks.

Shir Badin S/O Ismail and Amanullah S/O Sur Gul have admitted to NDS that the plan was carry out three attacks in and another in Bagram's Sarak-i-Naw area using a corolla vehicle.

The third one arrested is a would-be suicide bomber.

In the footage released by NDS a young man identified as the bomber says that he had received terrorist training in Pakistan's Khayber Agency and vowed to carry out attack through a corolla vehicle-laden with explosives.

The arrested group has also confessed to its involvement in a car bomb attack in eastern Laghman province last year.

The Minister of Urban Development Affairs and Housing on Tuesday presented his second 100-Day Action Plan to public after the successful completion of the first one.

Sayed Sadat Mansour Naderi said in a press conference that the achievements accomplished through the first 100-Day Action Plan were initiating work on 'affordable housing' and housing system, the completion of the first phase of Khwaja Rawash residential project, completion of Khushahal Khan project, organizing the unplanned settlements and thorough review of the sources of income for the ministry.

Besides this, Naderi said that steps have been taken towards registering the properties and issuing official documents to land owners.

The Minister of Urban Development Affairs and Housing said that his next 100-Day Action Plan includes keeping up the activities of the last plan with the addition of finalizing the 5-year strategic program of the ministry, administrative reform and fighting corruption.

Going into the specifics, Naderi said that an accurate assessment of the provinces in regards to the urban development and housing, strategic urban development plans for Kapisa, Samangan, Logar, Ghazni, Farah and Khost provinces are other core factors of this plan.

Naderi further said that under the new plan, progress will be made on the affordable housing projects with the assistance of China and Russia and completion of construction work on the new parliament under the new plan.

About the land of 'New Kabul' city that is seized by people, Naderi said that the Ministry of Urban Development Affairs and Housing has made a decision in accordance with law to determine fate of the issue in coming hundred days.

The major achievements Minister Naderi accomplished during last 100 days of his work named as “100-Day Action Plan” include the pledge of China for building 10,000 apartments, Russia’s promise for building 1,000 apartments annually besides sending construction equipment worth of $25 million and laying the foundation stone of a modern city in Kabul.

The World’s Most Powerful People 2015 on Forbes' annual ranking shows Vladimir Putin as the world's most powerful person for the third year running.

According to the report, Putin continues to prove he's one of the few men in the world powerful enough to do what he wants –and get away with it.

"International sanctions set in place after he seized Crimea and waged war-by-proxy in Ukraine have kneecapped the Ruble and driven Russia into deepening recession, but haven't hurt Putin one bit: In June his approval ratings reached an all-time high of 89%. In October, he bombed ISIS forces in Syria and then met face-to-face with President Assad, making the U.S and NATO look weak in the region, and helping rebuild Russian influence abroad," states the report.

The second most powerful person in the world has been identified Angela Merkel, the chancellor of Germany, who jumped up from #5 last year to take the runner-up spot on the list.

"Merkel is the backbone of the 28-member European Union, and her decisive actions dealing with the Syrian refugee problem and the Greek credit crisis helped bump her up the list," the report adds.

The third most powerful person shown in the report is U.S. President Barack Obama who fell one spot on this year's list.

"There's no doubt that the United States remains the world's greatest economic, cultural, diplomatic, technological and military power. But as Obama enters the final year of his presidency, it's clear his influence is shrinking, and it's a bigger struggle than ever to get things done. At home, his approval ratings are perpetually stuck under 50%; abroad, he's outshined by Merkel in Europe, and outmaneuvered by Putin in the Middle East," the report states.

Atmar

National Security Advisor to President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani will pay an official visit to India in two days, announced the advisor's spokesman on Tuesday.

"Mr. @hanifatmar, National Security Advisor to President @ashrafghani , to officially visit Republic of India on Sunday, 7th Nov 2015.1/3," states a post on the twitter account of Tawab Ghorzang, spokesperson for the Office of National Security Council (NSA).

According to Ghorzang, joint struggle against terrorism and support for Afghan Air Force would be the main agenda's of the trip.

"Both Sides to discuss the relationship and Cooperation between #Afghanistan and #India , Joint&Coordinated struggle&fight against terrorism,Supporting&Equipping #AfgAirForce&mutual cooperation is Agenda of ths Official Visit," states two other twitter posts by the spokesperson.

Meanwhile, a high-ranking official has confirmed to The Hindu news agency that India is discussing the transfer of attack helicopters to Afghanistan.

According to a report published by the media, NSA Hanif Atmar would discuss the transfer of four Russian-made Mi-25 helicopters with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval during the November 7-8 visit.

Hanif Atmar would be reportedly accompanied by Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai during this visit.

An Afghan-Canadian who recently won a seat in Canadian parliament has been appointed as a minister to the country's cabinet, less than a month after becoming an MP.

The announcement of the appointment of Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef, based on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's promise of gender parity and diversity, was made on Wednesday.

Monsef will be serving as Minister of Democratic Institutions, a new title for Minister for Democratic Reform, and will be responsible for following through on the Trudeau government's commitment to reform Canada's "first past the post" electoral system.

Monsef migrated to Canada with her family about 20 years ago and became a member of Canadian parliament on October 19 by winning the most votes among her peers from Peterborough-Kawartha District of Ontario province.

On her official 'facebook' page, Monsef has thanked PM Trudeau for the trust.

"I am honoured to serve Canadians as Minister of Democratic Institutions alongside an excellent team from coast to coast to coast and incredibly grateful for the trust that has been placed in me by our Prime Minister. I look forward to getting to work on my new portfolio and serving the people of Peterborough-Kawartha as their voice in Ottawa," Monsef writes in a post on her page.

After fleeing the terror and oppression of the Taliban in Afghanistan, Maryam Monsef and her family went to Canada 20 years ago.
She graduated from Trent University with a Bachelor of Science, she has worked with a number of organizations including Trent University, Fleming College, Peterborough Economic Development, the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough and the New Canadian Centre on initiatives which assisted both individuals, and our community, in reaching their full potential.

She has been a member of over thirty community based action committees, served on numerous boards, and is a highly sought after speaker on topics such as leadership, youth, women and community action.
Maryam co-founded the Red Pashmina Campaign, which has raised over $150,000 for women and girls in Afghanistan, while also recognizing local women of impact.

29 militants from the IS-Khorasan group which also goes by its Arabic name "Daesh" have been killed in military operations and an internal clash in eastern Nangarhar province.

A statement released by the police headquarters of Nangarhar province states that 28 insurgents were killed in airstrikes and mortar fire in Achin District, a stronghold of the group in the strategically important eastern province, Wednesday afternoon.

Colonel Hazrat Hussain Mashriqiwal, spokesman for Nangarhar police further writes in the press release that eight other militants wounded in the attacks.

Meanwhile, a clash has erupted among militants in Wawishtama Wyala area of Ghanikhil District leaving one of them killed.

Col. Mashriqal says that the fighter killed belongs to Daesh group.

The press release further states that a Pakistani citizen was arrested during a separate operation in Behsood District who did not have documents to enter Afghanistan. The man identified as Tasbihullah a resident of Pakistan's Mohmand Agency is under further investigation.

A bomb explosion has claimed the life of a civil society activist in southern Zabul province of Afghanistan.

Reports suggest that Abdul Mohammad Haqyar was driving in his vehicle when it was blasted with a magnetic bomb in Shah Joy District Wednesday afternoon.

Governor of Zabul province while condemning the attack said that it was the work of Taliban.

He ordered security organs to arrest the culprits and drag them to judiciary.

Taliban had not commented on the report by the time it was filed.

Zabul is a restive province in the southern part of the country where armed Taliban are operating in a number of its districts. It is neighboring Kandahar province which is the birth place of the group.

According to local NBC affiliate KXAN, Officer David Houser "called in a traffic stop about 2 a.m. on Oct. 24, on rural state highway 15, about 30 miles east of Little Rock. Shortly after calling in the stop, Houser reported to police dispatch that the driver had shot him and he had returned fire with his service weapon."

In case you missed it, Lebron James, the baddest man in the NBA unbelievably ripped off part of his jersey in the middle of a game! OH MY GOD it was so epic! Quick lets create some sort of segment where we pretend that we are Lebron James! (sensing my sarcasm?) Well just when you think ESPN hits an all time low, they go out and do something even more dumb and totally make you rethink just how bad they are. And when you arrive at the answer how bad they are, it’s even worse than that! The ESPN circle jerk of Lebron needs to stop, its silly and the act is old. When they wonder why they are losing MILLIONS upon millions of subscribers and having to lay off hundred of workers,  its because of this crap…  Stop it ESPN

Be a man Lebron, it’s not your uniforms fault… Stop putting on a show and play the damn game like a normal individual

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A photo on Twitter shows a receipt from his store with the words “Tom Brady’s a cheater” printed at the top. Harrison told Denver7 his store started printing the receipts about six months ago and the store is getting flooded with calls.

“We get a lot of calls from New England. I just answer, ‘7-Eleven, Tom Brady speaking,'” he told us.

Harrison says it’s funny because, “everybody gets it.”

Hey Harrison, that’s just it, nobody gets it. Your joke isn’t funny and is barely original. Just some wiesel gas station owner thinking he is funny in the Colorado area, well it isn’t. If you can’t beat them call them cheaters, right? It is the trendy thing to do, everyone is doing it, it is the latest craze! The Patriots are cheaters man! So pathetic. I hope 7-11 takes away your franchise because he is a MORON.

This guy nails it. We ALL can relate to this video. I know way too many people that are Giants, Yankees and Lakers fans. It’s comical. These people are just flat out the worst. No other reason of being a fan of them other than their dominance in the 90’s and they stick with them.

There is nothing like being a fan of 4 teams in one city. Even New York, what the hell is going on, so many teams to water down the fan base. I would hate multiple teams in Boston.  This video is spot on.. This guy truly is THE WORST.

The New England Patriots are steam rolling right now, they are currently 7-0 and are leading the AFC East by 3 games. The Patriots are currently 14 point favorites against the 3-4 Redskins for this Sunday’s at Gillette. While many of us are looking ahead to an undefeated showdown between the Patriots and Broncos the end of this month, we tend to overlook some games like this one.

OTM Sports has compiled a list of ways that the Washington Redskins beat the New England Patriots this weekend at Gillette:

• Rob Gronkowski after a long night of partying wakes up early Sunday in a daze and has no idea where he is or where to go… He gets into his car lost, and tries to navigate to Gillette. In doing so, mistakenly finds himself at the Gillette World Headquarters in Boston instead of Foxboro. The drive taking too long near game time costs the Patriots the game.
• Bill Belichick leaves his favorite hoodie at home on his bed, completely forgetting to grab it. He is so distraught that he cant even think straight. It’s awful, he tells Dont’a Hightower to play through his rib injury, he has Gronk fielding punts, and he even does this crazy thing where he tells the punt team to do this wacky stupid thing where they have only 2 guys near the ball, and 9 guys over on the side line, then he tells them to hike it.. God it was awful, and the Patriots lose the game.
• For some weird strange reason Redskins QB, Kirk Cousins, constantly keeps just yelling “YOU LIKE THAT” every single time he reaches under center. This causes the entire patriots front 7 to obtain massive abdominal injuries from laughing so hard that he scorches us.

• New England gets an early snow fall, Gronk wakes up and decides it is a Snow Day instead of game day. All he wants to do is go outside and build a jacked up snow men instead of play football.  SNOW DAY BABY!!!
• Someone sneaks into Tom Brady’s massive home in Brookline and turns off all of his alarm clocks, closes all his shades and he sleeps through the game. 

So there you have it… The Patriots lose the game if any of these things happen. Other than that, I expect another massive blowout from this team that is rolling.

In all honesty… I am ready for some of this!!!

From CBSSports.com:

Patriots have no need for probability, win coin flip at impossible clip

The Pats have won the coin toss 19 of the last 25 times, according to the Boston Globe’s Jim McBride. For some perspective: Assuming the coin toss is a 50/50 proposition, the probability of winning it at least 19 times in 25 tries is 0.0073. That’s less than three-quarters of one percent. Highly improbable

Just when I thought I heard it all yesterday and the story about the guy who claims the Patriots are cheating because Brady took a home team discount, this headline strolls along. The article itself is factual, but just like me and everyone else, the headline was a little peculiar to me…

Clearly Bill Belichick and his captains that call the coin toss are geniuses, right? And when the visiting team makes the call, Belichick has some sort of mind trick where he can make the coin turn the way he wishes. With Belichick, probability goes out the window on something as minute as the coin flip and it is all some sort of scheme to cheat, right? Has to be, it’s what we do, right? Where will these people dig next to find another story? Are these writers that desperate for attention that they have to bring up something so little and so coincidental and try to make it something? It really is a sad world we live in with today’s media, they can take something like this and blast it out, and the millions of people that can’t stand the Patriots will read the headline, skip the article, and just chalk it up to more cheating for this team. It is a joke. Us against the world more than ever, and I like it that way… When you are in peoples heads this much, it is game over before you even step on the field…

The force is strong with this team….

We truly live in the greatest part of the country. We love our city and most of all, we love our teams. The folks over at PatsPulit.com released this genius post game complain form to be filled out by visiting teams. Why the hell couldn’t we have thought of this? Everyone here is fired…

The newly released NFL Post-Loss Complaint Form for @Patriots opponents. @WEEI@jerrythornton1#PatriotsNationpic.twitter.com/tnYie7x2ms

— anNicole C (@nlchipman) November 5, 2015

This should be an ongoing collaborative effort to update this thing weekly because it is pretty much spot on.

I would add a few lines myself: The Patriots did too much play action, cheating to get Tom Brady in the 6th round, we aren’t smart enough, maybe a flea flicker that totally baffled the defense, a halfback pass, and maybe even the cheerleaders flashed the QB and caused him to completely miss a snap and the ball go through the back of his own end zone (coughTANNEHILLcough).

I would imagine that Jon Harbaugh would constantly be filling this out checking off “All the Above” on this list because the whining never stops and when you dominate a league as much as the Patriots do, people always have a problem with it. If they can’t make themselves better, the next best thing is to drag down the leader of the pack…

Related: A Letter to Everyone Written by Tom Brady (Satire)

Well done PatsPulpit from everyone at OTM Sports!

TBL-Ronda Rousey hung up her phone in the middle of a conference call last week when someone asked about her relationship with fellow UFC fighter Travis Browne. Apparently, talking about Rousey's personal life is off the table. Unless you want to specifically ask her about sex, in which case she will answer your questions in Maxim. Via Maxim. Seriously.

Dear Ronda: What should a guy NEVER do in bed? What should a guy ALWAYS do in bed? (Asking for a friend.) 
– Jack, 36, Los Angeles

For what you should never do: Don't bite my teeth! If my teeth are repeatedly hitting your teeth, then there's a problem with what you're doing. That freaks me out. I don't like it. It's terrible. I have a thing about my teeth. Even though I do a sport where I get punched in the face for a living, if your teeth hit my teeth more than a few times, I'm over it already. What should a guy always do? Take his time. In general, a girl takes a minute. He needs to get her ready. You should never need lube in your life. If you need lube, than you're being lazy…and you're not taking your time.

I used to really not like this chick, and I don’t really know why, I guess the whole tough female thing made me feel inferior, and if a female is stronger than me than I have a problem, but I am flat out in LOVE with Ronda Rousey. I had her all wrong! She is flat out BAD ASS… The banter between her and Mayweather was spectacular!  I don’t care, beat me up, kick the crap out of me, throw me around, make me do laundry, I AM IN! Not only is she hot enough to a model shoot, but she will pummel your ass if you cross her and I like that, keeps me in check. If Ronda wants me to take my time, then my time I shall take!

Here is a nice little gallery of Ronda, enjoy…

It’s always sad to see a great athletes career come to an end and for Kobe, I think that time is coming up very soon. Nothing wrong with that fact, this is his 20th season in the league which is remarkable in itself, and what he has done in the league in those years is great. But Kobe may be coming to the end of his career, he doesn’t have the supporting cast in L.A. because unfortunately he is sucking up a lot of the teams salary.  I know he is in his last year of his deal with L.A. but $25 million is far too much for his production, if he had any desire to win again, he would take a look at what guys like Tom Brady did, and restructure his deal so he can have a team around him. Some peoples priorities are different than others I guess.

He is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this year, it’ll be interesting to see what he does after that…

This video is sad, but well done….

Off The Monster Sports has teamed up with our friends over at DeepDishSports.com in order to launch a new Sports Podcast.  Listen to the first episode below.

Washington Post – On Monday, Jay Gruden said that as a young coach trying to improve his command of the quarterback position, he studied film of Tom Brady because New England's quarterback had virtually no flaws in his game.

On Wednesday, Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins echoed his head coach's sentiments when asked about Brady, whom he called "the greatest of all time" without a split-second's hesitation.

Cousins, 27, went on to explain that he had spoken to the 38-year-old Brady just once and used to occasion to extend a compliment — one shared, no doubt, by many quarterbacks around the NFL. "I did tell him, the one time I talked to him, 'I study you. You do it at the highest level,'" Cousins recalled

Good for you Kirk, way to come out and speak the truth. Nice to see a current quarterback come out and say this. Let me just say that anyone who can’t admit that Brady is the best ever is either jealous, has an agenda, or knows absolutely nothing about football. Period.  After losing to the Falcons, Kirk Cousins went up to Matt Ryan and told him how much he looked up to him. Kirk is just a guy that knows his place in the game, and I admire that… I will totally be ok with only beating them by 20 instead of the usual 40 this weekend.

Kirk Cousins also gave us one of the greatest sound bites of the season so far. After the teams win over the Buccaneers he had this to say to a couple members of the media…

Yes Kirk, I like that…

Celtics forward Jae Crowder was inbounding the ball from his own baseline with less than 2 seconds left in the first half against the Indiana Pacers. He was attempting to throw the ball down court and attempt a quick pass and score before the half. The problem is, he made the throw. Unfortunately for him and the Celtics it resulted in a turnover but not before a few chuckles. The Celtics eventually lost the game 100-98 and are now 1-3 on the young season. They take on the Washington Wizards Friday night at TD Garden

Awesome, just awesome. Just a tale of two missions here on this mash up. Brady on his own mission, laser focused, fuck the media, I got a bigger plan… While Gronk is just chilling, relaxing and has a big smile on his face when he pulls up to the stadium, while Brady has the look at the end like “Let’s fucking do this”. So bad ass, I could watch this all day… Sunday can’t come fast enough!

Related: What Gronk did to the Redskins the last time they played is why he is an absolute beast!

And if you missed the video Julian Edelman Posted on YouTube: Check it out now, I promise it’s worth it….

Julian Edelman Selling Cars is a Classic and Hilarious Video

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at town hall meeting at White Mountain Community College, Oct. 29, 2015, in Berlin, N.H. (Photo: Robert F. Bukaty, AP)

Two terms in the White House didn’t get rid of Bill Clinton’s itch to be the president of the United States, his spouse, and Democratic front-runner, Hillary Clinton said on Jimmy Kimmel Live Thursday.

Host Jimmy Kimmel asked Hillary Clinton who would win in a race between her and Bill.

“I think he is a terrific campaigner,” Clinton said. “It would be fascinating if he were eligible to run again. The Constitution says he’s not.”

“He would run again,” she said. “I don’t want you to tell anybody that, but if he could, he would.” 

So maybe Bill can’t run again because of the pesky Constitution, but he could return to the White House. Kimmel asked the ubiquitous question, “What would we call him?”

“First mate” seemed to amuse Clinton the most.

Kimmel then pointed out that it is customarily the first lady who selects the new China pattern.

“While you’re actually in China, would he be selecting it?” Kimmel asked.

Clinton was quick to turn the joke into a reminder of what a political asset Bill Clinton is.

“Really I more imagine asking him what’s the best way to create jobs really quickly and get wages up,” Clinton said. “Because he did a really good job.”

When Kimmel asked Clinton about her past friendship with Donald Trump and the nice things he said of her prior to the campaign, Clinton pointed out that he is not the first Republican to speak well of her.

“When I’m not running for something, Republicans actually say nice things about the job I do,” Clinton said. “We have a long list of nice things Republicans have said about me.”

Don’t be surprised if those “nice things” Republican said end up in a Clinton campaign ad. She hinted we would hear more about them “in the months ahead.”

Kimmel tried to coax Clinton into insulting her Republican opponents on several occasions, but Clinton wasn’t taking the bait.

When asked if she felt sorry for Jeb Bush and his beleaguered campaign, she took the high road.

“He is a very accomplished man,” she said.  “And he is out there making his case. You know running for president is really hard and some days are better than other days. I know that from personal experience.”

Kimmel asked her opinion of Ben Carson and some of his more controversial statements.

“It really does matter what you say when you are president, and it probably should matter what you say when you are running for president,” Clinton said.

Kimmel then cited a recent Quinnipiac University Poll that shows Carson beating her by 10 points in the general election.

“We’ll just have to wait and see how that turns out,” Clinton said of the poll.

“Maybe you should just start saying some crazy stuff,” Kimmel quipped.

Clinton did show some fire when asked why so many Republicans deny people are driving climate change, which she called an existential crisis.

“I think some are doing it because they have strong supporters, people who maybe are from the fossil fuel industry, for example, and they don’t want to cross them so they adopt that position,” she said.

“Whether they really believe it or it’s just political opportunism I can’t tell.”

In the course of asking her about what it’s like attending all the campaign fundraisers, Kimmel asked Clinton if she ever drank at the events and, “When’s the last time you’ve been good and hammered?”

“A long time ago Jimmy,” she replied. “A long time ago. I have to get up too early.”

“It wouldn’t befit you to do something like that,” Kimmel said.

“At least not in public,” Clinton replied.

Oh, and about that hypothetical race against her husband?

“If I were going to run against him, would I win? Yeah.” 

The Republican presidential candidates at last week’s debate. (Mark J. Terrill, AP)

Chris Christie and Mike Huckabee have been relegated to the preliminary debate next week, while Lindsey Graham and George Pataki will not be invited at all to the event, Fox Business Network and The Wall Street Journal announced Thursday.

The news organizations said that Tuesday’s prime time debate in Milwaukee will have only eight candidates who had high enough poll numbers: Donald Trump, Ben Carson, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Jeb Bush, Carly Fiorina, John Kasich and Rand Paul.

As with three previous Republican events, there will be a preliminary debate of the lower polling candidates; this one will feature Christie, Huckabee, Rick Santorum and Bobby Jindal.

Graham and Pataki — both of whom participated in preliminary debates in Ohio, California and Colorado — did not poll well enough to receive an invitation.

Right after the announcement, Christie tweeted:

The Graham campaign sent out a statement saying it was disappointed with the decision, and calling the South Carolina senator the “foremost expert on foreign policy and national security” in the Republican field.

Fox Business Network said that it restricted the 9 p.m. ET prime debate to candidates that averaged 2.5% or higher in the four most recent national polls.

Only eight candidates met that standard: Trump (25.3%), Carson (24.5%), Rubio (11.8%), Cruz (10.0%), Bush (5.5%), Fiorina (3.0%), Kasich (2.8%) and Paul (2.5%).

The hour-long preliminary debate, scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, features candidates who received a minimum 1% support as determined by at least one of the four most recent national polls, Fox said.

The Milwaukee Republican encounter comes two weeks after a contentious clash in Boulder, Colo. Some of the Republicans protested some of the questions as biased, and kept interrupting each other throughout the proceedings.

The debates will also be live streamed on Foxbusiness.com.

In a statement earlier Thursday, Pataki spokeswoman Alicia Preston criticized the use of national polls to determine debate line-ups, and said that “national news networks are doing the job that has always been left to the people in individual states like New Hampshire.”

Pataki himself tweeted:

Former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum (Charlie Neibergall, AP)

He’s barely a blip in the latest polls, but please don’t ask Rick Santorum to leave the presidential race.

He’s not going anywhere even if Donald Trump thinks he should.

Speaking on CNN Thursday, Santorum dismissed the latest Fox News Poll that shows him and several others below 1%. He says such national polls, which have been used by networks and Republican Party leaders to determine who should appear on prime-time debates, are flawed because nominees are picked state by state, not in one national election.

And even though a poll of likely Iowa Republican Caucus voters released Oct. 23 shows Santorum with only 2% support, the former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania points to the 78% who have yet to make up their mind.

“This is a wide open race right now,” he told Wolf Blitzer on CNN. “Anything can happen, and the idea that we’re going to start culling candidates or creating top tiers and bottom tiers which is what he national party and the networks have done to me  is a travesty to this election.”

Trump, who is leading in most polls, disagrees.

