United States and allies build case for military action in Syria

"The ground for a military intervention was set out by US Vice President Joe Biden, who for the first time said last week’s attack, thought to have killed hundreds, could only have been perpetrated by President Bashar al-Assad’s forces. Britain joined the US in saying regime forces were behind the strikes, and Prime Minister David Cameron said London and its allies had to consider whether targeted military action was required to 'deter and degrade the future use of chemical weapons'. Senior officials in Washington told NBC news that possible strikes against targets in Syria could take place as early as Thursday." Continue reading

Continue ReadingUnited States and allies build case for military action in Syria

British prime minister: We’re not considering regime change in Syria

"Any action against Syria would be aimed at 'degrading' the regime’s alleged chemical weapons’ capability, British Prime Minister David Cameron said Tuesday. But any military action against Syria would have to be proportionate and legal, the prime minister said. Cameron said no decisions had been taken but Britain and its allies had to consider whether targeted military action was required to 'deter and degrade the future use of chemical weapons'. Earlier, British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg denied that the aim would be to topple the regime of President Bashar al-Assad." Continue reading

Continue ReadingBritish prime minister: We’re not considering regime change in Syria

The Technical Bankruptcy of the Government Is Kicked Out Another Six Weeks

"The U.S. government's debt has been locked in at this implausible limit for three months: $16,699,396,000,000. The Secretary of the Treasury says that it will not hit the ceiling until mid-October. This warning is silly. The U.S. government has obviously been over the limit ever since late May. The world knows this. There is no way that the debt simply stopped growing. There is no good reason why the government cannot report this same figure from now on. If the government can legally cook the books from May 17 until today, and promises to cook them until mid-October, and no one in Congress asks how, then why not for two more months, two more years, or forever?" Continue reading

Continue ReadingThe Technical Bankruptcy of the Government Is Kicked Out Another Six Weeks

Hold US Policymakers to Their Abysmal Record on Foreign Meddling

"The media never holds anybody to either their predictions or their results–officeholders, politicians, and of course their own pundits. And it’s a good thing for people like Bill Kristol, John McCain, and Lindsey Graham. No matter what the overseas 'crisis' or where it is, they are gung ho about sending either U.S. forces or U.S. arms into the fray. Recently, these war hawks have been pounding the drums for U.S. greater intervention in Syria. Their argument isn’t that the Syrian rebellion will fall apart if the United States doesn’t provide arms, it’s that when the insurgents finally take over Syria, the U.S. will won’t have much 'influence.'" Continue reading

Continue ReadingHold US Policymakers to Their Abysmal Record on Foreign Meddling

UK Terrorism Act Author: It Was Never Meant For Situations Like David Miranda

"In the US, we've had one of the key authors of the Patriot Act, Jim Sensenbrenner, speak out strongly, saying that the NSA interpretation of the law appears to be completely different than what was meant when the bill was written. It looks like something similar may be happening in the UK. Charles Falconer, who helped craft the UK's Terrorism Act, which was used to detain David Miranda and swipe all of his electronics, has now spoken out, saying that it was an illegal use of the Act he wrote." Continue reading

Continue ReadingUK Terrorism Act Author: It Was Never Meant For Situations Like David Miranda

Michael Scheuer: Obama & Brennan – A new American-killing “Murder Inc”?

"If asked why I would want to go slow before dismissing the idea that the federal government murdered Mr. Hastings, I would answer that the power of the examples set by Barack Obama, in his two terms, and by John Brennan, in his work for Clinton and Obama, give me pause. From my perspective, both men consistently have demonstrated themselves to be completely comfortable with creating situations, or permitting situations to exist in which Americans — civilian and military — are killed, in essence, by their own government’s decisions, actions, or inactons. And what would these situations be, one might ask? Well, let me start with the following ten items." Continue reading

Continue ReadingMichael Scheuer: Obama & Brennan – A new American-killing “Murder Inc”?

NSA promises transparency by launching new Tumblr blog

"IC on the Record will host official statements, declassified documents, speeches, interviews, fact sheets and videos among other content. Plans for the blog were announced by President Barack Obama earlier in August, as part of promises for more transparency on the activities of the US intelligence community in the wake ofrecent revelations about the NSA and its PRISM program of electronic surveillance. The IC on the Record blog was launched with a post by US director of national intelligence James Clapper, who has been criticised recently after he apologised for misleading a Senate hearing by denying that the NSA collects information about US citizens." Continue reading

Continue ReadingNSA promises transparency by launching new Tumblr blog

Common Core Exams Put on Hold

"The common core curriculum mandates a common core system of exams. Most students will flunk these exams. This is inevitable. The results in New York are the canary in the coal mine. The failure rate was 69%. Blacks and Hispanics failed at an 84% rate. Parents are up in arms. The common core curriculum will not redeem the public schools. It will instead expose the public schools as utter failures. This will not be tolerated by local politicians, who take the heat for the failures in public schools. They will demand that the educrats turn down the heat. The tests are in the first stage of a roll-back. The Obama Administration is blaming the sequestration." Continue reading

Continue ReadingCommon Core Exams Put on Hold

Thailand Bitcoin issues – Not exactly true

"There are reports that Thailand has advised against using Bitcoin. We read the article and in one instance, it stated that the Bank advised against using Bitcoin, then later stated it was banned. Some questions arose as to which is fact and which is made up as we could not figure out how a private company can create Thai law on something it has no clue about. We asked around and could not find any factual statement from a Government agency that what Bitcoin.co.th has said was true. Looking at the business model and the lack of useability of Bitcoin in Thailand, it soon appeared that some statements are not entirely true." Continue reading

Continue ReadingThailand Bitcoin issues – Not exactly true

Treasury chief says U.S. again perilously close to breaching the debt ceiling

"Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew urged Congress on Thursday to raise the