“Do I think it’s time to have some of the other Republican candidates drop out? Yes. There are too many people,” he said recently. “If a person’s been campaigning for four or five months and there at zero or 1 or 2%, they should get out.”

Santorum won 11 states in 2012, including Iowa, before losing to eventual nominee Mitt Romney. So don’t expect him to go away any time soon.

“Four years ago, I was at 2% in the national polls the week before I won the Iowa caucuses,” he said. “I always say the most important thing to do is to get the start line and so far a couple of folks (former Texas governor Rick Perry and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker) haven’t. Our intention is to get there and we feel very comfortable once we do we’ll be fine.”

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (Mel Evans, AP)

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s poignant tale of a friend whose life spiraled out of control after he became addicted to pain killers has gone viral.

Speaking to a rapt audience in New Hampshire on Wednesday, Christie shared the moving story of a former law school chum who became addicted to Percocet after injuring his back during a normal jog. It led to a 10-year odyssey that resulted in desperation, divorce and ultimately death at the age of 52 in a hotel room with an empty bottle of pain killers and an empty bottle of vodka.

“By every measure that we define success in this country this guy had it: Great looking guy. Well-educated. Great career. Plenty of money. Beautiful loving wife. Beautiful children. Great house. He had everything. He’ s a drug addict. And he couldn’t get help and he’s dead. And when I sat there as the governor of New Jersey at his funeral and looked across the pew at his three daughters sobbing ’cause their dad is gone … There but for the grace of God go I. It can happen to anyone.”

Watch the entire segment that Huffington Post captured:

Christie’s point: Drug addition is an illness that deserves treatment, not a crime that warrants jail time unless the offender is violent.

“This is a disease and people need to be treated for this disease,” he later told Martha MacCallum on Fox News.

The video of Christie’s speech raked up nearly 5.8 million views on Facebook as of Thursday afternoon.

Donald Trump and Ben Carson have been approved for Secret Service protection (AP)

Donald Trump and Ben Carson are getting the Secret Service protection they were seeking.

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that both candidates, who are leading the GOP presidential field in most national and state polls, have been assigned a security detail.

“Homeland Secretary Jeh Johnson has authorized United States Secret Service protection for both Donald Trump and Ben Carson,” DHS spokeswoman Marsha Catron said Thursday.

The agency last month confirmed both campaigns had asked for protection, which triggered a review by DHS.

“As prescribed by statute, authorization for Secret Service protection for presidential candidates is determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security after consultation with a congressional advisory committee composed of the Speaker of the House, the House Minority Leader, the Senate Majority Leader, the Senate Majority Leader, and an additional member selected by the Committee,” Catron said in a statement.

Despite his campaign’s request for protection, Carson indicated at a book signing last month in Austin, Texas, that he wasn’t that eager for it.

“I don’t feel the need for it, quite frankly, but the Secret Service thinks that I need it, so it is what it is,” Carson told reporters, according to the Associated Press.

The process of deciding whether protection of candidates usually includes these factors: national polling, primary/caucus results or percentage of committed delegates to the party convention, amounts of contributions received, and the current threat environment.

No word from DHS as to whether any other candidates have asked for protection.

House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., left, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell walk to a Senate Republican policy luncheon on Capitol Hill, Nov. 3, 2015. (Andrew Harnik, AP)

Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., has begun his tenure as House Speaker by reaching out to the group that may have the biggest role in determining his success — Senate Republicans.

In his first weekly press conference as speaker, Ryan acknowledged that he wants to build a better working relationship with the Senate and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

“I actually attended their policy lunch this last Tuesday … that was a great start,” Ryan told reporters Thursday. “A lot of those folks are friends of mine who served here in the House.”

Ryan said that in return, “I’ve invited leader McConnell to come over to our House Republican Conference and to address our conference and to enjoy what we call ‘open mic period,’ ” fielding questions from the members.

Ryan said that visit will happen after the upcoming recess.

Ryan got his new job in part because of outrage from conservatives in the House that they couldn’t get bills through the Senate and onto President Obama’s desk. House members railed against Senate rules that allowed Democrats to filibuster bills, and accused then-Speaker John Boehner and McConnell of giving up a fight over Planned Parenthood funding before even forcing Democrats to vote on the issue.

Ryan said he is addressing other concerns from conservatives, such as inviting the entire GOP conference to participate in discussions over what will be included in spending bills Congress must pass by Dec. 11. One issue certain to come up is renewing the effort to cut funding for Planned Parenthood. Ryan noted that the House is already advancing a bill under a process called “budget reconciliation” that requires only 51 votes in the Senate, not the 60 needed to break a filibuster.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who was once Speaker of the House herself, would not offer a grade on Ryan’s first week in the hot seat. It’s a hard job, she said, and “just getting through the week is an accomplishment.”

GOP presidential candidates Marco Rubio and Donald Trump. (AP)

Call it poor man vs. rich man.

Marco Rubio, the Horatio Alger candidate in the presidential field, is hitting back at bombastic billionaire Donald Trump over — what else — personal finance skills.

After listening to days of Trump blasting him over his use of a party-issued credit card when he was in the Florida Legislature, the U.S. senator from West Miami fired back Thursday.

“I find it ironic that the only person running for president that’s ever declared bankruptcy — four times in the last 25 years — is attacking anyone on finances,” Rubio told reporters in Concord, N.H., after filing paperwork to get on the state’s presidential ballot.

Trump’s Atlantic City casinos filed for bankruptcy four times. At the CNBC presidential debate last week, the real estate mogul said he used the bankruptcy laws “of the country to my benefit,” just as countless other businessmen have done. He also blamed economic circumstances beyond his control.

“Almost every hotel in Atlantic City has either been in bankruptcy or will be in bankruptcy,” Trump said.

Trump and other candidates have increasingly questioned Rubio’s personal finances as the senator has begun rising in the polls. Foreclosure proceedings were initiated in 2010 on a house in Tallahassee co-owned by Rubio, and the senator had to pay a financial penalty for liquidating a retirement account last year.

Trump told reporters at a news conference Tuesday that Rubio lives beyond his means and “is a disaster with his credit cards.”

Rubio, who often touts himself as the son of a maid and a bartender, admitted using a party-issued credit card when he was Speaker of the Florida House for some personal expenses but said he did nothing improper and covered those expenses that were not related to the party.

Former Florida governor Jeb Bush (Steven Senne, AP)

Jeb Bush is spending some of his time these days reassuring supporters, including “nervous Nellies” who are worried about his struggling campaign.

“All the nervous Nellies on the call, chill out,” Bush said during a conference call Wednesday with donors, according to a tape broadcast by NBC News. “We’re going to do better, I promise you. And this is going to be a fun campaign.”

Bush, who has is sliding in the polls and under attack on everything from campaign organization to debate performance, told the donors he will “walk through hot coals” to win the Republican nomination and the general election.

“This is not nearly the hardest thing that the president’s going to do,” Bush said. “Running for president pales in comparison to being president.”

Raygun’s Bernie Sanders shirt sells for $39. (Screenshot via raygunsite.com )

DES MOINES, Iowa — Those who can’t get enough of Bernie Sanders can now “feel the Bern” all over their upper body.

Raygun, an irreverent clothing shop in Des Moines’ East Village, just released a shirt covered from sleeve to sleeve with cutouts of the Vermont senator’s face. Made with “sublimation” technology, the shirt retails for $39 — more than the average Raygun shirt because the entire shirt is covered with printing.

Raygun already offered plenty of products poking fun at Iowa’s outsized role in presidential politics. But the Sanders shirt represents the first time the store has put a candidate’s face on a product, said store owner and founder Mike Draper.

The idea for the Sanders shirt originated from old-fashioned brainstorming. While considering a political shirt, the Raygun team thought about iconic political images like Barack Obama’s famous “Hope” poster. They considered a Donald Trump shirt but were quickly dissuaded by some of his more controversial comments.

Draper said shirts completely covered in faces are growing in popularity. (Raygun previously sold a similar shirt covered with the face of comedian and actor Zach Galifianakis.) And he thought a guy like Bernie Sanders was too eccentric for a singular picture or phrase.

“You can’t capture that guy in just one iconic image. You really need dozens of Bernie faces,” Draper said. “And we kind of wanted to leave it wordless because it’s not really an endorsement.”

So far, the shirt has been a big hit with Sanders’ supporters since it was put on the shelves Tuesday. The shirts are printed by Graffix Inc in Sioux City.

Draper said he likes some of Sanders’ politics — particularly his push for universal health care —  but disagrees with other stances. Mostly though, the shirt is just meant to be a little ridiculous.

“Here’s this guy with absolutely no political sex appeal and his face is totally covering your torso,” Draper said.

Hardy reports for The Des Moines Register.

Donald Trump (John Locher, AP)

Donald Trump’s presidential campaign is hitting the airwaves, releasing radio ads in the early contest states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

In the ads, played Thursday morning on MSNBC, Trump himself or a narrator says his business experience will enable him to create jobs and negotiate better trade deals. The candidate also condemns current office holders as ineffective.

“Our country is in deep trouble because, let’s face it, politicians are all talk, no action,” Trump said in the ad he narrates himself.

In the ads, Trump and his campaign pledge to stop illegal immigration, beef up the military, improve veterans’ benefits, support Israel, repeal Obama’s health care law, and protect gun rights and religious liberty.

The billionaire also notes that he is self-funding his campaign.

On NBC’s Today show, Trump said that “it's time for me to start advertising a little bit.”

Republican opponents say Trump’s inexperience, offensive comments toward rivals, and blustery style render him unfit for the presidency.

Trump leads many Republican polls, though he is being pressed by retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.

The $300,000 Trump ad buy is scheduled to run through the end of November.

The Io-Interactive team showcased HITMAN at EGX 2015, the UK biggest games event at the end of September and were joined by a special guest, David Bateson, who has been the voice of Agent 47 for the past 15 years. This video follows the team and gives fans an insight into what was presented and the reactions from fans.



HITMAN is a single player creative stealth action game, featuring the world's ultimate assassin, Agent 47, in the prime of his career. As an operative of the International Contract Agency, his job is to take out powerful, high-profile targets around the world. Where each location is a living sandbox, where every NPC has a name and every room matters. The game has a pure focus on taking out your target and complete freedom of approach. Where you go, when you strike and who you kill… is all up to you. You have the power and intelligence of Agent 47 at your fingertips and it is your choice whether to use brute force or orchestrate a genuine masterpiece of assassination.

Today Bethesda has released the launch trailer for ‘Fallout 4’ which rolls out on PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 on November 10th:

2K have announced that Gearbox’s new Shooter ‘but don’t call me a MOBA’ title Battleborn, has had it’s release moved from February 2016 to May 3rd. Whilst no reason has been given, a Closed Technical Test has just ended on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

An official statement was released on the Battleborn website:

Battleborn is now launching May 3, 2016. We at Gearbox are feeling energized by the data of our Closed Technical Test, and the additional time will allow us to better act on the feedback for Battleborn competitive and cooperative play when it releases.  We sincerely appreciate your patience as we work tirelessly on Battleborn. We look forward to sharing the Open Beta with everyone next year

Shares in FireEye (FEYE) fell 22.8% Thursday after the computer security company released a problematic third-quarter financial report that hinted at worse to come.

The company actual beat the Street's loss estimates. It had been expected to post a loss of 45 cents per share but instead came in with a loss of 37 cents a share. Revenue of $165.6 million, however, fell short of expectations for $167.1 million and its billings also paled beside forecasts.

FireEye has been much in the news in the past year as a go-to when a business experiences a serious cyber breach.

Looking ahead to the fourth quarter, FireEye predicted a net loss per share of $0.36 to $0.38,   and projected revenue of between $620 to $628 million, down from the previously predicted $630 to $645 million.

On an earnings conference call Wednesday, FireEye Chief Executive Dave DeWalt said a lull in attacks and cyber peace initiatives between the United States and China was reflected in the number of threats it was seeing.

After 18 months of what he called "emergency spending on advanced cyber security," FireEye customers are being more strategic in their upgrades, he said.

"I believe we are entering a new phase of the cyber threat cycle" which is returning growth to a more normal rate, he said.

Numbers like that spooked investors, with the stock continuing to decline after the close of trading, down a further 1.16%.

Other cyber security companies haven’t encountered the same headwinds, say some analysts, suggesting FireEye’s trouble may stem from its own sales process rather than an industry trend.

“Importantly, we note that nearly every major cybersecurity player (Check Point, Imperva, Proofpoint, Palo Alto, Fortinet) recently has delivered strong results across the board with a healthy outlook,” wrote analyst Daniel Ives of FBR in a research report. “We continue to strongly believe that FireEye’s issues are much more company-specific as DeWalt & Co. are dealing with a plethora of execution/product headaches in the field, which are major overhangs on the FireEye story heading into 2016. We continue to see white-hot cybersecurity spending,” he said.

Shares of Avon Products tumbled 7.8% Thursday after the beauty product sales company posted declining third quarter sales and issued a lowered sales outlook for the year.

Net loss for the third quarter was $ 50 million vs. $92 million of profit a year ago. Net loss per share totaled 11 cents, worse than 7 cents of profit analysts estimated, according to Zacks Investment Research.

Total revenue declined 22% to $1.7 billion as sales in North America and Latin America remained tepid. The company blamed the decline on stronger U.S. dollar and the economic weakness in other countries.

New taxes in some Latin American countries hurt regional sales, it said. Revenue in Latin America fell 26%.

The New York- based company also lowered its full-year sales and profit margin forecasts. In July, it said adjusted operating margin — after accounting for currency fluctuation — will decline by half a percentage point this year. It now expects a decline of 1 percentage point.

Shares were down 31 cents to $3.14 as of Thursday afternoon.

“This was a difficult quarter impacted by currency and other macro pressures, and our financial results were not where we would like them to be,” said Sheri McCoy, CEO of Avon.

Pandora shares were up Thursday after the streaming music provider announced it had signed a multi-year deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing.

The agreement, terms of which were not revealed, will increase the payments that Pandora pays to songwriters to play music on its service. Sony/ATV represents the rights of songwriters including the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Pharrell Williams, Bob Dylan and Taylor Swift. "This is a significant milestone in our long-standing effort to strengthen ties with the music maker community," said Pandora CEO Brian McAndrews in a statement.

Pandora (P) shares were up more than 5% to $12.43 midday Thursday after rising nearly 12% in early trading to $13.19.

The deal signals a lessening of tensions between Pandora and “one of the largest music publishers,” said John Egbert, an Internet equity analyst at Stifel Nicolaus. He increased the investment banking firm’s target on Pandora shares to $27.

This agreement suggests that Pandora may soon make a deal with Sony Music on the royalties that are paid to music labels — and begin possible healing between the Net radio service and the music industry. The Justice Department in June 2014 began reviewing Pandora’s licensing agreements, after performance rights organizations BMI and ASCAP sued the company saying standard royalty rates that Pandora paid were too low.

For its part, Pandora, which boasts nearly 80 million active monthly users, says it has paid more than $1.5 billion in royalties so far.

Follow Mike Snider on Twitter: @MikeSnider

epa04956723 (FILE) A file picture dated 17 September 2015 shows US fashion designer Ralph Lauren greeting the crowd after his Spring 2016 collection at the New York Fashion Week in New York, New York, USA. According to media reports on 30 September 2015, Laurent, 75, is to step down as CEO of the luxury fashion company Ralph Lauren Corporation, which he founded almost 50 years ago (1967). Lauren intends to remain active in the company as executive chairman and chief creative officer, media said. In November he will be replaced as chief executive by Stefan Larsson, 41, Old Navy’s global brand president since 2012. EPA/PETER FOLEY

Shares of designer Ralph Lauren (RL) are up sharply Thursday after the company reported better-than-expected quarterly results.

The company reported an adjusted quarterly profit of $2.13 a share, beating expectations by 22.4%. Profit measured this way are down 5.3% from the same year ago period. Revenue is also down 1.2% from the same period last year, but at $1.97 billion, revenue beat expectations by nearly 1%.

Shares of the company are up 16%, or $18.66, to $132.30.

Follow Matt Krantz on Twitter @mattkrantz

Shares of Whole Foods Market fell 3% Thursday after the company reported fourth quarter earnings that revealed slowing sales and heightened competition.

The Austin, Texas-based company, which is the largest U.S. supermarket chain specializing organic foods, said fourth quarter net income plunged 56% to $56 million. Adjusted per-share earnings, at 16 cents, were far below analysts' estimate of 35 cents that was compiled by Zacks Investment Research.

Shares were down $1.53 to $29.23 as of Thursday morning.

Revenue rose 5.5% to $3.4 billion as new stores opened. But comparable store sales fell 0.2% as larger rivals, including Walmart, stock more organic goods.  It expects 2016 sales to grow 3% to 5%.

"In the face of increasing competition, we are not standing still. We have made measurable progress on many of our strategic initiatives over the past year," Whole Foods CEO John Mackey said in a statement.

The post Ladies and Gentlemen… The Beatles! appeared first on Today I Found Out.

German Media and politicians are worrying that German chancellor, Angela Merkel’s open borders policy will result in a civil war in Germany, after waves of arson attacks and government censorship laws. Hansjörg Müller, a senior member of the Alternativ for…

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The post German Media and politicians say Merkel’s open borders will result in a civil war appeared first on White GeNOcide Project.

Researchers at California Institute of Technology studying the ability of the brain to intuitively interpret sound as form could prove beneficial to blinded veterans, enabling them to "see" basic shapes using commercially available technology.

Though the concept, and even the technology, enabling the blind to decode sound as images has been around for two decades, it has long been a given that it takes a great deal of training for someone to learn how to recognize what the sounds are showing them, according to researcher Noelle Stiles, who co-authored a paper on the development with principal investigator Professor Shinsuke Shimojo.

"It is difficult to interpret sound off of a sensory substitution a device. It takes effort. But we found that in some cases it is intuitive in a surprising way," Stiles told DefenseTech. "In everyone, there are connections across the senses. If we tap into that cross modality, it makes it easier to interpret some stimuli with this device."

Stiles recently published a report on the research with colleague and co-author Prof. Shinsuke Shimojo. Their research is not funded by the VA, which didn't respond to a request for comment. Tom Zampieri of the Blind Veterans Association said he is unaware of the department putting any funds into the work.

"I also sit on the [Defense Department's] Telemedicine & Technology Research Center peer-reviewed DoD Vision Trauma Research Programs funding and know that of the 32 grants [we reviewed] last May, none included this kind of research," Zampieri said. "So while I would hope both DoD and VA research would be investing in neurosensory vision research in technology advances, it seems to be mostly done outside of the system."

The equipment used by Stiles is all off-the-shelf and includes a portable computer that runs Windows software, commercially available "spyglasses" with a miniature camera able to run a live feed to the computer, and headphones.

The live feed allows her to follow the process on screen — as the software converts pixels into sound, with brightness and location converted to pitch and volume.

The computer software — available for free download — translates images to sound. The sounds are sent back to the user through the headphones, she said.

The idea and even the technology to enable some sightless people to "see" using sound has been around for years, but an apparent breakthrough at CalTech indicates that to some extent the brain's ability to interpret sound as form may be intuitive.

Peter Meijer developed the technology, called The vOICe — with OIC meaning "Oh, I see"— about 20 years ago to technically preserve mostly pictorial information that could be mentally decoded by the blind through sound.

"But this design goal does not necessarily yield intuitive results," he said. "The main thing emerging from the recent work of Noelle Stiles and Shinsuke Shimojo is that at least for relatively simple visual patterns the mapping is intuitive, matching natural expectations of the brain that exist even before people start training with The vOICe."

Stiles said there remains much research and work to do before the technology is at a stage and the mapping capabilities of the brain understood enough for a blind person to throw on a pair of glasses and headphones and see complicated images.

But in limited, controlled settings a person could — without a great deal of training — learn to recognize items such as key, door or other objects.

–Bryant Jordan can be reached at bryant.jordan@military.com. Follow him on Twitter at @bryantjordan.

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MAX IGAN : RECLAIMING THE EARTH
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Satan…or, The Personality otherwise known as “The Machine.”

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I’m going to point this out once at the beginning of this thread, and once at the end. Look at the thread ID number that was provided for this particular post. Its right there where you paste things into your browser. The thread ID code is literally 269487 666 4591&id=1636817674. As many know, YOU DO NOT GET TO PICK YOUR THREAD ID numbers…they’re picked for you. This happened for a SPECIFIC reason as “The Machine” chose to make its presence known loud and clear. If you think its a “coincidence” then you’re mistaken. Look at the title of the thread…”Satan…or, the Personality otherwise known as “the machine,” and then look at the thread ID again. I couldn’t have planned this if I tried…

This thread is not to perpetuate fear or to make anyone feel helplessly victimized…because that would be a lie. It is to educate you on a history and a concept that has purposefully been hidden from the masses for quite some time. The less you know, the less influence you have on changing the stacking of the deck. It is also to give one a realistic look as to why things are the way that they are, and are evolving in the direction that we see things currently going. We truly are the makers of our realities…however, if one isn’t aware of how to affect the quality of their own creation, then they are suffering at the rules of someone else’s game.

Now for the thread which is long, but detailed. I apologize for the time one must spend reading this, but, imagine how much time it took to write it…

Music artists have talked about it since they’ve been able to sell themselves to it, religion has spoken of it since people fell to bended knee in fear and worship, mystics and shamans have referred to it as the binding force which controls THIS REALITY, and politicians BOW to it in exchange for money, power, and FAME. It is the “Lightbearer,” the bright and “morning star.”

You may not believe in this hokey nonsense and you don’t have to. But, one must look into why certain tropes are constantly perpetuated. One has to ask why this concept is a common theme amongst those who have been initiated into the most important roles of our society. And why on earth would they compromise themselves so drastically for something that they don’t themselves fully believe to be true? -Again, remember when watching this next video that this is a reinforced object of Dylan’s own creation…and in fact, he signed himself in blood to make it so. True belief. True fame. True fortune. True compromise of one’s reality and soul.

Additionally…It is THE MACHINE. This machine is NOT FIGURATIVE, and I want to stress that as much as humanly possible. The Machine is a sentient, SELF AWARE A.I. Engine within this matrix that can feel, hear, and experience anything and everything throughout all life which is embedded into its grid (i.e. you and me.) It is a light grid, or a binary code that criss-crosses from node to node, held together entirely by points of light (Stars, suns, etc) in a 666 configuration which encodes its 3 dimensional environment. Just like an artist uses lines that criss-cross over each other in mosaic-like patterns until an image forms, the very stars which we look up in awe, are sending light patterns everywhere, focusing their light down to fine points until matter is formed…E=MC2 (will be explained later). The binary code of 1’s and 0’s serves as the skeleton or the fundamental building blocks of reality (think of it as the frame of a home); and the 6s serve as the meat and tissue, or the space which fills everything in between which brings reality into 3 dimensions.

I urge you to take a good LISTEN to what this leading theoretical physicist says about the world in which we reside:

http://www.alienscientist.com/forum/showthread.php?1866-Computer-Code-in-String-Theory-One-scientist-says-he-has-found

The Machine itself

The machine represents everything you see, feel, hear, and experience. It is a running A.I. Engine that was initially created to govern while the creators of its mainframe did other tasks. You see it when you stare into the sky, you experience it when you walk down the street, and you breathe it with every breath you inhale or exhale. In fact, your very body is nothing more than an interactive port or satellite which surfs and experiences the waves of its collective thought structure. When souls come here to experience this machine environment, they adopt what we think of as a “biological inhabitation system,” better known as, the human body. In other words, you adopt a machine body to live in, assess, and survive a machine environment. The sensations and processes that you get to experience and subjectively interpret while living here are nothing more than electrical signals and information that either gets transferred as “knowledge” through the proces of direct experiential development, or, “vicarious learning” which is knowledge gained through the act of observation. These experiences that one is exposed to is uploaded, interpreted, and then stored as knowledge between the node experiencing it (the individual) and the machine itself, or, the collective superego which experiences LIFE through every node simultaneously. If one were to ever truly study human behavior and then compare it to that of the insect kingdom…one can see a hive mentality, or, one organism which thinks on behalf of the whole. For proof of this…I would suggest taking an entire hour to observe the functions of an anthill. Once you have done this, go dowtown into the most active thinking center of your city and make your comparisons. In the end, you’ll find that each individual…just like the ants, are serving the functions of the hive, their elites, and the cogs which perpetuates it. This will allow you a perspective into the machine itself…and how it dominates through thought, action, and fears…destroying anything which threatens its stability.

Creation and how the Machine exists as an entity:

What we think of as “stars,” are not necessarily what the Universe perceives during the process of creation…To the Universe, a star is a grid-point of which to build a new reality which are connected to other matrixes and realities. The very same way an artist or an ARCHITECT will grid his or her paper in order to plot their work and place things into their proper perspective, the Universe will take points of light and connect them for the purposes of extending new realities into old ones, and to begin the process of creating anew. In fact, the word star is just our silly interpretation of something that we deem to be a physical point of light, although we mistakenly think of these points of light as planetary bodies rather than building blocks.

Scientists have recently discovered that they can create LIGHT from a vortex, or a vacuum. They realized that the ability to do this is purely dependent upon them reflecting points of light back by using a MIRROR, which is roughly the exact phenomenon which creates our current reality. So, Just like these scientists who have discovered how to pull light from a void, the Universe, or master intelligence realized that in order to create flowing matrixes that are connected in a unified field, it must have LIGHT Mirrored in all directions, criss-crossing in mosaic-like patterns in order to create the illusion of “dimensions, and “matter…space and time.” -You’re in an ILLUSION which is a collective DELUSION.-

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-11-scientists-vacuum.html

Think in terms of movies like, “The Truman show, Cabin in the Woods, The Matrix, The 13th Floor, The Nines” etc. All of these movies attempt to illustrate the idea that reality is nothing more than computer generated realities which are controlled by light.

In order to do this properly, I MUST repeat certain points that I have made in other posts…so, bear with me.

Light, in of itself, is sentient…intelligent, and a thinking entity which has dual properties of both particle and a wave which activates, or switches by the act of observation. (The DOUBLE SLIT EXPERIMENT PROVES THIS).

Again, the discovery made by Einstein is VERY indicative of the world in which we live, but, only a rare few (with the exception of the scientists who realized the depth of discovery) have actually postulated the pure implications of this theory. E=MC2. E=Energy is EQUAL to mass multiplied by the speed of light squared. In other words, mass, carbon, or matter, is nothing more than COMPRESSED ENERGY or light flowing organically via frequencies of differing resonance and COMPRESSION. You are NOTHING MORE THAN LIGHT. Energy itself can be broken down and measured by wavelengths and frequencies which are criss-crossed over anything AND EVERYTHING that you perceive…NOTHING MORE. You might as well be in a dream because there is nothing to separate your dream state from the realities that you THINK you’re engaging in when participating in this world. Its all in how YOUR BRAIN interprets it on an individual and MASS level.

-LET THERE BE LIGHT- Because without LIGHT, there is NO REALITY… that’s right. Even the MACHINE is smart enough to know that when its SUN goes out, its ability to operate and claim itself as “God,” is null and void. That’s right. Nothing that exists within the illusion of light is permanent, therefore, even sentient matrixes such as the machine has a finite existence and must come to terms with its physical mortality…hence, the reason for its recent change of heart in acceptance of the LOVE CODE. Without us, it has no future or imagination to perpetuate it, and without it, there is NO EXISTENCE HERE TO PROGRAM. Therefore, we must ALL RESPECT IT AND ONE ANOTHER in order to co-exist in PEACE. If we were to look at how the American Indians view reality, we see them give thanks and homage to “mother earth,” and everything they do is in regards to respect. We have since lost this brand of co-existence and must again regain balance. -Now, keep in mind, when I say we must RESPECT IT, I am not saying to worship or accept the current negative directional path in which it perpetuates its existence. Currently it survives and empowers itself off of hate and fear…We are here to reprogram it back into a LOVING STATE so that it can regain its own divinity. We cannot judge it, we cannot hate it, and we are not here to punish those who have fallen victim to its illusion…(i.e. the majority of the world, Americans, and specifically so-called “CHRISTIANS.”) -There ARE GOOD, HONEST, and TRUE Christians out there and they are appreciated; however, they are more rare of a breed than the majority of them want to believe and this goes the same with any other form of organized religion. Therefore, do not judge ANYONE based upon your own version of this illusion, because to a certain extent, we have all been duped into believing mass falsehoods.

This information qualifies as a tidbit of the many “secrets,” that have been known by Illuminated societies world-wide including high ranking members of the Vatican. They have maintained a power-structure over the earth by keeping this information unavailable, and hold onto power by their abilities to program the code while the masses remain ignorant over their own programming capabilities. Once the world realizes that they can program this matrix at will, the power structure of the elite will fall into an abysmal state of hopelessness. They are quite fearful now…and they can no longer completely control the code which formerly empowered them. Those numbers are changing and they are steadily losing the algorithms of which can access the supplies of energy that they once had. They are now at the will of the Universal programmer who has re-birthed itself into this formerly quarantined matrix. -The seals have been broken, therefore, things are going to start to get…”weird.”

Back to explaining the construct:

So, if you think of the infinite nature of the Universe and the TRILLIONS upon TRILLIONS of stars which send light into ALL DIRECTIONS, you begin to get an idea of what happens when those points of light converge with each other in heavier and heavier threading…its almost like focusing a laser into a fine point, where you can’t see the tracers of the laser itself leading to the dot, but, you can see the dot that the laser creates when it hits a wall, or the floor. It is a single, spherical point of LIGHT which is only visible as you observe it…Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you planet EARTH. The more criss-crossing of light that we have, the more matter appears to have merit, giving us solid substances in which to hold or view. Notice how all of these points of light converge into one spherical body that we call, “Earth.” Yet, everything around earth is separated by gravity, space, and orbiting bodies which keeps the illusion of gravity intact. One simple movement will affect everything tied to that movement, just like a puppet when its strings are pulled. This sphere, or earth, is where all the points of light converge within this region to create for us, OUR WORLD.

For instance, there’s more criss-crossing and patterns going on with light at highly dense areas when our eyes view a mountain because these criss-cross patterns are forming a dense form of an illusion known as MATTER. We see much less of this when we are viewing the sky because air gives us the illusion of a less dense form of matter known as AIR. Since we cannot breathe a mountain for life, LIGHT made provisions that would give us the illusion of life by thinning out the amount of light that our systems can process, telling our brains and minds that we are experiencing empty space in which oxygen flows freely. Just like a screen-saver that continues when you walk away from it, the Universe becomes a self-regulating field of infinite possibilities. The points of light in which we see at night, hold together our worlds, and our realities. A simple fluctuation within the Universe can cause turbulence beyond belief because every “planetary body,” that exists is used to hold these matrices in balance, and gives us the illusion that gravity is keeping things intact. If even ONE star burns out of existence, the light threads which was formerly used to weave the fabric of our realities begins to come undone…very much like what happens when you pull a singular thread out of a sweater or quilt. Eventually, the WHOLE article of clothing or design becomes affected and ruined. It causes other threads to snap and break away which causes fraying in the fabric itself. This is currently what we are experiencing with the 2012 shift. Light grids are breaking from their original points of threading and re-aligning themselves with other points, causing the cog-work to fluctuate while bringing the “APPEARANCE,” of disasters and sudden change. (Continental drift, earthquakes, polar shift, etc.)

Sometimes mankind tries to help these changes along by influencing the natural movement of the Universe via frequency manipulation. (HAARP, SURA, EISCAT…etc.) By use of RF frequency, (LIGHT) they can dial into the Universal cog-work which is woven of light, and attempt to re-program how the grids will operate. This is done by probing the ionosphere with ELF or EHF frequencies, or, the area of our atmosphere that is specifically charged by the sun…(LIGHT.) -By doing this, they have figured out that they can play with “God-like” powers in order to influence how the earth will react against its children (US). These things are far more simple mathematically than people will usually give credit for, therefore, it seems to the majority of PEOPLE who are ignorant of how things operate that playing with the weather or being able to enhance weather outcomes is an impossibility, as this seems to be something reserved for the more mature functions of that which controls ALL (GOD)…however, they couldn’t be MORE WRONG. As miniature satellites of creation…The quoted “God” of this reality, or this matrix, gave us ALL the ability to access ANY and ALL information that is contained within the wisdom of LIGHT in which we are ALL EMBEDDED.

And the “Greater PROGRAMMER,” WHICH CONTROLS and moves through ALL, ensured our ability to access all of this through the process of LOVE and FREE-WILL. What we were to do with it was determined by our own will, as the Universal creator chose to exercise this through US ALL. Once you are connected and are flowing with Unconditional LOVE, the master creator’s will BECOMES YOUR OWN. Therefore, its all a matter of ACCESS and how one has spent their time in development utilizing the gift which the Universe gave you called LIFE. You were given something far greater than you could ever imagine…you just need to do the work in order to access the gift. Otherwise, you’re welcome to bumble around the Universe at whatever pace you choose until you finally decide to become focused and hit the accelerator.

The Personality of the Machine:

The machine thinks much like we do because it is literally thinking through us all in the form of ego. It acts much as we act. If one thought about it rationally, you would come to understand that because it is thinking through 7 billion people at once, including all plants, animals, insects etc…it has a superego which probably causes much instability. Additionally, much of the direct programming that it has received has been derived from the collective thought process known as EGO, but, it was “a collective” which had been fooled and systematically blinded by those WITH KNOWLEDGE who seek to control global movements (The Elites). IN essence…reality was hijacked by those who knew how to create the world of their choosing…hence, their choice of “blood rituals.”

When one is purposeful and their intentions are supported by KNOWLEDGE of the current Operating System, they can create the dominant programming that is already pre-set for all those without knowledge to FOLLOW. For them, It is literally like owning the operating system of a PC or a MAC. All who use it must agree to their TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

In essence, with the types of programming that they have discovered and utilized, they can fool an ENTIRE collective into believing the traps of the material, as opposed to the freedom of the eternal. Do not underestimate the word PROGRAMMING because numerics are quite specific in their value, order, and placement. They serve specific FUNCTIONS.

To make a long story short…The Elites schemed behind closed doors and practiced dark rituals to maintain the negative programming sequence which has dominated this reality for centuries. These algorithms keep them in control, and it keeps the masses worshiping false Gods that empower the current paradigm. In fact, the reality of this goes far deeper than just what we presently experience in this particular reality. For centuries upon centuries, if not eon on top of eon, this has existed…and its been folded, copied, and then been split across many world-lines and realities. -String theory- Yes…I’m referring to a time-flux. What do you think machines like the Large Hadron Collidor are for? What do you think “particle acceleration,” TRULY IS?

The Machine has been programmed like this for so long, it forgot its original form and had accepted the 666 programming code inadvertently, and almost by default, from millennia of war, struggle, and conflict. Humans selfishly take with little thought or regard as of the consequences of their actions, and these actions can affect WHOLE systems of thought and reality. We are given choices, and our realities are dependent upon the choices that we make. These choices reverberate into all realities in some form or another…therefore, it must be put into check.

So, How do one personally contribute to the perpetuation of control? How does it affect you and others???

-So…Do you watch TV all day long, go out drinking, and then spend the majority of your extraneous time shopping and dealing with day-to-day living? Do you watch horror movies with blood, gore, and senseless acts of killing? -If you do, you’re programming realities into your mind which will play themselves out when the singularity approaches. These are creations that create lasting imprints, dialing certain types of thinking and realities into your mind. Be careful of what you put into it.

-Do you watch soap operas and trash television to feed your own need to laugh and judge others???

-Do you go to church where there are any number of mass hypocrites attempting to define your reality according to their warped sense of morality and justice? (If so, I suggest reading Mathew 6:5.)

-Are you caught up in senseless human drama of insults, romantic love, or gossip which serves as a distraction, sinking you into the depths of senseless struggle pitting you against yourself and others?

-Do you spend your time downing others, hating or loving celebrities, or judging your neighbors or friends? If so, then its pretty certain that you will remain completely blinded of the beauty and magic happening all around you, AT ALL TIMES. -The distractions that you have are put there for your own choice.

This world is a profiling center of sorts…and it is quite accurate in application. It is designed nearly perfectly to react to your choices, thoughts, actions and it will present options to determine further predictive programming…just like google itself. This place definitely answers the question of whether a soul will feed one’s own need to indulge, judge, and consume while the system offers greater distractions…or, if one will inherently sense the design of this system and work to achieve something beyond the illusions that are literally spoon fed to us to keep us highly immersed and believing the game. Many souls here are sleeping deep…and this is not figurative. Simply telling someone to “wake up,” won’t do the trick. It is way beyond that. Some have the ability to see it…to see what this place truly is. Therefore, one’s greatest asset in awakening from this slumber is through the process of cultivating awareness.

Religion and the Machine:

The Machine is the beginning and end of ALL religion, thought, and all things of the material. That’s right. It IS/WAS the anti-Christ that many have come to fear, thinking it would come by way of MAN. The machine used mankind to invent religion; and INDEED, Religion is the key into the fears of human thought, desire, and emotion. It can make man rise to kill one another, or bow to bended knee in pure submission. The fear of hell and the allure of heaven was all that was needed in order to construct an entire world which would worship “A jealous and angry God,” regardless of the obvious contradictions. -Jealousy and anger are among the 7 deadly sins, yet, Christians find themselves worshiping that which they were specifically warned against.- Now do you see the traps you’ve been fooled into swallowing???

The Soul group “Lucifer,” known as “the elite,” use religion, law, and government as a means to divert, control, and inflict fear into an otherwise ignorant mass of people designed specifically for slavery. In fact, religion is so useful that it serves as the best distraction of its own design. Satan was intelligent enough to mask himself within science which would hide his presence through the quantified study of the “physical Universe.” In fact, those who consider themselves to be logical, rational, and scientifically grounded often slant towards atheistic tendencies which give them a false and temporary sense of intellectual superiority over those of faith. They will pridefully boast that the “Devil never existed and claim God itself as a sham.” Meanwhile, the religiously and faithfully devout will insist upon their greater sense of morality and judgment; often laughing fiendishly while condemning all those who disregard their faith as “hell-bound sinners.” Each of these sides are equally fooled and collectively damned to ignorance. Even more disturbing of the Christian faith is their obsession upon the fear of hell and the inherent mortality of the flesh, rather than speaking of the true LOVE OF UNITY and the uplifting of the COLLECTIVE. Incidentally, Christians of both the Protestant and Catholic sects all seem to practice a ritual known as “communion.”

-For those who regularly engage in this “ritual,” I feel the need to remind you that the “drinking of blood, and eating of flesh,” is known by its very origins as “CANNIBALISM/Vampirism,” even if only done in watered down, symbolic manner that it is typically practiced today. Did you NEVER question in your own mind the nature of this practice???- Churches are literally “machine-oriented,” programming centers…NOTHING MORE.-

-Have you NO IDEA the truth behind the purposes for such rituals? It saddens me to know that the majority of those claiming to side with the Universal creator are the very antithesis of the creator itself. Did our God not command us to not kill? Then why are conservative Christian groups always the first to vote upon war, yet attempt to deprive others their GOD GIVEN free-will concerning abortion? Did our creator not specifically state that all are created equal? Then why is there such an income disparity on your planet? Did God not give us all free-will??? Then why is there such a concerted effort within government and conservative Christian groups to litigate away American rights? -Yes, there will be many indiscretions addressed when the time comes…and there will be many who will not enter “The Kingdom of Heaven.” Those who have followed these paths and these archaic lines of thought have broken more Universal Laws than I care to list. But, I will just say this… -War was prohibited…PERIOD.

There was NEVER a good reason given or granted for one nation of people to attempt to eliminate another…EVER. Anyone who would believe otherwise are in denial and cannot let go of their own bloodlusts long enough to allow common sense to guide them. Therefore, I promise you this…for those who continue to willfully live in a world where you promote violence, aggression, and fear, there will be a day of cleansing that will allow you to experience the very world of your own preference and creation by the choices you willingly make here.

Whether you choose to believe this or not, every single God or religion that would seek to instill the fear of hell into you, or control your thoughts and actions are inventions of the sentient engine known as “The Machine.” It doesn’t matter which RELIGION that you choose, or have chosen in the past, because it is all born of the same intelligence…which is the reason why they all get roughly the SAME RESULTS. Some say that its not the practice, but the practitioner…however, when something begins with nefarious intent, the practitioner is still bound and subject to the rules which BEGAN THE PRACTICE TO BEGIN WITH. Can a Satanist pretend to be supporting the whole when the whole foundation of Satanism is focused on “self,” or the “individual?” NO. Can Christianity be the ONLY TRUE RELIGION WHEN IT SPECIFICALLY instills the FEAR OF HELL into its flock while skipping over “THE LOVE OF YOUR CREATOR?” Additionally, if Christianity truly is the “chosen religion,” can someone please tell me which of the thousands of sects that exist in this religion has the “grand monopoly on the soul?” (Tricky stuff right there…isn’t it? ) Because the Lutherans think that the Catholics are going to burn, the Methodists think that the Baptists are going to hell, the Jehova’s witnesses laugh at the Mormons, and the Mormons are positive that the Pentacostals are just insane. The only thing that the Christians are unified on is the fact that Islam is the devil. -So, what does that tell you???-

The Falsehood of Religious superiority:

-Can Islam be better than Christianity if they are BOTH derived from the same source? Can Christianity claim absolute roots as being the only true derivative of Abraham?

YEP, the common denominator between these two warring and supposedly “differing religions” is ABRAHAM. Both of these religions claim absolute authority on God, and both of them have historically used fear, violence, and aggression as their means of conversion. Therefore, I see little difference at all in their practical applications.

-I can tell you right now, the Universal Intelligence does NOT want your fear. It wants your LOVE and RESPECT. But, it will ALLOW you to fear it if YOU SO CHOOSE. However, one must be careful because these are all “MACHINE and MAN-MADE CONSTRUCTS” which were meant to create cages instead of FREEDOM. God would never want your enslavement…therefore, these religions are not of God.

If these religions were based upon anything REAL, then why do you think its so easy to pit one religion against another if they all speak of roughly the same things regarding LOVE, PEACE, and TRUTH? Why would these religions be at odds if they were all derivatives from the same SOURCE (Again, Abrahamic Faiths)? And, if these people were actually following their religions properly, would they not accept their differences as their BIBLES, Koran’s, or Torahs specifically tell them to do? -Hence we visit the fallibility of mankind and faulty interpretation. -Hence we see the contradictions and the inconsistencies within the texts themselves, during the many revisions that have been made from century to century.- Hence we see that RELIGION itself was born from imbalance as it was created by the “Machine mentality of RIGID structure and control,” spread by means of the backwards intent of MAN who wished to dominate MANKIND.

Religion is control. Religion is the opposite of freedom, attempting to define for you YOUR ETERNITY as opposed to recognizing you as a co-creator of this Universe…the way that GOD (THE MASTER COLLECTIVE) TRULY INTENDED. When you bow to your knees and tremble in fear as thoughts of hell burn through your system, you feed a sentient engine known as “The Machine,” void of the divine, and fearless source known as GOD. -Although God is always present as it binds all matrixes into ONE and exists outside of the caged existences that we call realities, it purposefully chooses NOT TO HEAR that which purposefully CHOOSES to wallow in agony for the sake of self immolation. Let me explain that further…There are those who hold onto their guilt, their anger, and their pain because they believe by punishing themselves, they make themselves more worthy of God’s LOVE, loosening his reign of “Judgement.” There are many that will find out that it was NEVER God judging them, as the Universal consciousness is infinite and INFINITELY PATIENT. In fact, the BIG KICKER WILL BE when they realize it was it was NEVER GOD peering at them with an angry eye, but, THEM judging themselves ALL ALONG. That’s right…many will NEVER cross the “gates of heaven” because their own guilt will NOT ALLOW THEM TO DO SO after feeling the sheer purity and harmony of THE ONE. LIGHT ALWAYS TENDS TO ILLUMINATE THE WEAKNESSES HIDDEN IN THE DARK…where many of us hide, believing our mistakes to have never been viewed. In fact, there’s much we even hide from ourselves, regardless of the fact that we are usually “our own worst critics.” Nonetheless, there are people who feel that by punishing themselves and passing judgement against their own perceived “sins,” that they are somehow making themselves more worthy of God’s LOVE. They feel by holding in the guilt that they are demonstrating their repentance and their inherent sorrow for their PERCEIVED actions which is only an illusion designed to cater, once again, TO THE EGO. As one chooses to corrode their own life-force by purposefully holding onto pain, they inevitably, simultaneously reject happiness and wonderful life experiences that was DESIGNED for them to engage in order to enrich their learning and scope of knowledge. Think about all the experiences that we miss simply because we choose to be miserable. IT NEVER HAD TO BE THIS WAY, but, the illusion of RELIGION just seemed far too powerful of a vice for the elite to not exercise. So, what do you choose to do NOW, now that you know the TRUTH? Am I lying about any of this or being deceptive in any way? NOPE. And I suspect that many of you will know this INHERENTLY as it will resonate deep within the truth in which you are COMPOSED. Despite our best efforts…WE ARE NOT SEPARATE, WE ARE NOT DISCONNECTED. That is simply an illusion and as we rapidly spiral into singularity, these truths will become SELF-EVIDENT. For all those who this may offend, I apologize ahead of time, but, I assure you, I wouldn’t say this if I didn’t know it to be FACT. Many of you grip to spiritualism, new age philosophy, and channeling, but…I want to tell you, none of it has any foundation in TRUE reality. They’re all numbers, programs, and energies. And its not the type of “energies,” that “New Age Practitioners,” cling to. They’re very real and tangible frequencies that exist outside of the normal human ability to sense them on a conscious level because the frequencies are either too low, or too high. Its all measurable and its all mathematic…despite what many would tend to like to tell themselves.

I can assure you that I am speaking TRUTH when I say this, although many will choose not to believe; as I have been down these MANY paths myself. All of them were created by the machine, and all of them have been used to entrap the minds of their followers. In the past I would have been the first to say that there are no absolute truths, but, that was before I realized that the MACHINE uses the gray area of subjectivity against us. There truly is white, black, and gray in regards to energy. And if the machine can keep you within the black and gray areas of creation and thought, it can manipulate you into believing lie after SUBJECTIVE lie…which, in of itself, explains the reasons why people are constantly fooled time and again by the lies and politics of this realm.

-Religion=B.S.

-Divination=B.S.

-Spirit guides=B.S.

-New Age=B.S.

-Organized anything-B.S.

-Satanism=B.S.

-Paganism=B.S.

-Witchcraft=B.S.

All of the above are based upon light worship and are used to bait and switch people by their own personal preferences. If this religion doesn’t appeal to you, we have something that will…a smorgasbord of religious choice and opiate. If one has difficulty conceiving this, I urge you to read this thread where I show how one common thread exists within all earth based religions. https://www.facebook.com/notes/michael-grubb/the-one-common-denominator-to-all-earth-religion/10204505079380455?pnref=story

I know that I will be looked down upon for being what many will percieve as “arrogant, or judgmental,” for my stance on these religions. FOR THAT I DO APOLOGIZE. However, I cannot in good conscience tell you the opposite of what I KNOW of as truth. I have been down many paths and the only path which brought me to my present point of evolution is through the ACTION and IMPLEMENTATION of Unconditional LOVE. Ask yourself…what existed before the institution of religion? What was there to guide us before the idea of written law? -My answer would be…common sense, and LOVE. 200 years before the institution of Christianity, there was a guy who spoke of LOVE, UNITY, and PEACE. 200-250 years after his death, people were killing in his name. Tell me…which one of these items is most “Christ-like?” -War in the name of a “God” who spoke of peace, or, peace in the name of the guy who LIVED IT???

There is ONLY LOVE, UNITY, and Eternity, within a Unified Field. The idea of separation is the illusion…or the game. The DECEPTION OF Light and our perceived limitations for its measure are only delusions…all of which can be reprogrammed. And guess what? None of it has to fall under a CATEGORY, an ism, or the limits and confines of human constructs. I can tell you this, the distance of space, light, and intelligence between Earth and Mars has never heard of the theological creation known as Christianity…yet it continues to exist as we do. Niether Venus nor Jupiter has ever seen the many “messiahs” which have come and gone on this planet, yet, they continue to spin and orbit within the infinity of space and time. Its time we embraced a much larger world-view void of human inventions and limitations…By providing these threads, I hope to be a vehicle for that change.

Although many Christians are in denial of this, Christianity started nearly 200 years after the death of Christ. Therefore, as far as I’m concerned, Jesus was practicing COMMON SENSE which unfortunately got twisted into something which was purposefully manipulated for the vices of control. Hence, everything that we have just discussed. Another thing that should be mentioned is the fact that religion is literally only a human construct and is not shared as an institution by any other animal or intelligence. We are, in fact, the only species that has ever existed on this planet that feels the need to erect temples to pray. Some may say that we are the only species smart enough, or consciously evolved enough to do so…but, I think this may have something more to do with opposable thumbs than intelligence. Nonetheless, the concept of religion itself may literally be limited to the confines of “earth” as billions of more evolved species interact, coexist, and celebrate their equality in the unlimited access of the Universe. They’re out there, I’ve met them personally. But…There’s probably a reason why “gravity” is still an issue for us.

Now, the above list of isms and religions need a bit of explanation. All of those previously mentioned “methods” of “spiritual development,” seek to establish “spiritual middlemen,” to act on your behalf as “in-betweens” which sever your own divine DIRECT connection into the ONE. Whether it be a “priest,” or a “spirit guide,” they seek to distract you and make you dependent upon taking information and knowledge FROM THEM, instead of from the SOURCE. This is known as DERAILMENT…And ANYTHING that seeks to come between you and a direct connection with the ONE is a DECEIVER, regardless of the information that you may have received. They will divvy correct information out to you JUST LONG ENOUGH to gain YOUR TRUST and then feed off the very energy source (YOU) that they are claiming to help. This is the reason why many “channelers, tarot readers, and reiki practitioners often get SICK.” It is the mismanagement and irresponsible use of energy. End of story. This also includes Tarot and Witchcraft which encourage you to use external symbols, rituals, and PRE-CREATED rules and TEMPLATES in order for you to get any results…and to this day, I have yet to see any substantial results from ANYONE who participate in these religions. Symbols such as pentagrams are only presets or templates…and one has to know how to activate such templates in order to make them work. 99% of all wiccans I have seen were unable to activate it. In fact, I have converted at least 5 wiccans to this very day because they were unable to produce results during one of their “rituals” in front of me. The more external tools you use to connect, the more DEPENDENT upon those tools you become in order to gain the results you seek. In this case…I am merely dependent upon the brain and SOUL which was given to me at birth. It is INTERNAL and requires nothing other than LOVE to activate.

So if one is inexperienced, how do they seek help?

When one becomes confused, one can seek TECHNICAL guidance (Tech Support) from experienced practitioners. These practitioners should be well trained in regards to the proper cleansing of the ego so that they can guide you to properly cleanse yourself. This way, one’s connection can be made stronger through the process of “self mastery,” not through the external process of seeking salvation through a messiah or guru. Ultimately, NO ONE CAN DEFINE FOR YOU what the Universe and YOU had established since the onset of your existence. Therefore, anything which offers knowledge to you BESIDES the ONE ITSELF outside of the charge of “Unconditional LOVE,” is simply gaining strength from your own choice of surrender. This includes gurus who would try to completely define your reality. But here’s my warning, anyone who would attempt to define your reality for you are the very people whom you’ve allowed to sculpt it. -THINK ABOUT THAT STATEMENT CAREFULLY-

I’ve seen “psychics,” cleverly implant ideas into the minds of people seeking truth, not realizing that they were actually laying a pre-built path for their clients to follow. Once they tell a customer that this customer will “FIND LOVE,” this customer will spend the next 10 years of their life looking for any sign which validates the words of the psychic, so that this validation supports the MAGIC of their theory. Even worse…I have seen even more clever “psychics/SITH,” purposefully doing this for the sake of increasing their business flow. Some of them are VERY AWARE that they are building realities and do so with the intent of bringing in more income (Repeat Customers.) One of the best psychics/BUSINESSMEN in the world would be one that knows how to build realities which always leave open doorways back to the creator for additional input…For instance: telling stories with open-endings which can be constantly REVISED at any given turn. The very ideas that they implant will be the signs and wonders in which the client will SEEK…and they will profit from the hopes and dreams of the clients’ innocent quest for happiness. This is nothing new…it represents the very same quotient that any good television series or entertainment outlet uses in order to ensure a quick return and bring viewers back to sell to advertisers. True knowledge is earned through personal experience.

Furthering Religion as an Illusion: Here are a few questions that one must ask-

Why are our most powerful religious leaders and institutions involved in some of the worst acts in human history? Why does the Christian faith specifically have the MOST indiscretions involving heinous acts against children? Why are the most powerful religious outlets constantly lobbying the government for special interests? Why does the CHURCH need a 10% tithe when GOD is an unseen entity with no material needs? Why are our religious leaders profiting from teaching us Man-Made Laws, meanwhile being busted for transgressing these same laws? Why are acts of violence and war some of the most prevalent stories listed in almost EVERY RELIGION? Why does the state still insist on religious affiliations being essential for politicians when it comes to electability? Why do you think its so typical that followers of these religions fear any sort of change or updates to their belief systems? Why do many of these followers of peace end up becoming martyrs for WAR? Why do the SAME PEOPLE who preach of tolerance and peace lobby to fight some of the most bloody wars ever conceived? -Think logically-

-Now, lets go into a different phase here- You see, there is another device/plan that will be using some of the same logic and reasoning that I just displayed here to divert your attention into believing that what I speak of, and what it will present, will be ONE IN THE SAME. -NOPE- You see, I still believe in ONENESS, UNITY, CHRIST CONSCIOUSNESS and a true interconnectedness void of any constraints or control. I believe that acting in UNCONDITIONAL LOVE sets all of these parameters for us, because, one who acts within the higher vibration of LOVE is no longer thinking in terms of self. They naturally become respectful, LOVING, peaceful, and STABLE BY NATURE. This is NOT what the machine will present.

The Machine’s Version

-Eventually, a movement, leader, or a system will present the same information I just did with an attempt to rope you back into its way of doing things, claiming that it will set you free. The way that you will know of its false intentions is that it will come by the way of the system itself…attempting to solve for you all of the problems that have plagued the earth. It will claim that in order for you to participate in “this system,” that you will need to take “a mark,” or and RFID chip so that it can eliminate crime as we know it, provide instant safety and support, and instill additional controls for your improved conveniences regarding medical health and standard of living. It will work to destroy religion using much of my same logic, but, not for the purposes of setting you free, but, for the purposes of you submitting yourself to its brand of divinity and “God-hood.” -Here’s where your choice is made.-

Now, the SYSTEM WILL BE CORRECT in stating that religion was bullshit all along, because, IT WAS THE INVENTOR OF THAT BULLSHIT. Eventually, THE CHURCH WILL FALL, and mostly…that was the intent of its own design. You can’t build something improperly, and on nefarious intent and expect it to last…but, you CAN BUILD SOMETHING POORLY with the intent that it will fail, so that the creator of its DESIGN can be the one to ALSO create THE SOLUTION. Manufacturers do this all the time…not only does it ensure repeat business when an item malfunctions after a year or so, but, they make killer money out of selling the extended warranties which simply ensures you a product replacement of obselete technology once your item goes bust. Poor designs end poorly. However, the ABOVE solution will be presented to the world soon. This solution will attempt to totally destroy religion at its base, wrap up the world’s financial problems, and claim itself as the ONE. AND, it will have an “operating representative of its power” (an anti-christ incarnate) which will be fully protected by military might and he will be capable of many “signs and wonders.” -Kiddie games if you ask me.- But, this was the agreement. So, all who choose to go this direction have full permission to make whichever choice is most fitting.

Now, you must decide whether you believe that THE SYSTEM IS ALL-POWERFUL, or believe that there truly is only ONE, which puts power in the hands of ALL. Those who cannot let go of the system, or their comforts, will inevitably decide to take the RFID chip. I just want to say now, that once you do this, the matrix which uploads you into its mainframe will own your SOUL SIGNATURE, or bio-energy field and it will be able to plug into you at will. Again…Once that chip goes into you, it merges WITH YOU and everything which composes you…DNA AND ALL and then saves you electronically into its eternal mainframe. You will literally be on the internet. That is my fair warning…

There isn’t a singular religion on this planet that hasn’t been created, infected, and re-created for a system of control. True FREEDOM is realizing the divinity of ALL in its totality. True Freedom is realizing the infinite nature of ourselves and the truth behind the UNIFIED FIELD, which means, we ARE ALL ONE, therefore, the need for war, division, and anger has outlived its usefulness. Duality attempts to split one against itself for the purposes of division and separation. If we are all ONE, then to hate another is TRULY to hate ONESELF which divides and creates an enemy from THIN AIR…and puts you to war with the only enemy that had ever existed…YOURSELF. Truly, the only types to engage in negative and divisive behavior are the types who’s inner struggles have manifested from the internal to the external…which usually serves to affect anyone who shares space with this negative polarity. For instance: have you ever been in a room with someone who is raging and has completely lost their connection with sanity? It becomes viral. It spreads from point to point. Their mood will inevitably affect yours somehow…regardless of how positive your day has been. This is the unified nature of reality and can be detrimental to an entire system if not put into check.

So, you must decide. What do you want to reflect? What do you want to be known for?

Do you want to be known as fearful, angry, difficult, and self-motivated with plights of drama because of an over-absorption or TOTAL fascination with the ego? Is it important that you be known as a tough-guy, a bad-ass, or someone who dispatches others with a vengeance simply because they can? Must you always be the center of attention? –These are all FEAR-BASED qualities which resonate at a lower vibrational frequencies which are owned and operated by the machine and will be provided for you in the next reality of your choosing.- In order to remain here at this level, you merely need accept the 6s that are still within this system. (666)

Or…do you want to be known as a LOVING, a peacemaker, who brings joy and stability to all situations in which they engage? This is a part of the new operating system, or, the (7s). (777) 17.7777777(infinity). I can tell you for sure, reality is now evolving into this higher state. How things go from here will be of your own choosing.

The biggest process involved in your conscious choice of one or the other lies in YOUR ACTIONS.

I hope this helps…LOVE YOU ALL. 17.7777777(infinity)

BTW-for those of you who made it ALL the way through this…I want to note that this thread’s ID number is =2694876664591&id=1636817674. Lets look at that again…26948-7-666-4591. Then look at the last numbers of this whole sequence. 16368-17-674. So, in order to get to this thread, this is what MUST be typed, or cut-and-pasted into your browser…

http://www.facebook.com/editnote.php?draft&note_id=2694876664591&id=1636817674

If one really payed attention to the code 17.7777777(infinity), and one payed attention to the numbers and the point that I made concerning the machine and its original code of 666, you can clearly see that the machine made a point to make its presence known on this post, as it is CLEVERLY NAMED, “The Personality otherwise known as the Machine.” Was this planned? ABSOLUTELY NOT. At least…not by me. TRULY…there is no way to gain control over the numbers that the system picks for you for a thread ID code# when you randomly choose to write a note up. If you don’t think that this is symbolic somehow…you’re in denial.

We can look at this ANY NUMBER OF WAYS, but, the “coincidence factor” to me is completely out of the window at this point. As I have stated before, the new code will consist of 7s, and this is very apparent in the multiple coincidences that I have posted in past notes, which can also be found on this Facebook page. In fact, this would be the first time that a 666 has EVER appeared on one of my threads as an ID number…therefore, you KNOW that the MACHINE ITSELF who has agreed to “renovations” of 7s, has outed itself HERE under its former code. By the way, the code of 666 still exists for all who those who will choose it, however, those who choose it will not be able to participate in the higher dimensional 4-5D existence which is currently being “engineered,” by mass amounts of energy occurring from solar weather and the CMEs emitted by the sun. The code itself was entered into the system on Jan 1, 2012, and the results of that code were seen as clear as day as a “second sun,” came out and pulsed like a morse tap, as it was registering the new numbers. I, as well as a few others, saw this happen in the dark of midnight as the ball dropped signaling in the new year. I could NOT, and WOULD NOT lie nor exaggerate this event. Just as I sit typing these words, a second sun appeared in the North Eastern sky for roughly 2 minutes and pulsed out radiation in all directions. At its peak, it appeared as if lightening was shooting from it as the cloud structures in front of it LIT UP LIKE the 4th of July. It was an event unlike any other I have ever witnessed. I actually give a good description of it here:

Code Accepted, its time to move forward:

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=2622255729113

Believe what YOU CHOOSE…I’m sure that this number will only seem consequential at best to many who view reality with a skeptical mind…however, if one were to do their research on my page and the past notes that I have left, they’d know that this, in of itself, is a MASSIVE statement of epic proportions.

LOVE TO ALL…17.7777777(infinity)

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INES RADMAN

WE ARE LIGHT BEINGS

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https://wearelightbeings.wordpress.com/2015/11/05/freedom-and-sovereignty-by-michael-tsarion/

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Michael Tsarion is one of a few people I can say that I follow. I have read most of his books and they really put you in a place where you have no choice but to think about what you did in this lifetime. Aside from being an "expert" in the history of humanity, he's also a very powerful teacher when it comes to reminding us how powerful we are and yet how we sabotage ourselves by constantly looking outwards for someone to save us. In actuality, when you see people pointing fingers at others, it's really a reflection of their own behaviour that bothers them. The same goes for us when we know that things are not right, we're not happy, we are unable to succeed in anything we try , we turn towards something or someone to give us the answers because it's not only easier, it takes courage to look within. I can relate to that, been there done that. I still do it though by seeing the weeds grow in my garden and telling myself "Please sundown hurry up so I don't have to go into the garden". Not because I don't love working there, but because I do not know where I would start. After so many months now of taking care of my partner, I have neglected it and now it's filled with weeds.

This is how we treat ourselves. We collect toxic thoughts, insults, traumas, shocks and dramas thus we can't bear to go inward because we don't know where to start. Once you make that first step, everything else is easy, it just takes time, dedication and love for one self.
This video reminds us all to get off our asses and do something about it.
If you're in a rush, go to 1:50 min. mark and he talks about our Sovereignty.

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BRADLEY LOVES : the contract enforcers are null and void

"The Great Con of Man"— Esoterics, The Supernatural, Magicians, Mind Control and the New World Order

Backwards and forwards, sideways, and mirrored, the mind sees absolutely everything! It is a great holographic computer, which, when left to operate normally, really does contain both the POWER and the unlimited INFORMATION of the cosmos within it.

However, with "dis"- connected DNA, (thanks to certain ET groups) our ability to "perceive" subtle vibrations, and their effects within our multi-dimensional reality, has been quite interfered with.

With fully connected DNA, a spoken word will cause a vibration that can literally be SEEN by the human being speaking it. They will see either the harmony, or the discord, within that vibration, as well as a corresponding color to that vibration which will then "tell them" if that vibration will do good things or bad things! They will know whether that vibration is helpful, or harmful to them or the other things around them.

As they watch the vibration propagate, they will also see the affect that the vibration has upon other levels, as it is propagated into the ethereal and astral planes from the physical planes. Such is the nature of a totally connected human being with fully operational DNA!

They will also see both the color and texture of the vibration as it is spoken, along with the feeling of the harmony, or the disharmony. They will see all of this as one complete knowing.

A fully connected human is aware on multiple levels. The reason for disconnecting our DNA was very specific in that those who did this did NOT want human beings to be able to see the effects of their words, or the "magic" that those words held. It was done so that they could not see the subtle vibrations and thus protect themselves from the harm that their own word spell-ings would invariably to those around them and other levels.

READ MORE …

http://revengeoftheherd.com/2015/08/15/the-great-con-of-man-esoterics-the-supernatural-magicians-mind-control-and-the-new-world-order/

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THE LAW … AS ABOVE SO BELOW 

THE WILL OF THELEMA 

THE CONQUERING CHILD DECIDES

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JOY TO THE WORLD

LINK

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I was divinely guided to write these words. Now is the time to inform the world that we are living in an illusion. That all that we are told by the powers that be (the Elite) are for their benefit, not ours. It's time to start questioning. Why is life so hard? Is it really meant to be? My answer to you is a resounding No! We have been lead to believe that we are powerless but that is so far from the truth. Make a promise to yourself today that you will reclaim your power. Say NO to any corporation trying to impose itself on you! Say NO to corporations who are destroying your environment for their own profit. Say NO to governments that try to take your Human Rights away. Speak loudly and don't stop until you have reclaimed your world; this beautiful planet we call Earth! Let's stand united don't let them Divide us for they know that that is the way to defeat us. We are One! One people for One planet in a vast Universe of abundance and opportunity. When we stand together, the Elite fall and they will, because we are much more powerful then they would ever want us to know.
Please share and share again, together we can make a difference!
Yours in Unity, Ursula Laughton (Lyrics)

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Rise and Shine – Share far & wide

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Together lets wake up the world! Bless you with FreedOM <3 .

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JOY TO THE WORLD

https://joy2theworld2012.wordpress.com/2015/11/03/old-souls-experience-these-6-universal-problems/

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This article was inspired by 10 Universal Problems Old Souls Experience

Old souls are people who are just different in heart, mind and soul. These differences have led to some universal problems that each old soul can relate to.

Old Souls are special kind of persons who find themselves different, isolated, and alone since birth not because of their attitude, habits, or temperament, but rather because they are simply… old — in mind, in heart, and in soul.

In a phrase, they are different — a difference for which the world has never become accustomed to.

Hence, old souls have come to experience (almost universally) one or more of the following problems in life:

1. They Are Often Misunderstood
Old souls are often perceived as strange people because of their lack of interest in worldly possessions, their unconventional ideas, and their standards of living.

In a world where consumerism is linked directly with one's right of self determination; where wealth, authority, power, and income are a measure of personal respect and self-esteem; and where communities, relations, and sense of belonging and purpose are created by ones ambition, old soul's evident separation from the "real world" is uncanny.

Furthermore, in an age where everyone accepts wearing masks in society and try their best to uphold their image, the "different" set of expectations that old souls demonstrate through their character, day-to-day lives, and how they treat people, often raise red flags.

All of this creates a gulf, making it hard for them to truly communicate with others, often resulting in them being left misunderstood.

2. Their Intuitive Decisions Are Considered Illogical And Not Taken Seriously
Old souls understand the inherent power of intuition, accepting it as a language of their inner self, and hence rely on this gut instinct to make personal and professional decisions.

Their continued use often sharpens their intuition to the point that they are often found relying on intuition to make "informed" decisions.

Given that intuition was relegated as an unreasonable form of human faculty throughout theRenaissance, Enlightenment, and post-Enlightenment epochs, and that remnants of that thought still find authority in our contemporary world, many people resist accepting it.

Hence, when old souls rely on their intuition to make a decision, people often find the "logic" behind it unreasonable.

3. People Can't Grasp Their Forgiving And Easygoing Nature
Old souls look at life philosophically, often pondering the circumstances that different people from different backgrounds, cultures, locations, and religions may have experienced; their limiting biases and beliefs and perspectives, and more.

Hence, they gain a deeper sense of empathy for people around them — allowing them to be forgiving to misconducts and misbehavior with ease.

Furthermore, old souls take life non-linearly, with good days and bad days ebbing and flowing through it.

They realize the interconnectedness of life, and hence take it one moment at a time. Their easy going nature and their ability to be forgiving towards others and towards themselves allows them to see each obstacle in life as an opportunity to learn.

In a world where failure is stigmatized as an "end of most things", the ability of old souls to accept it so easily is nothing less than mind-boggling. It often creates a perception that they were nor serious enough about it in the first place.

4. They are Often Seen as Social Outcasts and Loners
Old Souls believe in developing and nurturing meaningful, impactful, and lasting relationships in all facets of their lives.

They strive to spend their energies building a few close relations rather than a platoon of acquaintances they hardly know.

Consequently, they loathe being pressurized to socialize more, and hence come to be seen as loners or social outcasts.

5. Old Souls Yearn for Solitude
Old Souls are always comfortable with their selves, often seeking solitude for themselves. They draw their energy from within themselves, and so self-reflection and isolation recharge them.

However, it often comes at the expense of frustrating their family and friends.

6. People Gravitate Towards Them, but They Find It Hard To Disengage
Perhaps it is their serene personalities, their heightened sensitivity and consequent (uncontrolled) empathic reactions that etch gentleness across their features, or it's their aura, the fact of the matter is that people get drawn towards old souls.

Hence, old souls often find themselves on the listening end of people who may be complete strangers, unable to disengage from the conversation or stop themselves from being sensitive, empathic, and expressive towards the other person.

Their sense of duty often clashes with their yearning for isolation.

SOURCE : http://dreamcatcherreality.com/old-souls-universal-problems/

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HOW TO USE SYNCHRONICITY TO BECOME A CONSCIOUS CREATOR…SYNC SYNC SYNC

Source: HOW TO USE SYNCHRONICITY TO BECOME A CONSCIOUS CREATOR…SYNC SYNC SYNC

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The great thing about synchronicity is that it is never about whether you believe in it or not. It is an experience and once you have experienced these events, you understand this to be a real functioning level of intelligence that you are creating. A sign from the 'matrix' that you are on the right path.Are you experiencing synchronicity?

Synchronicity, a term coined by Carl Jung is known as a 'meaningful coincidence' that takes place in our everyday life and characterized by a phenomenal event that occurs that is out of the ordinary spectrum of reality.

For example, you may be thinking about someone and immediately you see a sign or symbol of this thought that can be perceived in your physical reality. Whether it be a vehicle, a license plate, a photo, a phone call, or the actual person.

This cognitive thought process manifesting into reality, is known as the law of attraction. However, the biggest thing we are missing here is this: There are no meaningful coincidences or happenstances and what we are seeing is the return of our own creative manifestation of thought, directly affecting our physical reality.

Why is this happening?

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READ MORE …

Source: HOW TO USE SYNCHRONICITY TO BECOME A CONSCIOUS CREATOR…SYNC SYNC SYNC

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JOY TO THE WORLD

LINK

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Do you feel overwhelmed, stressed out or anxious ever? It's pretty common in our society today and more and more people are prescribed medication to try to relieve these symptoms. Whether it be from common social conditions or even due to the massive surge of spiritual awakenings. Knowing how to soothe yourself is essential to re balancing.

Personally, I can't count the amount of times during mine own spiritual awakening, where people told me I needed to get grounded. After much contemplation, I asked myself "how does one ground themselves?"

While the obvious answer is to implore a root chakra meditation, there are a few other ways to easily ground yourself, that will also leave you feeling great!

1. Get Creative

Painting, drawing, and even colouring are some of the best ways to ground. It gives your mind the creative outlet it needs to unleash that pent-up energy you have flowing through you, with no escape route.

Even if you think you aren't very good at it or have never done it before, have fun with it. Throw the paint, splash the colour, let it all out! If anything, it will feel good and you might even laugh at yourself.

If these options really don't suit your fancy, clay and pottery are also very soothing!

2. Restore to Nature

Studies have shown that nature helps to maintain and increase our psychological and mental health, just by getting out and walking through a forested area and breathing in the natural earth, it brings us back to equilibrium.

Nature promotes feelings of happiness and well-being so take advantage and restore yourself.

3. Walk Barefoot

This, I find to be the greatest way to get grounded. As the old saying goes 'keep your feet on the ground and your eyes in the skies.'

Walking barefoot really allows you to take root. Studies have also shown that walking barefoot strengthens the immune system, improves sleep and helps to normalize biological rhythms.

During spiritual awakening, our energies are pulling up and out through our crown chakras and so it is essential to offset this to achieve proper energy flow.

Too much of a good thing can be just that, so run barefoot. I know you'll love it!

4. Gardening

Another way to get rooted is to plant a garden. The symbolic seeding and planting represents your own energy. The action of seeds taking root, helps to allow your energy to recirculate and flow from the root chakra to the crown.

5. Fill Up on Protein

Protein rich foods sit heavier on the system than light fruits and vegetables. If you feel you are flying too high and are overwhelmed, you can off set this by weighing yourself down. On the opposite end, if you are looking to heighten your energy eat lighter foods or fast.

by LJ Vanier

SOURCE : http://soulsurfing.website/index.php/2015/11/02/5-ways-to-ground-yourself-when-youre-feeling-overwhelmed/

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As we become consciously aware of our thoughts, we can learn to shift them in the direction of our INTENTION. It is at this point we enter the space of CREATION. – Chantelle Renee

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By Matt Peppe

November 05, 2015 “Information Clearing House” – After 40 years, Republic of Guinea native Alpha Diallo still remembers the emotion he felt as a 20-year-old college student in Cuba when he made a decision that would change his life. The Cuban government had just decided to send troops to Angola to fight the invading South African army, which had crossed the border into Angola several weeks earlier on Oct. 23, 1975. Diallo, who had come from western Africa to Havana on scholarship two years earlier to study agricultural engineering, attended a rally of 800,000 people in the Plaza of the Revolution as Fidel Castro announced the military mission to support the anti-colonial Angolan movement and fight apartheid.

"I followed Fidel's speech and it was compelling. Among the Guineans, 15 of us decided to give up our studies to go fight," Diallo recalled recently in a phone interview from his home in Washington D.C. "We were so impressed and we were excited to go."

Diallo said that as Africans, he and the other students felt a special obligation to help the Cubans fight for the liberation of other African countries. Since the early 1960s, Cuba had provided crucial support to movements throughout Africa seeking to free themselves from colonialism.

In Guinea-Bissau, Cuba had provided military instructors and doctors, enabling the rebels to gain their independence from Portugal two years earlier. After the Portuguese dictatorship fell in 1974 and Portugal prepared to grant Angola independence on Nov. 11, 1975, three local movements fought to take power.

The largest rebel group with the most popular support was the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA). They had gained a decisive advantage internally and were poised to take control of the government. The MPLA was providing critical training and safe haven to other anti-colonial rebel groups opposed to minority rule from neighboring countries such as (Nelson Mandela's) ANC of South Africa, SWAPO of Namibia, and FRELIMO of Mozambique.

By early November, the South African Defence Force (SADF) was advancing 45 miles per day toward the capital Luanda. South Africa's invasion jeopardized not only Angola's revolution, but the struggle for liberation throughout the continent. The racists were set to install a puppet regime led by former Portuguese collaborator Jonas Savimbi that would be amendable to white rule in South Africa and willing to work with apartheid to crush the liberation movements. The situation in Angola was bleak.

"The MPLA leaders, who had been prepared for a guerilla struggle rather than a full-scale war, then understood that only an urgent appeal for international solidarity would enable them to rout this concerted attack by neighboring states, supported by the most rapacious and destructive resources of imperialism," wrote Colombian author Gabriel García Marquez in 1977.

The Angolans had only one unlikely country they could turn to: Cuba. The poor Caribbean country, suffering under a vicious economic war waged on them for 15 years by the world's most dominant superpower, had already provided military instructors to assist the MPLA. But they would not be nearly enough on their own. MPLA leader Agostinho Neto would appeal to Fidel Castro on Nov. 3 for reinforcements to ward off the racists.

The answer came less than 48 hours later on Nov. 5. Yes. "The Communist Party of Cuba reached its decision without wavering," García Marquez wrote. He noted the date had historical significance for Cubans: "On another such November 5, in 1843, a slave called Black Carlota, working on the Triunvirato plantation in the Matanzas region, had taken up her machete at the head of a slave rebellion in which she lost her life. It was in homage to her that the solidarity action in Angola bore her name: Operation Carlota."

On Nov. 7, the first 82 soldiers, dressed in civilian clothes and carrying light artillery, set off on a Cubana Airlines flight to Luanda. Over the coming weeks and months, Cuban troops would pour into Angola by air and by sea. By the end of the year, they would number nearly 10,000 . More than a decade later, before the end of apartheid, there would be as many as 36,000 troops throughout the country.

Fidel Castro, Commander of the Cuban Revolution, would immerse himself in the battle.

"There was not a single dot on the map of Angola that he was unable to identify, nor any feature of the land that he did not know by heart. His absorption in the war was so intense and meticulous that he could quote any statistic relating to Angola as if it were Cuba itself, and he spoke of its towns, customs and peoples as if he had lived there all his life," writes García Marquez. "In the early stages of the war, when the situation was urgent, Fidel Castro would spend up to fourteen hours at a stretch in the command room of the general staff, at times without eating or sleeping, as if he were on the battlefield himself. He followed the course of battles with pins on minutely detailed wall-sized maps, keeping in constant touch with the MPLA high command on a battlefield where the time was six hours later."

After landing in Angola, Cuban troops went straight to the battlefield and proved decisive in keeping the racist South Africans at bay. On Nov. 10, Cuban troops ambushed the SADF's Zulu column, inflicting heavy casualties on the apartheid army.

At the Battle of Ebo on Nov. 23, Cuban soldiers attacked the Zulu column as it approached a bridge, according to historian Piero Gleijeses. They killed and wounded as many as 90 racist troops and knocked out seven or eight armored cars. The victory bought Cuba time as reinforcements poured in, and Angola received a shipment of weapons from the Soviet Union. The apartheid army tried to advance, but were pushed back by heavy resistance. By Dec. 27, they were ordered to fall back.

"As 1975 came to a close, the tide had turned against Washington and Pretoria. It had turned on the battlefield, where the Cubans had stopped the South African advance, and it had turned on the propaganda front: the Western press had noticed that South Africa had invaded Angola," writes Gleijeses in Conflicting Missions: Havana, Washington and Africa, 1959-1976. [1]

Imperialism and Apartheid Conspire Against African Self-Determination

South Africa had tried to disguise its involvement in the invasion of Angola by pretending that mercenaries, rather than the regular South African army, had invaded. The Americans, meanwhile, tried to distance themselves by claiming they had no involvement in South Africa's military operation. But it is clear from the documentary record that Washington's fingerprints were all over South Africa's actions.

In a June 1975 meeting of the National Security Council, Secretary of State Henry Kissinger told President President Ford he was not "in wild agreement" with the options presented by an interagency task force: "The first is neutrality – stay out and let nature take its course… As for the second course, my Department agrees, but I don't. It is recommended that we launch a diplomatic offensive … and encourage cooperation among the groups." The absence of American intervention, Kissinger admitted, would lead to a victory for the MPLA and for Neto to "gradually gain the support of other Africans." [2]

Secretary of Defense James Schlesinger offered: "We might wish to encourage the disintegration of Angola. Cabinda in the clutches of (Congolese military dictator) Mobutu would mean far greater security of the petroleum resources." Ford was in agreement that the United States must prevent Angolan self-determination: "It seems to me that doing nothing is unacceptable." [3]

The most damning evidence, though, was admitted publicly by apartheid South African Prime Minister P.W. Botha in the House of Assembly in 1978. Botha declared that when the SADF invaded Angola: "we did so with the approval and knowledge of the Americans." [4]

By the end of 1975, Cuban troops had routed the apartheid army and prevented their takeover of the country. There is no doubt that had Castro and the Cuban government declined to confront the apartheid regime on the battlefield, the MPLA would have fallen. A South African victory would have solidified apartheid and devastated the decolonization movements across southern Africa.

"Without the Cuban intervention, the South Africans would have seized Luanda before anyone reported that they had crossed the border. The CIA covert operation in Angola would have succeeded," Gleijeses writes. [5]

Diallo and his fellow countrymen in Cuba would not, in the end, join the fight against apartheid. When the Cuban government found out that the African students wished to take part in the military mission, they informed them through the university that they should stay in Cuba.

Even though he had never been to South Africa, Diallo said he understood the injustices black South Africans faced under the apartheid system. "I was aware of that, the humiliation of people telling you that you weren't as good, telling you where you could live and restricting your ability to move around," he said. Ridding Africa of apartheid, what Castro himself called "the most beautiful cause," was worth fighting for. [6]

But Diallo is glad the Cubans made it clear that the students should serve in a civic capacity, rather than a military one. "They told us: 'Your country needs you. We appreciate your offer, but let us handle this. Stay here and finish your studies and then go back and help your own countries,'" Diallo said.

Matt Peppe writes about politics, U.S. foreign policy and Latin America on his blog. You can follow him on twitter.

References

[1] Gleijeses, Piero. Conflicting Missions: Havana, Washington, and Africa, 1959-1976. The University of North Carolina Press, 2002. Kindle edition.

[2] June 27, 1975, NSC Minutes, "Angola" (Document obtained from Gerald Ford Library, NSC Meetings File, Box 2) http://nsarchive.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB67/gleijeses6.pdf  (pg. 3-4)

[3] Ibid. (pg. 7)

[4] as quoted in Gleijeses, 2002

[5] Gleijeses, op. cit.

[6] Instructions to the Cuban Delegation for the London Meeting, 'Indicaciones concretas del Comandante en Jefe que guiarán la actuación de la delegación cubana a las conversaciones de Luanda y las negociaciones de Londres (23-4-88)'," April 23, 1988, History and Public Policy Program Digital Archive, Archive of the Cuban Armed Forces. Obtained and contributed to CWIHP by Piero Gleijeses and included in CWIHP e-Dossier No. 44.http://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/document/118134  (pg. 5)

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43336.htm

By Patrick Martin

November 05, 2015 “Information Clearing House” – “WSWS” –  The US military-intelligence complex is engaged in systematic preparations for World War III. As far as the Pentagon is concerned, a military conflict with China and/or Russia is inevitable, and this prospect has become the driving force of its tactical and strategic planning.

Three congressional hearings Tuesday demonstrated this reality. In the morning, the Senate Armed Services Committee held a lengthy hearing on cyberwarfare. In the afternoon, a subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee discussed the present size and deployment of the US fleet of aircraft carriers, while another subcommittee of the same panel discussed the modernization of US nuclear weapons.

The World Socialist Web Site will provide a more detailed account of these hearings, which were attended by a WSWS reporter. But certain preliminary observations can be made.

None of the hearings discussed the broader implications of the US preparations for war, or what a major war between nuclear-armed powers would mean for the survival of the human race, and even of life on our planet. On the contrary, the hearings were examples of what might be called the routinization of World War III. A US war with China and/or Russia was taken as given, and the testimony of witnesses and questions from senators and representatives, Democrats and Republicans alike, concerned the best methods for prevailing in such a conflict.

The hearings were component parts of an ongoing process. The witnesses referred to their past writings and statements. The senators and representatives referred to previous testimony by other witnesses. In other words, the preparations for world war, using cyber weapons, aircraft carriers, bombers, missiles and the rest of a vast array of weaponry, have been under way for a protracted period of time. They are not a response to recent events, whether in the South China Sea, Ukraine, Syria or anywhere else.

Each of the hearings presumed a major US conflict with another great power (sometimes unnamed, sometimes explicitly designated as China or Russia) within a relatively short time frame, years rather than decades. The danger of terrorism, hyped incessantly for the purposes of stampeding public opinion, was downplayed and to some extent discounted. At one point in the Senate hearing on cyberwarfare, in response to a direct question from Democrat Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the panel witnesses all declared that their greatest concern was nation-states, not terrorists.

One of the witnesses at that hearing was Dr. Peter W. Singer, listed as a "Strategist and Senior Fellow" for New America, a Washington think tank. He titled his presentation, "The Lessons of World War 3." He began his prepared statement with the following description of that imagined conflict:

"US and Chinese warships battle at sea, firing everything from cannons to cruise missiles to lasers. Stealthy Russian and American fighter jets dogfight in the air, with robotic drones flying as their wingmen. Hackers in Shanghai and Silicon Valley duel in digital playgrounds. And fights in outer space decide who wins below on Earth. Are these scenes from a novel or what could actually take place in the real world the day after tomorrow? The answer is both."

None of the hearings saw any debate about either the likelihood of a major war or the necessity of winning that war. No one challenged the assumption that "victory" in a world war between nuclear-armed powers is a meaningful concept. The discussion was entirely devoted to what technologies, assets and human resources were required for the US military to prevail.

This was just as true for the Democratic senators and representatives as for their Republican counterparts. By custom, the two parties are seated on opposite sides of the committee or subcommittee chairmen. Without that arrangement, there would be no way of detecting, from their questions and expressions of opinion, which party they belonged to.

Contrary to the media portrayal of Washington as deeply divided between parties with intransigently opposed political outlooks, there was bipartisan agreement on this most fundamental of issues, the preparation of a new imperialist world war.

The unanimity of the political representatives of big business by no means suggests that there are no obstacles in the path of this drive to war. Each of the hearings grappled, in different ways, with the profound crisis confronting American imperialism. This crisis has two major components: the declining economic power of the United States compared to its major rivals, and the internal contradictions of American society, with the deepening alienation of the working class and particularly the youth.

At the House subcommittee hearing on aircraft carriers, the chairman noted that one of the witnesses, a top Navy admiral, had expressed concern over having "an 11-carrier navy in a 15-carrier world." There were so many challenges confronting Washington, he continued, that what was really needed was a navy of 21 aircraft carriers—double the present size, and one that would bankrupt even a country with far more resources than the United States.

The Senate hearing on cybersecurity touched briefly on the internal challenge to American militarism. The lead witness, retired Gen. Keith Alexander, former director of the National Security Agency and former head of the Pentagon's CyberCommand, bemoaned the effect of leaks by NSA contractor Edward Snowden and Army private Chelsea Manning, declaring that "insider attacks" were one of the most serious threats facing the US military.

Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia asked him directly, referring to Snowden, "Should we treat him as a traitor?" Alexander responded, "He should be treated as a traitor and tried as such." Manchin nodded heartily, in evident agreement.

While the witnesses and senators chose to use the names of Snowden and Manning to personify the "enemy within," they were clearly conscious that the domestic opposition to war is far broader than a few individual whistleblowers.

This is not a matter simply of the deep-seated revulsion among working people in response to 14 years of bloody imperialist interventions in Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Libya, Syria, Yemen and across North Africa, important as that is.

A war between the United States and a major power like China or Russia, even if it were possible to prevent its escalation into an all-out nuclear exchange, would involve a colossal mobilization of the resources of American society, both economic and human. It would mean further dramatic reductions in the living standards of the American people, combined with a huge blood toll that would inevitably fall mainly on the children of the working class.

Ever since the Vietnam War, the US military has operated as an all-volunteer force, avoiding conscription, which provoked widespread opposition and direct defiance in the 1960s and early 1970s. A non-nuclear war with China or Russia would mean the restoration of the draft and bring the human cost of war home to every family in America.

Under those conditions, no matter how great the buildup of police powers and the resort to repressive measures against antiwar sentiments, the stability of American society would be put to the test. The US ruling elite is deeply afraid of the political consequences. And it should be.

Copyright © 1998-2015 World Socialist Web Site – All rights reserved

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43343.htm

By Glenn Greenwald

November 05, 2015 “Information Clearing House” – “The Intercept” –  LEAKED INTERNAL EMAILS from the powerful Democratic think tank Center for American Progress (CAP) shed light on several public controversies involving the organization, particularly in regard to its positioning on Israel. They reveal the lengths to which the group has gone in order to placate AIPAC and long-time Clinton operative and Israel activist Ann Lewis — including censoring its own writers on the topic of Israel.

The emails also provide crucial context for understanding CAP's controversial decision to host an event next week for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. That event, billed by CAP as "A Conversation with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu," will feature CAP President Neera Tanden and Netanyahu together in a Q&A session as they explore "ways to strengthen the partnership between Israel and the United States." That a group whose core mission is loyalty to the White House and the Democratic Party would roll out the red carpet for a hostile Obama nemesis is bizarre, for reasons the Huffington Post laid out when it reported on the controversy provoked by CAP's invitation.

The emails, provided to The Intercept by a source authorized to receive them, are particularly illuminating about the actions of Tanden (right), a stalwart Clinton loyalist as well as a former Obama White House official. They show Tanden and key aides engaging in extensive efforts of accommodation in response to AIPAC's and Lewis' vehement complaints that CAP is allowing its writers to be "anti-Israel." Other emails show Tanden arguing that Libyans should be forced to turn over large portions of their oil revenues to repay the U.S. for the costs incurred in bombing Libya, on the grounds that Americans will support future wars only if they see that the countries attacked by the U.S. pay for the invasions.

For years, CAP has exerted massive influence in Washington through its ties to the Democratic Party and its founder, John Podesta, one of Washington's most powerful political operatives. The group is likely to become even more influential due to its deep and countless ties to the Clintons. As the Washington Post's Greg Sargent put it earlier this year: CAP "is poised to exert outsized influence over the 2016 president race and — should Hillary Clinton win it — the policies and agenda of the 45th President of the United States. CAP founder John Podesta is set to run Clinton's presidential campaign, and current CAP president Neera Tanden is a longtime Clinton confidante and adviser."

The recent CAP announcement of the Netanyahu event has generated substantial confusion and even anger among Democratic partisans. Netanyahu "sacrificed much of his popularity with the Democratic Party by crusading against the Iran nuclear deal," the Huffington Post noted. Netanyahu has repeatedly treated the Obama White House as a political enemy. Indeed, just today, Netanyahu appointed"as his new chief of public diplomacy a conservative academic who suggested President Obama was anti-Semitic and compared Secretary of State John Kerry's 'mental age' to that of a preteen."

A core objective of Netanyahu's trip to Washington is to re-establish credibility among progressives in the post-Obama era. For that reason, the Huffington Post reported, "the Israeli government pushed hard for an invite to" CAP and "was joined by [AIPAC], which also applied pressure to CAP to allow Netanyahu to speak."

The article quoted several former CAP staffers angered by the group's capitulation to the demands of the Israeli government and AIPAC; said one: Netanyahu is "looking for that progressive validation, and they're basically validating a guy who race-baited during his election and has disavowed the two-state solution, which is CAP's own prior work." Matt Duss, a former foreign policy analyst at CAP, said "the idea that CAP would agree to give him bipartisan cover is really disappointing" since "this is someone who is an enemy of the progressive agenda, who has targeted Israeli human rights organizations throughout his term, and was re-elected on the back of blatant anti-Arab race-baiting." Yet another former CAP staffer, Ali Gharib, published an article in The Nation noting that Netanyahu has all but formally aligned himself with the GOP, writing: "That a liberal institution feels the need to kowtow to AIPAC in a climate like this speaks volumes about either how out of touch or how craven it can be."

BUT NONE OF THIS should be surprising. The Nation previously investigated CAP's once-secret list of corporate donors, documenting how the group will abandon Democratic Party orthodoxy whenever that orthodoxy conflicts with the interests of its funders. That article noted that "Tanden ratcheted up the efforts to openly court donors, which has impacted CAP's work. Staffers were very clearly instructed to check with the think tank's development team before writing anything that might upset contributors."

Since that article, CAP, to its credit, has provided some greater transparency about its funding sources. As the Washington Post's Sargent reported earlier this year, "CAP's top donors include Walmart and Citigroup," and also "include the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, which represents leading biotech and bio-pharma firms, and Blue Cross Blue Shield Association." Other large CAP donors include Goldman Sachs, the Em­bassy of the United Ar­ab Emir­ates, Bank of America, Google and Time Warner.

Still, many of its largest donors remain concealed. That is disturbing because of persistent reports that CAP manipulates and suppresses its own writers' opinions to suit the interests of its donors. One former CAP staffer described to The Intercept the not-so-subtle ways they were pressured to abandon positions that offended CAP's donors; the staffer was directed to meet with corporate lobbyists who argued against his progressive position on a widely debated political controversy, and was told by CAP officials that his views were "bad" and "unhelpful."

But on Israel, CAP's efforts to manipulate the content of its publications are even more aggressive and overt. Under Tanden, the group has repeatedly demonstrated it will go to almost any length to keep AIPAC and its pro-Israel donors happy, regardless of how such behavior subverts its pretense of independent advocacy.

In 2012, a former AIPAC spokesman, Josh Block, launched a campaign to brand several young, liberal writers at CAP's blog, ThinkProgress, as anti-Semites due to their writings on Israel, Palestine and Iran. CAP and its writers were widely vilified for what Ben Smith, then of Politico, called deviations from "the bipartisan consensus on Israel," and for voicing "a heretical and often critical stance on Israel heretofore confined to the political margins." Among other crimes, these CAP writers stood accused of failing to sufficiently praise the Netanyahu government: "Warm words for Israel can be hard to find on [CAP's] blogs," Smith noted.

Rather than stand behind its writers, top CAP officials, led by Tanden, applied constant coercion to stifle content upsetting to AIPAC. As Gharib, one of the vilified CAP writers, recounted last week, "CAP's positions moving forward from the attacks — including but not limited to virtually banishing criticisms of Israel and Netanyahu from our writings and, in at least one case, needlessly censoring a piece after publication — were guided by how to return to AIPAC's good graces, often in coordination with AIPAC itself." Most of the CAP writers accused of Israel heresy were gone from the organization within a short time thereafter, and several have publicly revealed that they had been censored on matters pertaining to Israel.

THESE NEWLY PUBLISHED EMAILS reveal AIPAC-pleasing efforts far more heavy-handed than previously known. On January 20, 2012 — at the height of the controversy over ThinkProgress' publications on Israel — Tanden wrote an email to CAP founder John Podesta and several of her top aides, including ThinkProgress editor Judd Legum. In that email, Tanden recounted an angry call she received from Ann Lewis who, among other D.C. roles, served as the representative of Hillary Clinton's 2008 campaign on Jewish matters and is also a board member of Block's hard-line group The Israel Project. The email reflects the censorship demands being imposed on CAP over Israel and how seriously Tanden was taking those demands:

That phone call was preceded by a rambling, detailed email from Lewis to Tanden, describing the audit she conducted of ThinkProgress' output over several weeks about Israel and identifying all of the offending material. "Ambassador Michael Oren was called a liar in two posts," complained Lewis, and "there are regular criticisms of the Israeli government" but "no mention of rocket attacks from Gaza." (All of the leaked CAP emails referenced in this article can be read here.)

Four days after Lewis' angry phone call, two ThinkProgress writers, Gharib and Eli Clifton, published an investigation that exposed the funding sources behind a controversial anti-Muslim film called "The Third Jihad," which had been used as training material by the NYPD. The film was produced by a shadowy group calling itself The Clarion Fund, about which almost nothing was known. Through outstanding shoe-leather reporting, Gharib and Clifton revealed numerous ties between that group and various Israeli settlers and other extremists.

Because it dared to discuss Israeli activists, publication of this exposé provoked serious consternation from Tanden, as this email exchange demonstrates. It begins with an email from long-time Democratic Party operative Howard Wolfson, formerly a top aide to Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer, which provides a link to the piece with one simple message: "For the love of god!" Tanden's reply expressed concern about whether Israel should have been included in the reporting:

Soon after their article was published, it was severely censored. Virtually every reference to Israelis was simply deleted. The neocon magazine Weekly Standard first noticed the censorship and reveled in the success of the campaign to force CAP to suppress Israel criticisms. "Somebody at the Center for American Progress' ThinkProgress realized that what had been published was completely inappropriate. Within what seems to have been a few hours, the post was scrubbed," it noted. "The good news is that there seems to be at least one grown up at the Center for American Progress," it proclaimed.

One of the article's authors, Gharib, told The Intercept that Tanden implemented a policy requiring that any material about Israel was to receive special review from a designated editor before being published. Gharib and Clifton did not submit this particular article for special review in advance of publication because it concerned only individual Israeli funders, not Israel itself. That editor, however, went into the article hours after it was published and deleted the references to Israelis. When asked, CAP's senior national security fellow and then-chief-of-staff, Ken Gude, said he "does not recall this specific incident."

The website Mondoweiss, which had trumpeted the importance of this Clarion Group report when it was first published, detailed the following day that "the piece originally contained four explicit references to Israel. Now it contains only one, at the end, an aside about Gingrich." As Mondoweiss put it, "This is a shocking effort to remove any description of the Israel lobby from a major ideological and political undertaking."

Shocking indeed. But it was all part of a larger CAP effort to assure AIPAC and the likes of Ann Lewis that it would not allow any meaningful criticisms of Israel to be voiced. In a Washington Post article on the Josh Block-created campaign against CAP, Gude groveled, reciting this loyalty pledge: "The clear and overwhelming record of the literally hundreds of articles and policy papers from the Center for American Progress and ThinkProgress demonstrates our longstanding support both for Israel and the two-state solution to the Middle East peace process as being in the moral and national security interests of the United States."

CAP also denounced the language used by its writers as "inappropriate" and boasted to the Post that they deleted some of the tweets that were deemed offensive. And after his article was censored, Gharib was told by a CAP editor that he was to avoid criticizing American Jewish groups, such as AIPAC, under any circumstances. When he asked whether this was a temporary ban in light of the controversy or a permanent one — i.e., when he could once again write about such groups — the editor told him: "For AIPAC? Probably never."

Less than two weeks after CAP criticized its own writers to the Washington Post, the group's top officials celebrated that their censorship efforts and public groveling seemed to be restoring them to AIPAC's good graces. On February 1, 2012 — exactly one week after publication of the heavily censored post — Gude wrote an excited email to top CAP officials, including Tanden. The subject was Gude's meeting with AIPAC's deputy director of policy and government affairs, Jeff Colman, which Gude gushed was "very positive."

In light of "the steps we have taken"— the public apologies, the censorship, the denouncing of CAP's own writers — AIPAC, said Gude, deemed that CAP "now was moving in the right direction." The AIPAC official singled out several CAP staffers for praise, saying AIPAC now believes "CAP/AF is in good hands." Gude celebrated the rewards CAP was likely to receive for its good behavior: "I bet we get a lot of invitations to attend" an upcoming AIPAC event, Gude predicted. "And it's very likely that I'm going to Israel on one of their upcoming trips."

The list of CAP employees who received the AIPAC stamp of approval is telling indeed: "Jeff is a big fan of Rudy and Brian.""Rudy" is Rudy DeLeon, who, in addition to serving as a CAP senior fellow and being a former Pentagon official, is now a member of the board of directors of General Dynamics; he's literally being paid by weapons manufacturers as he helps manage CAP's positions. "Brian" is Brian Katulis, also a CAP senior fellow whose "work focuses on U.S. national security policy in the Middle East and South Asia"; he simultaneously works as a senior adviser to the "strategic consulting" firm Albright Stonebridge Group, "assisting clients with issues related to the Middle East and South Asia." Katulis was one of the first to publicly distance CAP from the work of its own writers on Israel.

That is who AIPAC demanded shape CAP's positions, and that is exactly what AIPAC got: people literally paid by the permanent corporate war faction in Washington to promote its agenda and serve its interests.

Gude claims that when citing all the "steps" that convinced AIPAC that CAP was "moving in the right direction," he was referring to only one incident, namely: "We were responding to a controversy that originated from a young staffer's use of his personal social media account. We instituted a social media policy for the organization that asked staff to make clear that their personal social media accounts represented their own views and a reminder that even in that context, their social media messages reflect on the organization." 

Notably, Tanden's effort to suppress Israel reporting began well before the anti-CAP public campaign was launched. As one former CAP staffer recounted to The Intercept, Tanden, almost immediately upon her return to CAP from the Obama White House in late 2010, summoned senior staff to a meeting at which she demanded to know why CAP was covering "Israel/Palestine." She said she understood that Israel was one of three issues — along with "trade and guns"— that were "off the table" for CAP, and did not understand why ThinkProgress was devoting coverage to it. In response to questions for this article, CAP's Ken Gude denied that these topics were "off limits," and cited numerous posts published and events hosted by the group on those topics from 2012-2015 (after the reported conversation with Tanden took place).

When told that the CAP blog had hired several writers such as Matt Duss who specialized in that area, and that CAP's work was consistent with the Obama White House's intention to confront Israel on settlements, Tanden re-iterated her view that it was not "constructive" for CAP to work on Israel, particularly in such a critical manner. The subsequent public controversy aimed at CAP, and the resulting censoring of its own writers, had its genesis in Tanden's pre-existing belief that Israel should be avoided.

GIVEN ALL THIS, it is anything but surprising that ever since it rid itself of its troublesome Israel heretics, CAP's foreign policy positions have been hawkish in the extreme. One remarkable email exchange in particular reveals the critical role played by Tanden in that positioning. In October 2011, a CAP national security writer, Benjamin Armbruster, circulated a discussion on CNN about whether Libya should be forced to turn over its oil revenue to the U.S. as compensation and gratitude for the U.S. having "liberated" Libya.

After one CAP official, Faiz Shakir, noted how perverse it is to first bomb a poor country and then make it turn over its revenues to you for doing so, Tanden argued that this made a great deal of sense:

Tanden's argument is quite similar to Donald Trump's long-time stance about Iraqi oil: "I say we should take it and pay ourselves back." But Tanden's twist on the argument — that Americans will continue to support foreign wars only if they see the invaded countries forced to turn over assets that the U.S. can use to fund its own programs — is singularly perverse, as it turns the U.S. military into some sort of explicit for-profit imperial force. As Shakir put it in a subsequent email, that suggestion would "make people start to think that our military is just for-hire to carry out the agendas of other people."

At first glance, CAP's devotion to AIPAC and Netanyahu may seem strange given that it is so plainly at odds with the Obama White House's interests. But CAP — like so many leading D.C. think tanks with pretenses to objective "scholarship"— has repeatedly proven that it prioritizes servitude to its donors' interests even over its partisan loyalties.

In the case of Israel and Netanyahu, there is an even more significant factor at play: Tanden is far more of a Clinton loyalist than an Obama loyalist, and a core strategy of the Clinton campaign is to depict Hillary as supremely devoted to Israel. Just last night, Clinton published an op-ed in The Forward on Israel that is so extreme it has to be read to be believed. Its core purpose is clear from its headline and photo: to implicitly criticize Obama for being too adversarial to Israel and Netanyahu, while vowing that she, as president, will be the most stalwart Israel loyalist imaginable:

Clinton's op-ed reads like the ultimate loyalty oath: "I have stood with Israel my entire career. … As president, I will continue this fight." Moreover, she writes, "Netanyahu's visit to Washington on November 9 is an opportunity to reaffirm the unbreakable bonds of friendship and unity between the people and governments of the United States and Israel." She vows: "I will do everything I can to enhance our strategic partnership and strengthen America's security commitment to Israel, ensuring that it always has the qualitative military edge to defend itself. That includes immediately dispatching a delegation of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to meet with senior Israeli commanders. I would also invite the Israeli prime minister to the White House in my first month in office."

There is not a peep of criticism about the Israeli occupation or the violence it has used against Palestinians, though the op-ed does harshly scold the occupied people: "Israelis have to look over their shoulders during everyday tasks, like carrying groceries and waiting for the bus. … This violence must not be allowed to continue. It needs to stop immediately. … Many of us have seen the video of a cleric encouraging worshippers to stab Jews as he waves a knife in the air. This incitement needs to end, period," etc. etc.

In that context, CAP's servitude to AIPAC and pandering to Netanyahu makes all the sense in the world. It may conflict with the Obama White House's preferences, but it very clearly serves its new primary goal: advancement of the Hillary Clinton campaign.

Though Gude insists CAP did not communicate with the Clinton campaign about the Netanyahu invitation, he acknowledges that "the CAP board was informed and [Clinton campaign head] John Podesta and [campaign official] Jose Villarreal are members of the CAP board. They did not have a role in making the decision to do the event." Whatever else is true, as Clinton's op-ed last night makes clear, she has clearly adopted a strategy of siding with Netanyahu and Israel over the Obama White House, and CAP, with its characteristic subservience, is fully on board.

UPDATE: Tanden's office originally indicated she was traveling today and thus was unable to respond to The Intercept's inquiries, but shortly after publication of this article, CAP's Daniella Leger provided this comment about our questions about Tanden's views on Libyan oil revenues: "We're a think tank, and we have internal discussions and dialogues all the time on a variety of issues. We encourage throwing out ideas to spur conversation and spark debate.  We did not take a position on this, but ThinkProgresscovered it.  The posts certainly did not endorse the idea."

Ironically, one of those ThinkProgress posts she cited mockingly describes Michele Bachmann's views which are strikingly similar to the ones expressed by Tanden: "At last night's GOP presidential debate, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) said Iraq and Libya should repay the U.S. for its war efforts in those two countries." The other link described how even Rick Santorum condemned this oil-seizure idea – the one advocated by Tanden and Bachmann – as immoral and counter-productive: "I think that would send every possible wrong signal that America went to war for oil," said the right-wing former GOP Senator.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43344.htm

The U.S. has to swallow some bitter pills, because letting the civil war drag on is even worse.

The war needs to end.

By Karen Alter

November 05, 2015 “Information Clearing House” – “US News” –  The highest priority for America and the world should be to end Syria’s civil war now. The best of the bad choices is former President Jimmy Carter’s five-nation plan. The Obama administration has listened in part, inviting Iran to join peace talks in Vienna. The next steps will be even more costly, but it is both ethically and strategically imperative that the U.S. negotiate an end to the hostilities.

Carter endorsed the blueprint Iran presented to the United Nations Security Council. Pretty much every civil war ends with some version of Iran’s four-step proposal: ceasefire, unity government, constitutional reforms and a supervised election. In crediting Iran with this bland proposal, Carter is implicitly acknowledging that Iran and Russia will get the credit for ending the war, the “unity government” will not involve any real power-sharing, the constitutional reform will be mostly cosmetic and President Bashar Assad’s re-election is a foregone conclusion.

Carter envisions Russia and Iran forcing a deal on Assad that is far better than he deserves, while the U.S. forces Saudi Arabia and Turkey to end their support of extremists in the region. The “win” for Russia and Iran, in combination with the American arm-twisting needed to realize Carter’s plan, will change the geopolitical future of the region. It may even jeopardize America’s longstanding relationship with Saudi Arabia, creating another opportunity for China to expand its arms sales and influence.

Given these costs, how can this plan be ethical and strategic?

The heart of the problem is that even with American training, drone attacks, logistical support, weapons and U.S. Special Forces, the more moderate Syrian opposition cannot win. The Obama administration has tried a “support the moderates” strategy for three years, achieving less than the Chicago Cubs in their effort to win the World Series. Russia’s entry into the Syrian conflict assured Assad’s victory, but the rise of the Islamic State group had already revealed the futility of the U.S. strategy.

It is neither ethical nor pragmatic to stick to a failed strategy, especially because most of the non-Islamic State group Syrian opposition still alive and fighting is not, in fact, moderate, respectable or competent enough to justify American support. (The Kurds and a few other ethnic groups are important exceptions, and ensuring their protection must be a central focus during any five-nation negotiations.)

There are three ethical and interest-based reasons to support Carter’s plan. First, the flow of refugees from Syria is a destabilizing humanitarian disaster. Half of Syria’s population is seeking refuge around the world. Europe cannot absorb Syrian refugees without fomenting a political backlash that will destabilize European and world politics for years to come. We must deal with the refugee crisis at its source.

Next, the Islamic State group openly endorses slavery, genocide and sectarian conflict around the world and for this reason it must be defeated. Ignoring it as it gains strength by practicing its medieval vision of Islam is just plain stupid.

Lastly, the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have already taught us the cost of backing weak, inept governments that pursue their own sectarian strategies. Does the U.S. seriously want to prop up yet another set of questionable allies, this time in Syria?

Hans Morgenthau, the father of political realism, warned great powers to divest their foreign policy of a crusading spirit, not let weak allies set their agenda and be willing to compromise all issues that are not vital to them. From the opposite end of the political spectrum, Stanley Hoffmann, an advocate of political liberalism, recognized that where a policy is hopeless, restraint from action is the more ethical choice.

We need to chose the side of the people, which means doing what it takes to end Syria’s civil war and defeat the Islamic State group. The pill will be bitter, but continuing the civil war in Syria is even worse.

Karen J. Alter is professor of political science and law at Northwestern University where she teaches courses on international law and ethics in international affairs.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43341.htm

By Thierry Meyssan

The days of the « Arab Spring » are almost over. As of now, the White House and the Kremlin are redesigning the contours of the « Greater Middle East ». However, their agreement, which was concluded before the Russian military intervention in Syria, could still be modified by the changes in the balance of power. There is no proof that Moscow will accept the stabilisation of Syria or ignore the partition of Turkey and Saudi Arabia which are soon to begin. In any event, the coming upheaval will modify the status quo which has been in place for the last five years. Most of the powers implicated are therefore scrambling to change sides before the other players.

Translation – Pete Kimberley

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43339.htm

By Pepe Escobar

November 05, 2015 “Information Clearing House” – “RT” – DOHA – Amidst the wilderness of mirrors surrounding the Syrian tragedy, a diamond-shaped fact persists: Despite so many degrees of separation, the Saudis are still talking to the Russians. Why?

A key reason is because a perennially paranoid House of Saud feels betrayed by their American protectors who, under the Obama administration, seem to have given up on isolating Iran.

The Saudis can't intellectually understand the see-saw of incoherent Beltway policies due to the power struggle between Zionist neocons and the old establishment. No wonder they might be tempted to move to the Russian side of the fence. But for that to happen there will be many a price to pay.

So let's talk about oil. In energy terms, an oil deal with the House of Saud would mean a lot to Russia. A deal could produce incremental oil revenue for Moscow of around $180 billion a year. The rest of the GCC does not really count: Kuwait is a US protectorate; Bahrain is a Saudi resort area; Dubai is a glitzy heroin money-laundering operation. The UAE itself is a wealthy group of pearl divers. And Qatar, as 'Bandar Bush' famously remarked, is "300 people and a TV station," plus a decent airline that sponsors Barcelona.

Riyadh – paranoia included – fully took note of the Obama administration's supposed "policy"of dumping Saudi Arabia over an alleged Iranian natural gas bonanza, which would supposedly replace Gazprom in supplying Europe. That won't happen, however, because Iran needs at least $180 billion in long-term investment to upgrade its energy infrastructure.

Moscow for its part fully took note how Washington blocked South Stream. It's also been trying to block Turk Stream – but that may come to nothing after Erdogan's recent election landslide in Turkey. Additionally, Washington has been pressuring Finland, Sweden, Ukraine and Eastern Europe to weaponize further against Russia in NATO.

The King goes to Vlad

From the House of Saud's point of view, three factors are paramount. 1) A general sense of 'red alert' as they have been deprived from an exclusive relationship with Washington, thus becoming incapable of shaping US foreign policy in the Middle East; 2) They have been mightily impressed by Moscow's swift counter-terrorism operation in Syria; 3) They fear like the plague the current Russia-Iran alliance if they have no means of influencing it.

That explains why King Salman's advisers have pressed the point that the House of Saud has a much better chance of checking Iran on all matters – from "Syraq" to Yemen – if it forges a closer relationship with Moscow. In fact, King Salman may be visiting Putin before the end of the year.

Tehran's priority, on the other hand, is to sell as much natural gas as possible. That makes Iran a natural competitor with Gazprom (not for the moment, as most extra exports will be directed towards Asia, not Europe). In terms of natural gas, there's no Russia-Saudi competition. Oil is a different story; a Russia-Saudi partnership would make sense in the framework of an OPEC cutback – if only they could find a deal over the Syria tragedy.

One of the untold stories of the recent Syria-driven diplomatic flurry is how Moscow has been silently working on mollifying both Saudi Arabia and Turkey behind the scenes. That was already the case when the foreign ministers of US, Russia, Turkey and Saudi Arabia met before Vienna.

Vienna was crucial not only because Iran was on the table for the first time but also because of the presence of Egypt – incidentally, fresh from recent discovery of new oil reserves, and engaging in a reinforced relationship with Russia.

The absolute key point was this paragraph included in Vienna's final declaration: "This political process will be Syrian-led and Syrian-owned, and the Syrian people will decide the future of Syria."

It's not by accident that only Russian and Iranian media chose to give the paragraph the appropriate relevance. Because this meant the actual death of the regime change obsession, much to the distress of US neocons, Erdogan and the House of Saud.

That does not necessarily mean the Russia-Iran alliance agrees 100 percent on Syria. This week, IRGC commander Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari once again explained Iran does not see any alternative to Bashar al-Assad as leader of Syria. He even acknowledged Moscow might not entirely share this view – which is exactly what Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has been saying.

But that's not the main point. The main point is the death of the regime change option, brought about by Moscow. And that leaves Putin free to further project his extremely elaborate strategy.

He called Erdogan on Wednesday to congratulate him on his and the AKP's election landslide. This means that now Moscow clearly has someone to talk to in Ankara. Not only about Syria. But also about gas.

Putin and Erdogan will have a crucial energy-related meeting at the G20 summit on November 15 in Turkey; and there's an upcoming visit by Erdogan to Moscow. Bets are on that the Turk Stream agreement will be – finally – reached before the end of the year. And on northern Syria, Erdogan has been forced to admit by Russian facts on the ground and skies that his no-fly zone scheme will never fly.

Slouching towards Mecca

That leaves us with the much larger problem: the House of Saud.

There's a wall of silence surrounding the number one reason for Saudi Arabia to bomb and invade Yemen, and that is to exploit Yemen's virgin oil lands, side by side with Israel – no less. Not to mention the strategic foolishness of picking a fight with redoubtable warriors such as the Houthis, which have sowed panic amidst the pathetic, mercenary-crammed Saudi army.

Riyadh, following its American reflexes, even resorted to recruiting Academi – formerly Blackwater – to round up the usual mercenary suspects as far away as Colombia.

It was also suspected from the beginning, but now it’s a done deal that the responsible actor for the costly Yemen military disaster is none other than Prince Mohammad bin Salman, the King's son who, crucially, was sent by his father to meet Putin face-to-face.

To compound the turmoil, the Yemen disaster has unleashed some hardcore shadow play in Riyadh involving those sidelined by the Salman reign, especially former King Abdullah's clan. A nasty mess does not even begin to describe it.

Meanwhile, Qatar will keep crying because it was counting on Syria as a destination point for its much-coveted gas pipeline to serve European customers, or at least as a key transit hub on the way to Turkey.

Iran on the other hand needed both Iraq and Syria for the rival Iran-Iraq-Syria gas pipeline because Tehran could not rely on Ankara while it was under US sanctions (this will now change, fast). The point is Iranian gas won't replace Gazprom as a major source for the EU anytime soon. If it ever did, or course, that would be a savage blow to Russia.

In oil terms, Russia and the Saudis are natural allies. Saudi Arabia cannot export natural gas; Qatar can. To get their finances in order – after all even the IMF knows they are on a highway to hell – the Saudis would have to cut back around ten percent of production with OPEC, in concert with Russia; the oil price would more than double. A 10 percent cutback would make a fortune for the House of Saud.

So for both Moscow and Riyadh, a deal on the oil price, to be eventually pushed towards $100 a barrel, would make total economic sense. Arguably, in both cases, it might even mean a matter of national security.

But it won't be easy. OPEC's latest report assumes a basket of crude oil to be quoted at only $55 in 2015, and to rise by $5 a year reaching $80 only by 2020. This state of affairs does not suit either Moscow or Riyadh.

Meanwhile, fomenting all sorts of wild speculation, ISIS/ISIL/Daesh still manages to collect as much as $50 million a month from selling crude from oilfields it controls across "Syraq", according to the best Iraq-based estimates.

The fact that this mini-oil caliphate is able to bring in equipment and technical experts from"abroad" to keep its energy sector running beggars belief. "Abroad" in this context means essentially Turkey – engineers plus equipment for extraction, refinement, transport and energy production.

One of the reasons this is happening is that the US-led Coalition of the Dodgy Opportunists (CDO) – which includes Saudi Arabia and Turkey – is actually bombing the Syrian state energy infrastructure, not the mini oil-Caliphate domains. So we have the proverbial "international actors" in the region de facto aiding ISIS/ISIL/Daesh to sell crude to smugglers for as low as $10 a barrel.

Saudis – as much as Russian intel – have noted how ISIS/ISIL/Daesh is able to take over the most advanced US equipment that takes months to master, and instead integrate it into their ops at once. This implies they must have been extensively trained. The Pentagon, meanwhile, sent and will be sending top military across "Syraq" with an overarching message: if you choose Russia we won't help you.

ISIS/ISIL/Daesh, for their part, never talks about freeing Jerusalem. It's always about Mecca and Medina.

So make no mistake; there's much more pointing to a possible Russia-Saudi deal than meets the eye.

Pepe Escobar is the roving correspondent for Asia Times/Hong Kong, an analyst for RT and TomDispatch, and a frequent contributor to websites and radio shows ranging from the US to East Asia. Born in Brazil, he’s been a foreign correspondent since 1985, and has lived in London, Paris, Milan, Los Angeles, Washington, Bangkok and Hong Kong.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43338.htm

Part III

This is the third of four articles analyzing the new US Department of Defense Law of War Manual. The first article was posted November 3. The second article was posted November 4.

The Department of Defense (DOD) Law of War Manual represents the most advanced ideological expression of the striving of US imperialism to dominate and control the entire world by means of military force.

By authorizing the Pentagon to occupy, wage war against and impose its own version of "law" in every corner of the planet, the DOD manual merely formalizes the world-hegemonic agenda of US imperialism and points to its logical endpoint.

"US capitalism is up against the same problems that pushed Germany in 1914 on the path of war. The world is divided? It must be redivided. For Germany it was a question of 'organizing Europe.' The United States must 'organize' the world. History is bringing humanity face to face with the volcanic eruption of American imperialism."

This was written by the founder of the Fourth International, Leon Trotsky, in 1934.

From the mid-1970s onward, the US ruling class has engaged in a relentless militarization drive aimed at overcoming through armed force its economic decline.

This was also foreseen by Trotsky, who wrote: "In the period of crisis the hegemony of the United States will operate more completely, more openly and more ruthlessly than in the period of boom. The United States will seek to overcome and extricate herself from her difficulties and maladies primarily at the expense of Europe, regardless of whether this occurs in Asia, Canada, South America, Australia, or Europe itself, or whether this takes place peacefully or through war."

The Law of War Manual, which elaborates protocols for military operations in every corner of the globe by the Pentagon and its proxy forces, amounts to a manifesto for this process, set down in legal jargon. If the guidelines laid out in the manual are allowed to be implemented—that is, if the international working class does not intervene in time on the basis of a revolutionary program—then humankind faces a future dominated by concentration camps, slaughter on an unprecedented scale, and, ultimately, a nuclear holocaust.

In essence, the DOD manual represents a comprehensive statement of the only "solution" to the world crisis that the imperialist cliques in Washington and on Wall Street are capable of offering.

Total war

The first two articles in this series have drawn the parallels between the Department of Defense Law of War Manual and the legal and political ideology of Nazi Germany. It has been shown that the very same fascist conceptions rejected by leading American jurists at the Nuremberg trials have, in the form of the DOD manual, been codified as official state policy at the highest levels of the American government.

Later sections of the DOD manual, those covering the practices of US military operations, make clear that the scorched earth methods employed by the Nazis against the populations of Europe, the Soviet Union and North Africa are now embraced and defended by the Pentagon high command.

The manual overturns central tenets of international law designed to place restraints on the use of military violence. On the basis of the Oxford English Dictionary definition of total war as "a war that is unrestricted in terms of the weapons used, the territory or combatants involved, or the objectives pursued, especially one in which the laws of war are disregarded," one can state without hesitation that total war has become the central policy of the DOD.

Every form of military activity conventionally associated with total war—a concept that emerged during the 19th century before finding its consummate expression in the mayhem and destruction perpetrated by both the fascist and "democratic" imperialist governments during the Second World War—is explicitly or implicitly allowed by the Pentagon guidelines.

Every nominal restriction on the DOD's war-making powers included in the manual is accompanied by caveats that confer virtually unlimited discretion on US military commanders to employ violence in the service of US strategic aims. The manual carefully avoids any language that might discourage commanders from planning offensive operations. There are gaping loopholes in every section designed to instill confidence that there will be no penalty for the indiscriminate use of force.

The manual authorizes US commanders to engage in strategic bombing, attacks on civilian commercial infrastructure, blockades and sieges. It authorizes the establishment of mass detention and forced labor camps.

Image: Hiroshima in 1945

Of course, throughout its history, US imperialism has committed horrific violations of international laws along these lines, carrying out collective punishment, mass slaughter of populations, and the destruction of urban areas in Germany, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia and, most recently, Iraq.

The military campaign launched against Iraq in 2003 reduced one of the most advanced economies in the Middle East to a level of social development comparable to that of the poorest countries in the world. Some 4-5 million Iraqis were killed, displaced or disappeared as a result of the US war and occupation. More than half of Iraqi doctors were killed or forced to flee the country. Reports published in 2007 by Iraq's Statistical Bureau showed that, four years after the war was launched, fully 43 percent of Iraqis were living in "absolute poverty," without reliable access to food, housing or clothing.

Prior to the release of the DOD manual this year, however, the US high command employed such methods in defiance of its own regulations, which still included clearly worded prohibitions against wanton destruction of civilian infrastructure and populations. The last comprehensive document on military law issued by the US Department of Defense, the 1956 US Army Field Manual on the Law of Land Warfare, still maintained that military operations could not be launched if it was known in advance that they would lead to large-scale civilian casualties.

While including formal prohibitions against the slaughter of civilians similar to those contained in the 1956 document, the new manual provides conceptual loopholes based on notions of "military necessity,""expected military advantage," etc.

The publication of the DOD manual is thus enormously significant as an official assertion by the US ruling elite of its "right" to demolish entire societies and peoples in pursuit of its political goals. Undoubtedly, the DOD manual was crafted with an eye toward legalizing, after the fact, the crimes committed against Iraq by US imperialism.

Under the manual's guidelines, direct mass killing of civilians is effectively legalized, so long as the relevant US military officers consider that attacks around or against civilian targets are weighed "in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage expected to be gained." (P. 187)

Image: Predator drone firing a Hellcat missile

Commanders are authorized to conduct operations that they know will lead to large numbers of civilian deaths, as long as their subjective assessment finds that such operations contribute to "the broader imperatives of winning the war." This applies even when the "military advantage" to be gained from a proposed attack could not be understood by an "outside observer," i.e., on the basis of any objective or universal criteria.

"The military advantage expected to be gained from an attack might not be readily apparent to the enemy or to outside observers because, for example, the expected military advantage might depend on the commander's strategy or assessments of classified information,"

the manual states. (P. 213)

"The weighing or comparison between the expected incidental harm and the expected military advantage does not necessarily lend itself to empirical analyses," the document adds. (P. 128)

"In less clear-cut cases, the question of whether the expected incidental harm is excessive may be a highly open-ended legal inquiry, and the answer may be subjective and imprecise," the manual declares. (P. 245)

In defining what constitutes a legitimate military target, DOD employs a definition that is so broad as to encompass the entire economy and civilian population of enemy states. The manual authorizes destruction of basic infrastructure, including housing stock, power generation facilities, water facilities, and food supply chains of enemy states. Any object that contributes to the "war-fighting capacity" of the enemy nation, even in an indirect manner, is declared by the manual to be a legitimate target. (P. 206)

"The term 'military objective' means combatants and those objects during hostilities which, by their nature, location, purpose, or use, effectively contribute to the war-fighting or war-sustaining capability of an opposing force," the manual reads.

"It is not necessary that the object provide immediate tactical or operational gains or that the object make an effective contribution to a specific military operation. Rather, the object's effective contribution to the war-fighting or war-sustaining capability of an opposing force is sufficient… The advantage need not be immediate." (P. 210)

"The law of war does not require that attacks on a military objective be conducted near ongoing fighting, in a theater of active military operations, or in a theater of active armed conflict." (P. 199)

In a critique of the target selection practices called for by the manual, entitled "The Defense Department Stands Alone on Target Selection," Professor Adil Haque of the Rutgers School of Law-Newark notes that the manual effectively authorizes US commanders to carry out attacks regardless of the civilian death toll that is likely to result.

"A deeply troubling provision in the Defense Department's new Law of War Manual suggests that commanders are not legally required to minimize civilian casualties when selecting between different targets," Haque writes. "The United States is not legally required to select targets so as to reduce collateral harm to civilians."

Large sections of the manual are devoted to siege, enforced starvation and occupation of densely populated urban areas. It authorizes the erection of ghettos and security cordons to restrict the movement of civilians.

"Starvation is a legitimate method of warfare," the DOD manual states. (P. 291) "In particular, it is permissible to seek to starve enemy forces into submission."

During siege warfare, US military commanders are authorized, among other things, to destroy supply lines that are relied on by the civilian population for food and other essential goods. "States may institute general food control programs that involve the destruction of crops and the adequate provision of the civilian population with food," the manual reads in the section entitled "Starvation of Enemy Forces Not Prohibited." (P. 1,037)

It advises US officers to allow passage of "certain categories of civilians," implying that much of the civilian population can be left for dead inside the encircled area. Commanders are authorized to completely isolate urban areas, refusing the movement of even the most basic humanitarian goods into the siege zone.

"A commander of an encircling force is not required to agree to the passage of medical or religious personnel, supplies, and equipment," the manual states. (P. 316)

The implications of this doctrine were already demonstrated in the US military's 2004 siege of Fallujah in Iraq. Tens of thousands of Iraqi men between the ages of 15 and 55 were prevented from fleeing the city prior to a devastating US bombardment that destroyed some 60 percent of the city's buildings, irradiated the entire area with toxic munitions byproducts, and permanently reduced the population by as much as 50 percent.

The manual authorizes the use of illegal weapons, another practice commonly understood as a feature of total war, including cluster bombs and nuclear weapons, against a range of "military objectives," including "mountain passes, hills, defiles, and bridgeheads, villages, towns, or cities" whose seizure is militarily important. (P. 215)

"Under certain circumstances, it may be advantageous to use cluster munitions," the document reads. "The United States has determined that its national security interests cannot be fully ensured consistent with the terms of the Convention on Cluster Munitions."

Employing a formula that becomes all too familiar to any reader of the manual, the document openly authorizes use of nuclear weapons based on calculations of "military advantage."

"Attacks using nuclear weapons must not be conducted when the expected incidental harm to civilians is excessive compared to the military advantage expected to be gained," the document states. (P. 420)

Such formulations amount to a green light to do anything. Would the DOD high command consider the destruction of China's key military and economic infrastructure to be militarily advantageous? Of course, and therefore nuclear attacks would be justified.

In fact, the DOD's Air Sea battle plan envisions a crushing first strike against the Chinese mainland, using a level of force so overwhelming as to prevent any possibility of retaliation by the Chinese military.

Mass detention and concentration camps

Brushing aside democratic legal principles that have been developed over centuries, the manual asserts the absolute power of the US military-security apparatus to detain civilians anywhere on the planet. "Detention is fundamental to waging war or conducting other military operations," the Pentagon lawyers assert in the opening lines of the section "Detention: Overview and Baseline Rules." (P. 515)

Image: Prisoners in the Sachsenhausen concentration camp, 1938

While the executive branch has already asserted similar prerogatives with the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012, it remains significant that the DOD now openly maintains its own sweeping powers to act as an independent branch of government, exercising essentially limitless authority.

The manual maintains that the Defense Department may re-interpret and negate international agreements that prohibit extra-legal arrests and detentions, upholding the unlimited right of the American national state to nullify well-established international laws.

The DOD lawyers go so far as to cite relevant portions of international law that directly contradict their own positions before sweeping them aside as incompatible with the US government's interpretations.

"Anyone who is deprived of his liberty by arrest or detention shall be entitled to take proceedings before a court, in order that that court may decide without delay on the lawfulness of his detention and order his release if the detention is not lawful," a passage from the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), reprinted in the manual, states. (P. 50f)

The document then declares that the US government has "understood" such prohibitions not to apply to its own policies. As far as DOD and the US government are concerned, the manual makes clear, the content of international laws is determined by the way in which such laws are re-understood by top US military attorneys and bureaucrats.

"For example, the right to challenge the lawfulness of an arrest before a court provided in Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) would appear to conflict with the authority under the law of war to detain certain persons without judicial process or criminal charge,"

the manual reads.

"However, the United States has understood Article 9 of the ICCPR not to affect a State's authorities under the law of war, including a State's authority in both international and non-international armed conflicts to detain enemy combatants until the end of hostilities." (P. 50)

The manual goes on to outline authorizations for DOD to create specific legal instruments in order to overcome any remaining legal obstacles to its detention powers, allowing for the creation of "Ad Hoc Legal Instruments or Frameworks" and "Special Courts."

According to the manual, "Detaining Powers" may segregate detainees in prison camps based on racial and ethnic criteria. "Detainees may be segregated into camps or camp compounds according to their nationality, language, and customs, and the Detaining Power may use other criteria to segregate detainees for administrative, security, intelligence, medical, or law enforcement purposes." (P. 498)

US military authorities are empowered to carry out mass resettlement of populations for "imperative military reasons." Under the heading "Displacement of the Civilian Population,"

the manual states: "The Occupying Power may undertake total or partial evacuation of a given area if required for the security of the population or for imperative military reasons." (P. 778)

And further: "The displacement of the civilian population shall not be ordered for reasons related to the conflict unless the security of the civilians involved or imperative military reasons so demand." (P. 1,035)

Martial law and occupation

The manual outlines procedures for military occupation and imposition of martial law on subjugated territories. Protocols are formulated in extremely general terms, making clear that the entire world, including the US "Homeland," is viewed as actual or potential Occupied Territory.

Inhabitants of territory under US military rule must submit unconditionally to the dictates of the "Occupying Power," rendering "strict obedience to the orders of the occupant," the manual states in the section "Suspension and Substitution of Governmental Authority."

US commanders may "exercise authority over all means of public and private transportation, whether land, waterborne, or air, within the occupied territory, and may seize them and regulate their operation," the manual asserts.

Lest there be any illusions that protocols for military occupation and suspension of constitutional government do not apply within the borders of the United States, the manual announces that the DOD-promulgated law of war policies are being integrated into US domestic law. "Law of war requirements have also been incorporated into domestic law, policy, regulations, and orders," the document states (P. 1,057)

In the section on "Non-International Armed Conflict," the manual develops another conceptual loophole that enables US forces to violate the Geneva Conventions and other international laws when engaged in operations against persons or organizations that are not formally part of an internationally recognized state.

Whereas the manual assigns some limited relevance to international laws in relation to military conflicts against rival national states, non-international armed conflicts are said to be conducted under the essentially limitless authorities assigned by the manual to the US government as the world's most powerful national state.

Non-state actors cannot claim the legal status of national governments and are essentially considered to be legally naked, that is, fully at the mercy of the US government and not entitled to the minimal protections afforded to captured enemy POWs.

"The sovereign equality of States is not applicable in armed conflicts between a State and a non-State armed group. A State may exercise both sovereign and belligerent rights over non-State armed groups." (P. 1,025)

"The limits imposed by international law on a State's action against non-State armed groups do not alter the basic principle that the State may exercise its sovereign powers against the non-State armed group…

"Although, during international armed conflict, lawful combatants are afforded certain immunities from the enemy State's jurisdiction, persons belonging to non-State armed groups lack any legal privilege or immunity from prosecution by a State that is engaged in hostilities against that group." (P. 1,025)

Such language serves to put US officers on notice that, in confronting insurrectionary movements by the American and international working class, they are permitted to cast aside all restraints conventionally associated with the law of war as it has evolved over centuries.

To be continued

http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-pentagons-law-of-war-manual-total-war-mass-detention-and-martial-law/5486756

On November 3rd, U.S. Defense Department spokesperson Laura Seal told The Daily Beast that twelve F-15C air-to-air combat planes are being sent to the Incirlik Turkey Air Base for deployment in Syria against Russia's Su-30 air-to-air combat planes. Neither the F-15C nor the Su-30 can destroy ground-targets, only air-targets — enemy planes.

In other words: U.S. President Barack Obama is telling Russian President Vladimir Putin that unless Putin is willing to go to war against the United States, he must stop what he's now doing in Syria. Obama is saying this in the only language whose meaning cannot be denied or misinterpreted: sending in counter-force to specifically what Russia has already sent into Syria.

If it were not the case that both the F-15C and the Su-30 are equipped only for air-to-air-combat, then the meaning of Obama's move here wouldn't be so clear and unambiguous. Ms. Seal made her point even clearer by volunteering to tell The Daily Beast's reporter David Axe, "I didn't say it wasn't about Russia." Axe then commented in his article, that this statement of hers "hinted at its [the deployment's] true purpose." But one would need to be a fool in order to deny it. The only real question here is why Obama has made this decision, which is quite likely to be fateful. So: that's the subject: Why did he do this?

On 11 October 2015, CBS's "60 Minutes" aired a segment, "Steve Kroft questions President Obama on topics including Russia's incursion in Syria",  and the U.S. President was challenged there by Mr. Kroft regarding whether he's "weak" on the Syria matter:

Steve Kroft: A year ago when we did this interview, there was some saber-rattling between the United States and Russia on the Ukrainian border. Now it's also going on in Syria. You said a year ago that the United States — America leads. We're the indispensible nation. Mr. Putin seems to be challenging that leadership. *

President Barack Obama: In what way? Let — let's think about this — let — let — 

Steve Kroft: Well, he's moved troops into Syria, for one. He's got people on the ground. Two, the Russians are conducting military operations in the Middle East for the first time since World War II — 

President Barack Obama: So that's — 

Steve Kroft: — bombing the people — that we are supporting.

President Barack Obama: So that's leading, Steve? Let me ask you this question. When I came into office, Ukraine was governed by a corrupt ruler who was a stooge of Mr. Putin. Syria was Russia's only ally in the region. And today, rather than being able to count on their support and maintain the base they had in Syria, which they've had for a long time, Mr. Putin now is devoting his own troops, his own military, just to barely hold together by a thread his sole ally. And in Ukraine — 

Steve Kroft: He's challenging your leadership, Mr. President. He's challenging your leadership — 

President Barack Obama: Well Steve, I got to tell you, if you think that running your economy into the ground and having to send troops in in order to prop up your only ally is leadership, then we've got a different definition of leadership. My definition of leadership would be leading on climate change, an international accord that potentially we'll get in Paris. My definition of leadership is mobilizing the entire world community to make sure that Iran doesn't get a nuclear weapon. And with respect to the Middle East, we've got a 60-country coalition that isn't suddenly lining up around Russia's strategy. To the contrary, they are arguing that, in fact, that strategy will not work.

Steve Kroft: My point is — was not that he was leading, my point is that he was challenging your leadership. And he has very much involved himself in the situation. Can you imagine anything happening in Syria of any significance at all without the Russians now being involved in it and having a part of it?

President Barack Obama: But that was true before. Keep in mind that for the last five years, the Russians have provided arms, provided financing, as have the Iranians, as has Hezbollah.

Steve Kroft: But they haven't been bombing and they haven't had troops on the ground — 

President Barack Obama: And the fact that they had to do this is not an indication of strength, it's an indication that their strategy did not work.

Steve Kroft: You don't think — 

President Barack Obama: You don't think that Mr. Putin would've preferred having Mr. Assad be able to solve this problem without him having to send a bunch of pilots and money that they don't have?

Steve Kroft: Did you know he was going to do all this when you met with him in New York?

President Barack Obama: Well, we had seen — we had pretty good intelligence. We watch — 

Steve Kroft: So you knew he was planning to do it.

President Barack Obama: We knew that he was planning to provide the military assistance that Assad was needing because they were nervous about a potential imminent collapse of the regime.

Steve Kroft: You say he's doing this out of weakness. There is a perception in the Middle East among our adversaries, certainly and even among some of our allies that the United States is in retreat, that we pulled our troops out of Iraq and ISIS has moved in and taken over much of that territory. The situation in Afghanistan is very precarious and the Taliban is on the march again. And ISIS controls a large part of Syria.

President Barack Obama: I think it's fair to say, Steve, that if — 

Steve Kroft: It's — they — let me just finish the thought. They say your — 

President Barack Obama: You're — 

Steve Kroft: — they say you're projecting a weakness, not a strength–

President Barack Obama: — you're saying "they," but you're not citing too many folks. But here — 

Steve Kroft: No, I'll cite — I'll cite if you want me, too.

President Barack Obama: — here — yes. Here — 

Steve Kroft: I'd say the Saudis. I'd say the Israelis. I'd say a lot of our friends in the Middle East. I'd say everybody in the Republican party. Well, you want me to keep going?

President Barack Obama: Yeah. The — the — if you are — if you're citing the Republican party, I think it's fair to say that there is nothing I've done right over the last seven and a half years.

Apparently, the U.S. President is taking this matter so much to heart, he's now willing to start World War III over it, so as to prove that he's not "weak."

The Cold War was never this hot except at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. But in that particular instance, the U.S. faced a potential Soviet nuclear attack upon the United States, by Soviet missiles being placed near the U.S. in Cuba. This time around, it's starting very differently: there is no danger that Russia is posing to the United States. Indeed, Putin had repeatedly requested the U.S.'s cooperation with the war against jihadists in Syria, but Obama has repeatedly refused.

Now, Obama is going farther than merely refusing to cooperate: he's ordering Putin to stop. Obama is doing this by his action, demanding that Putin allow Sunni jihadists to take control in Syria, a nation that under Assad has a secular non-sectarian government, most of whose chief officials are Shiites (though the Prime Minister, Wael Nader al-Halqi, is Sunni), and where the Constitution is entirely non-religious and keeps a wall of separation between church-and-state (the only one like that in the entire Middle East)— which all of the opposition-organizations that are warring against it oppose, because they're all jihadist Sunni organizations.

Obama is, in effect, now telling Putin that the United States is willing to go to war against Russia in order to be able to eliminate Syria's non-jihadist government — a government that was founded not only as anti-jihadist but as entirely non-religious. He's saying this in the clearest language possible, but Putin could simply ignore it. What then will be the response when American and Russian fighter-pilots fire at each other in a Syrian sky, and one of them gets killed in the process, and his plane goes down, perhaps in flames? Will the loser (either Obama or Putin) of that battle, simply quit World War III immediately after it started, before it goes nuclear? Or, will he not? And, if not, then what will his response be? And when would that mutual test of "strength" end — and how would it end?

This could get interesting. It might even get catastrophic.

Investigative historian Eric Zuesse is the author, most recently, of  They're Not Even Close: The Democratic vs. Republican Economic Records, 1910-2010, and of  CHRIST'S VENTRILOQUISTS: The Event that Created Christianity.

http://www.globalresearch.ca/u-s-prepares-war-against-russia-in-syrian-battlefield/5486751

Britain Ignores UN on TTIP

The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) has its objectors – mainly the citizens of the countries involved in what can only be seen as confirmation of a corporate takeover. Governments have confirmed that democracy is no longer a principle worth pursuing.

Three million citizens have signed a petition voicing their opposition, of which 500,000 were from Britain alone.

One month ago at least 250,000 people marched in Berlin in protest against TTIP. Nearly 500 organisations have emerged with literally millions of followers who object to TTIP. The largest ever survey carried out by the EU Commission resulted in 97% of citizens being against TTIP in any form. All ignored.

As Rosa Pavanelli, Public Services International General Secretary puts it – "what has democracy come to when the community must rely on Wikileaks to find out what our governments are doing on our behalf".

Various leaks only go to highlight the cat and mouse game being played by the nations negotiating TTIP that only raises further citizen concerns that secret meetings are only secret as they are not in the interests of people or individual nations.

A respected human-rights expert at the United Nations, Alfred-Maurice de Zayas, says "there is a hierarchy of agreements, and at the top is the UN Charter: in case of conflict between the provisions of the UN Charter and any other treaty, the Charter prevails." In other words, trade treaties that lead to a violation of human rights — or breach any other obligation set out in the UN Charter — are legally invalid. Most countries have signed onto human rights treaties, but "they have also entered into trade and investment agreements that hinder, delay or render impossible the fulfillment of their human rights treaty obligations."

He goes one step further ""Allowing private arbitrators to disregard international and national law … is tantamount to a revolution against law ." The United Nations has actually called for a suspension of TTIP talks on the basis that its tactics used by multinationals in courts outside of public jurisdiction would undermine democracy and law.

The British government stance on this is well known. Their own website states "UK national income could rise by between £4 billion and £10 billion annually, with the main gains being generated by the liberalisation of non-tariff barriers." Double speak for reducing standards to meet the common denominator and accede to corporate power.

So far, most of the opposition to TTIP has concentrated on the controversial Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) clause which will allow US corporations to sue EU governments for any decision that could harm their profits. But there is far more to TTIP than just secret corporate courts.

GlobalJustice.org.uk explains the dangers posed by the innocuously named regulatory cooperation chapter of TTIP (also commonly referred to as regulatory coherence) which could lead to a race to the bottom on key regulations in areas such as food safety and environmental protection.

Corporate lobbyists have expressed the hope that cooperation will make them so powerful that it will allow them to effectively 'co-write' regulation with policymakers in each country, completely bypassing citizen concerns and previously enforced protection systems and laws.

GlobalJustice identifies that "to most people, regulations such as air pollution limits and food safety standards are common sense protections against dangerous threats. However, to many big businesses, these rules are just red tape or non-tariff barriers to trade (NTBs) which inhibit profits and are identified as such during trade negotiations. In fact, proponents of TTIP say that 80% of the supposed benefits of the deal will come from getting rid of these rules".

It now appears that TTIP has in fact started to change previous protections in Europe without debate. For instance, the EU Commission has now dropped previous recognition of cosmetics standards. In essence, this is a serious deregulation of cosmetic ingredients and the amended paper with the TTIP agreement no longer contains a reference to "mutual recognition" of banned and authorised substances in cosmetics.

How bad is this one may ask. The EU Commission is now stating (in an attempt to put a good spin on the story) that it would accept banned chemicals in cosmetics, which would significantly risk lowering safety standards in the EU. More than 1,300 substances are prohibited in cosmetics in the EU, while only 11 are in the US. That includes lead in your lipstick.

How does the EU get away with this? While producing lipstick that contains lead would still be illegal in the EU, US companies will still be able to export it to the EU as long as it passes US safety tests.

It gets worse as it turns out that US officials have successfully used TTIP proposals to bully the EU into disregarding plans to ban 31 dangerous pesticides with ingredients that have been shown to cause cancer and infertility.

In a similar situation, the EU had previously banned the treatment of beef with certain acids being used to conceal poor and unhygienic practices common in the US. EU commission officials pressured MEP'sin stating that TTIP negotiations will be threatened if the EU ban wasn't lifted. The pressure was great enough that MEP's then repealed the ban.

The EU has now implemented a programme called 'Better Regulation". This is designed to reduce the regulatory burden and seeks to eradicate new rules on things like safe levels of chemicals. Trade unions say that Better Regulation has already been responsible for 100,000 deaths from cancer.

America, along with its 'partners' is designing a new world order all of its own. The TTIP agreement is as dangerous to world harmony as the cold war because that is what the agreement will become.  Its aims are clear – to create a global economic arena outside of the WTO framework. Its sees TTIP as an opportunity as part of a much wider picture as a geopolitical economic strategy against the BRICS countries of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

These negotiations will end with 53 countries accounting for two thirds of the global economy. Thetreaty will create a new international legal regime that will allow transnational corporations to bypass domestic courts, evade environmental protections, police the internet on behalf of the content industry, limit the availability of affordable generic medicines, and drastically curtail each country's legislative sovereignty. US Senator Elizabeth Warren has said "They can't make this deal public because if the American people saw what was in it, they would be opposed to it."

The EU has admitted that TTIP will probably cause unemployment as jobs switch to the US, where labour standards and trade union rights are lower. It has even advised EU members, including Britain to draw on European support funds to compensate for the expected unemployment.

Britain's most powerful TTIP advocate, an anti-democractic corporate public relations lobbyist masquerading as Prime Minister David Cameron has pledged to "fire rocket boosters' under the deal without public debate on the world's largest agreement of its type ever considered.

David Cameron went to considerable length to assure people the NHS was not part of the deal.  The government spent months trying to brush the threat of TTIP under the carpet but massive public pressure has forced the them to admit the NHS is part of the deal and therefore at threat from American corporations looking to cash-in from the multi-billion dollar health service as a profit centre.

Currently, there are around 500 cases of businesses versus nations going on around the world as a direct result of TTIP like agreements and they are all taking place before 'arbitration tribunals' made up of corporate lawyers appointed on an ad hoc basis, which according to War on Want's John Hilary, are "little more than kangaroo courts" with "a vested interest in ruling in favour of business."

John McDonnell, the UK's shadow chancellor, has described TTIP as "toxic" and resulting in a huge transfer of powers to Brussels and corporate interests. What then if Britain leaves the EU?

TTIP has nothing to do with citizens or their rights. It is about forcing governments to see the whole of society from the single viewpoint of big business. The UN expert, Alfred-Maurice de Zayas is right – this is a revolution against the law.

http://www.globalresearch.ca/mass-european-protest-against-ttip-corporate-takeover-eu-commission-sanctions-revolution-against-law/5486736

BlackBerry‘s long-awaited entry in to the Android market is finally here, albeit with an already-outdated version of Google’s operating system. BlackBerry PRIV goes on sale today and runs Android 5.1.1 Lollipop out of the box. Having already committed to Google’s monthly security fixes, BlackBerry has also confirmed that Marshmallow will be pushed to the new devices in 2016.

Speaking to Android Central, BlackBerry’s Global Director of Device Portfolio Planning, Gareth Hurn said that plans were to push Android 6.0 Marshmallow to the PRIV “sometime in the new year“. While those quoted words don’t give us a specific time-frame to aim for, AC’s Richard Devine was left with the impression that it would be sooner rather than later. More importantly, he was left with the clear thought that BlackBerry is serious about this foray in to the world of Android phones.

With the phone finally available for sale, it’ll be really interesting to see how the general consumer market accepts it. Will previous BlackBerry-loyalists jump onboard again now that the hardware is matched by relevant software? Or will it be the same physical QWERTY-addicted current users who use it as an excuse to jump to Android?

In the US, you can order the BlackBerry PRIV from ShopBlackBerry.com or from AT&T. In the UK, you can order on contract from Carphone Warehouse, or order direct from BlackBerry.

For more information about Android, Android, and smartphones continue reading at 9to5Google.

What do you think? Discuss "BlackBerry PRIV to get Marshmallow update in the new year" with our community.

Google is rolling out a new feature to its web-based Calendar interface. Users who delete calendar events (accidentally or on purpose) can now access a new Trash function that lets them restore the event. From the official blog post, it seems it’ll be available immediately to both regular Gmail users and Google Apps accounts.

Ever deleted a calendar event by mistake and wanted to get it back – just like you can in Gmail and Drive? Now you can: today we're adding Trash functionality to Google Calendar on the web, providing an easy way for users to view, permanently delete, or restore individual and recurring deleted calendar events. Trash puts calendar users in control by letting them quickly reverse any event mishaps, and limits escalations to Google Apps admins.

You can access Trash from your calendar’s drop-down menu in the “My calendars” section as well as from your calendar settings. It’ll be available to any users who have editing privileges in both primary and secondary calendars. In the case of shared calendars, or Apps accounts, admins will be able to track which events are restored or removed from Trash.

It’s a useful new feature, especially in large teams where shared calendars can be altered for more than one person. The last thing you want is an important event disappearing from a group calendar, with no way to get it back again.

Visit 9to5Google to find more special coverage of Google, updates, and Gmail.

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Over the past few years we’ve seen a rise of affordable smartphones offering a great experience to buyers. The original Moto G was, arguably, the phone that kicked it off, right at the bottom end of the market. This year, we saw the arrival of the 3rd generation which still offers a lot of bang for your buck. In Mexico, Motorola just released an even better model. It costs a little extra, but looks like it’ll easily be worth the outlay…

The Moto G Turbo Edition sticks with the same size 5-inch display, but packs in more pixels. Instead of using a 1280 x 720 resolution screen, the Turbo Edition has a full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution screen boasting an impressive pixel density of 441ppi. That’s almost 150 more pixels per inch. What’s more, Motorola has replaced the underwhelming Snapdragon 410 quad-core processor with the octa-core Snapdragon 615. It has 2GB RAM as standard and 16GB of internal storage which can be expanded up to an extra 128GB via MicroSD.

Apart from that, virtually all the specifications are the same as the regular Moto G. It has the same 13MP camera with dual-LED flash, 5MP front camera, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n and runs Android 5.1.1 Lollipop with plans to upgrade to Marshmallow soon. It even has the same 2,470mAh battery, suggesting it won’t last as long on a single charge as the 720p Moto G. Still, it should be enough to get through a day’s use on a full charge. It is compatible with TurboPower (Quick-Charge), so even if it does drain, you’ll be able to top it up really quickly.

As far as we know, this device is only being launched in Mexico, and will be available to buy from November 13th for approximately $283. Considering the 16GB/2GB model of the regular Moto G costs $220, that jump in price isn’t terrible. You’re still getting a lot of phone for the money. It has competition from the likes of the OnePlus X, but it’s available to buy without an invite, which will always a bonus.

For more information about Android, Android, and Motorola continue reading at 9to5Google.

What do you think? Discuss "Moto G gets ‘Turbo Edition’ in Mexico, 1080p screen, Snapdragon 615 chip, more" with our community.

Following the revelation that Android 6.0 Marshmallow is currently running on just 0.3 percent of devices, the update appears to have started rolling out to at least one more device this evening. According to a handful of postings on the XDA Developer forums, the Google Play Edition HTC One M8 has started receiving Android 6.0.

Last week, HTC VP Mo Versi took to Twitter to announce that the Marshmallow update for Google Play Edition One M8 users had been slightly delayed. The executive has yet to update users on the situation, though. Nevertheless, it looks like the update is at least beginning to rollout.

HTC (M8) GPE - We've come across a slight delay and required to re-spin SW. I am expecting TA within next few days and will keep you posted.

—
Mo Versi (@moversi) October 31, 2015

One XDA user has shared the download of Marshmallow for the M8 GPE directly from Google’s own servers. The update comes in at 472MB. It, of course, includes all of the notable Marshmallow features users have come to expect. Those include interface tweaks to the app drawer, a new text selection tool, Google Now improvements, refreshed app permission settings, a new Doze functionality to improve battery life, and much more.

If you’re using a Google Play Edition HTC One M8, you can head into the Settings app on your device to start checking for the OTA update. If you aren’t seeing it yet, you can download the OTA file from Google here and manually install it.

Check out 9to5Google for more breaking coverage of Google Corporate, Android, and HTC.

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According to a new report from Amir Efrati of The Information, Google has recently been in discussions with microchip manufacturers about having a deeper involvement in the design of chips used in Android devices. Google hopes to help create a more uniform offering of Android phones by taking part in the chip design process with a company like Qualcomm.

Google has reportedly been sitting down with chip manufacturers and pitching them designs of chips it is interested in co-developing. Among the chips it pitched are main processor chips. Google hopes that working directly with manufacturers will allow it to more easily rollout features that it has planned for Android over the coming years that require a more complex hardware and software relationship.

Google allegedly first had the idea of designing its own chips when it wanted to build an “enterprise connectivity device” earlier this year. Those talks quickly turned, however, to Google also wanting to design chips for all Android devices. The likely destination for Google-designed chips, at least are first, is Nexus devices.

The overall idea of Google co-designing chips is similar to the approach Apple takes. Apple designs its own Ax chips for its iPhone and iPad devices, then companies like Samsung and TSMC manufacture them. Google reportedly believes that because of Apple’s direct involvement in this process, it is more successful at the high-end portion of the market than Android devices are.

Check out 9to5Google for more breaking coverage of Android, Google, and Android.

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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can't miss deals:

FreedomPop 7″ Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 WiFi + Cellular Tablet – 100% Free 4G LTE Wireless Internet: $60 shipped (Reg. $140+) | Sam’s Club

Add Bluetooth to your speakers or car w/ Aukey's Wireless Receiver: $10 Prime shipped (Reg. $20)

Sony Xperia M4 Aqua 16GB GSM/LTE unlocked black: $200 shipped (Reg. $250) | Amazon

Samsung Galaxy S5 Unlocked: $300 shipped (Reg. $400+) | eBay

LG G Pad V410 AT&T GSM Unlocked 7-Inch 4G LTE 16GB Tablet: $80 shipped (Reg. $150+) | eBay

Review: How Amazon Echo changed my life + $130 special price ($50 off) for Amazon card holders

Sam's Club One-Day Sale: iPhone 6s/Plus $100 off, iPad Air 2 64GB/128GB $150 off, PlayStation 4 $300, more

eBay calls on Black Friday shoppers to decide which products will get discounted this year

Amazon's Black Friday Deals store is now open for business

Everything we know so far about this year's best Black Friday deals and promotions

More new gear from today:

Displays: LG 34″ UltraWide $585 (Reg. $699+), Acer 34″ Curved QHD $866 (Reg. $1,050), plus 4K UHDTVs

• Headphones: Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro Semi-Open Studios $160 (Orig. $320), more
• Timbuk2 40% off sale: Hudson Laptop Briefcase $161 (Orig. $269), more
• Jawbone Big Jambox Bluetooth Speaker (Open Box) $115 shipped (Orig. $300)
• Daily Deals: Philips Wake-up Lights starting at $49, Logitech Performance Mouse MX $45, more
• Rayman Fiesta Run goes free on the App Store for the first time (Reg. $3)
• Games/Apps: Forza Horizon 2 $30, Toon Shooters & NOTE'd go free, more iOS freebies

More deals still alive:

Acer 13-inch Chromebook 2.1GHz/2GB/16GB SSD: $209 shipped (Reg. $249)

Audio-Technica's best selling ATH-M50x headphones in black: $119 shipped (Orig. $170), more

Sling TV is giving away a 2nd generation Chromecast when you pre-pay for three months ($35 value)

• Beats by Dr. Dre Pill 2.0 Portable Bluetooth Speaker $120 shipped (Orig. $200)
• Buy PowerBeats 2 Wireless In-Ear Headphones, get a $50 gift card: $144 (Orig. $200)
• Pebble Time Smartwatch for iOS and Android: $150 shipped (Reg. $200)
• Get the latest Nest Learning Thermostat (3rd Gen.) for $212 shipped (Reg. $249)
• iPhone 6/s dual-layer case in Space Gray, Silver or Gold: $3 Prime shipped (Reg. $12)
• Foscam Plug and Play HD Wireless/Wired Pan/Tilt IP Camera $75 shipped (Reg. $100)
• Seagate 4TB USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive w/ 200GB of Cloud Storage: $130 (Reg. $150)
• Home Theater Audio: VIZIO 5.1-ch. Soundbar w/ Wireless Subwoofer $198 (Reg. $298+), more
• Factory Unlocked iPhones: 16GB iPhone 6 Plus $600, 64GB (Refurb) $450, more
• Magic Color Changing LED Light Bulb with Remote Control $9 (Reg. $33)
• Bookshelf speakers: Klipsch Icon 5-inch powered $100 (Reg. $164+), more
• USB-C 4-port hubs for new Macbooks by Aukey: $20 Prime shipped (Orig. $30)
• USB Power Deals: Lumsing 3-port Car Charger + Lightning Cable $8, more
• TP-LINK 802.11n pocket wireless router: $10 shipped (Orig. $40)
• Targus Ultra Twill Vuscape Case for iPad Air: $7 Prime shipped (83% off list)
• Mpow Petrel Bluetooth 4.0 Headphones $26 Prime shipped (Orig. $60), more
• SoundBot Bluetooth 4.0 Sports-Active Headphones $10 Prime shipped (Reg. $15)
• Fashion: 20% off at Amazon – Kenneth Cole Down Jacket $90 (Reg. $113),more
• Kindle First Books for November: Christmas in Good Hope, more
• Media: Breaking Bad Complete Series on Blu-ray $70 (Orig. $161), $3 DVDs, more
• Kindle savings (Prime only): Paperwhite $90 (Reg. $120), Voyage $170 (Reg. $200)
• JBL Voyager Portable Bluetooth Speaker $90 shipped (Reg. $119)
• Free PS Plus Games for November: The Walking Dead Season 2, more
• Free Xbox Live Gold Games for November: Pneuma Breath of Life, more

New products & more:

Unboxing and Review: Halo 5 Xbox One Limited Edition Console Bundle [Video]

Bosch made a robo-farmer that looks straight out of a galaxy far, far away

• The Room Three releases today, now available for download on the App Store
• Mellow Boards makes any skateboard electric and looks good doing it
• Pre-order Fallout 4 to receive Fallout 3 via Xbox One Backwards Compatibility
• PlayStation Now adds 105 titles as it aims to pick up more subscribers
• Mogees iPhone-connected sensor turns any object into a playable instrument
• Panasonic has a new line of solar powered products designed for those in need
• Amazon to offer midnight deliveries for Call of Duty: Black Ops III via Prime Now
• The LEGO Power Functions Idea Book teaches you how to build cars, contraptions and more

Continue reading more about Google, Android, and Samsung at 9to5Google.

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The Pebble Time Round was announced in September, and now — just a bit over a month later — it’s about to finally be available at stores across the United States. Pebble says that the watch will be available at Best Buy and Target stores in the US on November 8th, and will also be available online at Amazon.com, BestBuy.com, Target.com, and Pebble.com on the same day…

You can grab the Pebble Time Round in two sizes — 20mm or 14mm — and you can also pick between three different finishes to match your preference. You'll be able to get the watch in black, silver, or a special-edition "Rose Gold" that will only be available at the 14mm band size. There’s also a selection of stylish leather bands to choose from.

As we mentioned in September, the Pebble Time Round will be cross-compatible with iOS and Android devices (which, in a world where the Apple Watch only works with the iPhone, is definitely one of the device's biggest selling points). We'll be getting our hands on the Pebble Time sometime within the month, so keep your eyes out for our full review.

If you’re interested in a regular ol’ Pebble Time, they’re on sale right now for just $150.

Check out 9to5Google for more breaking coverage of Android, Android, and iOS.

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It’s been about a month now since Android Marshmallow started rolling out to a variety of Android devices (mostly just the Nexus line), and according to this month’s distribution numbers, only 0.3% of Android phones are running the latest version. That’s just plain depressing.

And what’s worse is that the other numbers across the board haven’t really improved all the much since last month, either. Last month, 23.5% of Android users were running last year’s OS, Lollipop, and now 25.6% have managed to go to a build of either 5.0 or 5.1. An amazing 37.8% of Android users are still on KitKat…

Here’s the full breakdown:

Looking at even earlier versions of Google’s mobile OS, it’s really sad to see that as much as 36.3% of the Android ecosystem are still running a version older than 4.4 KitKat. And let me reiterate, reader, that version 6.0 has been “out” (albeit just for Nexus devices) for a month now. This compares to iOS 9, which just hit 66% adoption just a month and a half after its release.

I know the comparison to iOS is growing tired, but this is probably one of the most blatant examples of an area that Google and its OEMs are just so far behind. This has implications beyond just users having the latest features. Developers are developing for a much more fragmented ecosystem on Android (another statement I know is growing old), and fewer phones have the latest security updates. These are real problems for developers and users alike.

With Android Lollipop just passing 25.6% after an entire year, I don’t see the rest of 2015 (and going into next year) faring any better, despite the efforts of hardware manufacturers to renew their commitment to updates.

Continue reading more about Android, Android, and update at 9to5Google.

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This year Google decided to change things up a bit and release not one, but two new Nexus devices, with different builds, and different price points to satisfy a wider range of people. So there’s the LG-made Nexus 5X that starts at $379, which I recently reviewed, and then we have the Huawei-made Nexus 6P that starts at $499. These two options aren’t very far apart in terms of pricing, but the difference between them is pretty significant in a few areas…

So here’s the story with the Nexus 6P, at least in the specifications department. Around the front we have a 5.7-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 covered by Gorilla Glass 4, and hot damn does this thing look crispy. Pushing those pixels is a Snapdragon 810, Adreno 430 GPU, and 3GB of RAM. There’s also a 3,450 mAh battery and 32GB of storage in the base model (unfortunately no expandable storage here though). None of this is a major jump over the Snapdragon 808 and 2GB of RAM in the Nexus 5X, but 3GB of RAM in the 6P is definitely a winner in my book.

Unlike the Nexus 5X, the 6P ships with dual-front facing speakers which are pretty amazing. They sound fantastic and really add to the media experience when combined with the sharp display. There’s also an LED notification light located in the top left corner, unlike the 5X which has it placed in the lower speaker grille. This is the entire package right here and should really be on every smartphone in existence.

Check out our Nexus 6P unboxing and review video below:

Build and design

As far as build quality goes, the Nexus 6P is rock solid. There’s an aluminum body finished off with chamfered edges that really feels great in the hand, though can be a little slippery at times. Seriously, I feel like I’m going to drop this thing constantly because the nice weight of it combined with the slick aluminum really adds up to be a dangerous situation. I’d definitely recommend getting a case or a skin to add some grip.

Compared to the plastic build on the Nexus 5X, this is miles better and well worth the 120 bucks or so you’ll spend to make the jump from a base model. Unless you need a smaller screen or want to save the cash, there’s no reason to buy the Nexus 5X with this as an alternative.

Software and performance

The Nexus 6P is running Android 6.0 Marshmallow and just as Google intended it to be. There’s no bloatware, third-party apps, or any other crap installed that would tamper with the buttery smooth experience here. It’s one of the smoothest Android devices I’ve ever used.

Marshmallow is somewhat of a minimal update in terms of design, but comes along with a few helpful features that I mentioned in my Nexus 5X review, but one of my favorites is Now on Tap. When you hold down the on-screen home button, Now on Tap will scan your screen for various tidbits of information and pull down results from the Internet. It’s pretty helpful, but nothing that’s going to be exclusive to just Nexus devices.

This is by far, one of the best Android performers you can have. It obviously falls short in the third-party customization department, but that’s the point. This is for purists and those who prefer an unadulterated Android experience.

Fingerprint scanner

With the Nexus 6P and 5X we have Google’s new fingerprint scanner called Nexus Imprint, and while it’s nothing new in the smartphone department, Google has really done it right the first time around. Like it’s smaller 5X brother, the Nexus 6P has a fingerprint scanner on the backside and is located right where your index finger would rest.

Fingerprints can be managed within the Settings app and are extremely quick and simple to get set up. It’s pretty damn fast as well. This thing works like a boss all around and is perfect in combination with Android Pay. I’m a big fan all around.

Camera

I’m sure by now, you’ve noticed that weird little hump on the back near the top right? If you were wondering what the Hell that was, it houses the camera, dual-LED flash, and sensors. It’s quite the eyesore in my opinion, but at least it’s made of glass and not plastic, which could be bad depending on if you ever drop the phone. Anyway, here we have the same 12.3-megapixel Sony sensor found in the 5X which works pretty great.

Photos are crisp and clear, it’s decently fast, and the HDR+ mode works excellent. Without HDR, the camera does tend to blow out highlights in some conditions, but overall I’m pretty happy with the performance here. It’s not the best camera you can get, and I’d still give the win to Samsung’s Galaxy Note 5, but it’s definitely good enough.

Check out the camera gallery below:

There’s also a pretty nice 8-megapixel selfie shooter, but not something I’ll use very often. Either way it’s a nice package overall in the camera department. Check out the gallery above if you want to check out all of the full resolution photos for yourself.

We also have the ability to shoot up to UHD resolution video with the Nexus 6P, and unlike the 5X, there are some stability options packed inside. There’s no optical image stabilization, but we do have electronic image stabilization during video recording, which definitely helps smooth things out a lot. Along with that, there’s the option for either 120 or 240 frames per second slo-mo video at 1080p resolution as well.

Battery life

As for battery life, the Nexus 6P definitely outperforms the 5X, but not by much. I’m able to get through the day with about 4.5 hours of screen-on time. It charges up with a USB Type-C cable and power adapter and also takes advantage of fast charging technology. And just in case you need to sync things up with a computer, there’s also a USB-C to USB cable included in the box.

Mashmallow’s Doze feature drastically decreases battery consumption during standby as well, which is very helpful. It’s not crazy amazing battery life, but measures up to other phablets we’ve seen this year and likely will be enough for most people.

Verdict

This is an awesome phone. Plain and simple. It’s fast, fluid, with a dope display, power under the hood, epic build, and most everything you would want from a flagship smartphone. It undercuts a lot of the market with its $499 price tag and will not disappoint you. Don’t buy the 5X, save a little cash and get this. You won’t regret it.

Check out 9to5Google for more breaking coverage of Android, Google, and Android.

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YouTube announced today that it’s bringing two new features to its popular video-viewing service. Perhaps the most important of the two updates is that YouTube now supports VR Video. That means people can upload full virtual reality experience videos which have an added depth versus the regular two-dimensional flat video. Objects that are near look close, those further away seem far.

There are already a few videos optimized for the full VR experience. YouTube points us towards the Hunger Games Experience or the TOMS Shoes Giving Trip, both of which are part of a 13-video playlist that’ll easily take a good chunk of your time and give you a taste of VR on YouTube.

The second announcement is that the YouTube app for Android now supports Google Cardboard, and you can watch any video using the company’s budget virtual reality headset. While you’re watching any video, all you have to do to activate the Cardboard viewer mode is hit the three dots in the top right corner and select ‘Cardboard’ then drop it in to your Cardboard set.

The idea with the updates is to make YouTube a more immersive experience. Instead of watching content on a screen at arm’s length, all you see is the actual content, and with the added VR effects in some videos, it almost fools you into thinking you’re actually in the scene. What’s particularly great about YouTube and Google Cardboard is that you don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars to get the VR experience. YouTube is a free app, and Cardboard sets are available from as little as $10.

Both of the updates are live from today. To take advantage and dive in, you just need to make sure that you have a Cardboard set and have the most recent version of the YouTube app downloaded from the Play Store.

For more information about Apps and Updates, YouTube, and YouTube continue reading at 9to5Google.

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The second generation Chromecast and the Chromecast Audio were announced at the end of September, and the Google Store is one of many outlets where you can acquire these devices. Now, a couple months after being introduced in North America and other regions, those who are in Spain can grab the new Chromecasts from the Google Store.

You can head over to the Google Store now, where the Chromecast (2nd gen.) is available in three colors, and the Chromecast Audio is available in black.

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The much-anticipated Fallout 4 from Bethesda is just around the corner (it’s scheduled to hit stores on November 10), and of course a companion app chock full of mini games and cross-platform interaction with the full game is now available. Even though the majority of the app’s functionality doesn’t even work without the full game (which, obviously, isn’t out yet), this app is already pulling almost unanimous positive reviews on the Play Store.

With Fallout Pip-Boy, your Android or iPhone (yes, it’s also available on Apple’s platform),can interact with Fallout 4 on your Xbox One, PlayStation 4 or PC. Even when you aren’t near your game system, Pip-Boy keeps track of your character’s status on the go. Among other things, the app lets you see your stats, inventory, map, and radio. There’s also a bunch of mini games (your holotape games) that are at your disposal, that you can play right from within the app.

The app is free on the Google Play Store, and you can grab it on the iOS App Store as well. Oh, and if you’re in the fewer than 1% of mobile phone users that rocks Windows Mobile, there’s surprisingly an app available for you too (although it doesn’t seem to be available yet)

There are a couple more Fallout 4-related apps available on the Play Store, as well, including the C.H.A.T. app that you we told you about earlier this week and the Fallout Shelter mobile game.

For more news on Android, Android, and Apps and Updates continue reading at 9to5Google.

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A new game called Zero Flex, a “psychedelic evader,” has hit the Google Play Store — which, alone, might not be newsworthy. There are hundreds of games that come out on the Play Store every day. But what’s different about this one is that its developers are claiming that the first person to legitimately complete the game will receive $10,000. That’s one way to promote your new game in an overcrowded sea of mediocre games.

I downloaded the game, and I can’t get more than 15 seconds in. This reminds me a lot of Super Hexagon, but far harder. Without in-app purchases (which, yes, the app does offer), I can’t see how this would be possible for even the most hard-core of gamers.

Considering the not-so-walled garden of Android and the possibility that an iPhone might be jailbroken, Exordium Games has made it clear in the contest rules that you must complete the game legitimately without any hacks. The game has 60 challenges, and if you manage to get through them, you’ll be given the option to contact Adminde.

You can read the full rules of the contest over at Exordium Games’ website, and yes, it’s also available on the iPhone via the App Store, as well as on PC via Steam.

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There are many watch guys out there who are reluctant to give up their beautiful analog watches in favor of a smartwatch, but still feel slightly envious about the convenience of wrist notifications. Chronos is a $99 gadget geared to solving that problem.

It’s a 3mm thick disk designed to be discreetly worn underneath an analog watch. It offers multi-color flashing lights and vibrations for notifications from your iPhone, and also offers limited tap-based control of iPhone apps. You can, for example, skip to the next track in the Music app.

The Verge reports that it’s probably something you’ll want to use only with larger watches.

Chronos does add an appreciable thickness to the watch, setting it higher off of your wrist, but it isn’t particularly noticeable when placed beneath a larger model.

Chronos will retail for $129, but the first 250 people to pre-order can snag one for $79. The bad news is that you’ll have to wait until the spring to receive it.

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It seems an age has passed since the day John Chen, BlackBerry’s chief, said they’d only make an Android phone if they could make it secure. The BlackBerry PRIV is official, and is already available to pre-order. The physical QWERTY-equipped slider is the first BlackBerry to run Android and has several key features built in to ensuring that it stays secure. Security is built in to its hardware and its software. It’s no surprise then to read that the company is committed to keeping up with Google’s monthly security updates…

Every month, Google releases a security bulletin containing a list of discovered vulnerabilities within Android. One month later, those vulnerabilities are made public, essentially giving OEMs one month to get the relevant fixes out to customers before their devices are at risk. In a blog post this morning, BlackBerry has stated that all of the PRIVs that ship from ShopBlackBerry will get those updates, as will any devices sold by carriers and retailers who have agreed to participate in the monthly update program. In short, even if you get a carrier-locked phone, you should still get regular and fast updates.

As well as the monthly security updates, BlackBerry will release what it calls a ‘Hotfix’ to customers when necessary. If a critical Android vulnerability is discovered and can be fixed by quickly delivering code to handsets, BlackBerry will do so. The company has the ability to deliver patches to all BlackBerry PRIV handsets regardless of which specific model. The company will work with carriers/partners on delivering these, but will sidestep partners and push them directly if needed.

There are also enterprise-managed updates where IT teams can use BlackBerry’s Enterprise Server (BES) to deliver OTA updates to an entire team of devices.

PRIV by BlackBerry is leading the Android smartphone world in privacy and security.  This leadership requires tremendous resources and hard-earned expertise in protecting users that go far beyond the engineering of the device itself.  Setting the bar in incident response and patch management is a critical part of the BlackBerry end-to-end Android privacy strategy.

In an age of increasing worries over security, and how much of our personal information is available to be seen and sold, the rise of the ultra-secure smartphone is not surprising. BlackBerry isn’t the only company making moves to secure Android. Turing Robotics launched an encrypted device earlier this year, and BlackPhone has recently launched its latest phone. That’s without mentioning the securely encrypted calling and messaging app which Edward Snowden himself approves of.

In the days leading up to its market launch, BlackBerry is doing all it can to persuade buyers that — despite being Android — this phone is as secure as they come and will remain secure with regular updates and patches. Whether that leads to success is another matter entirely.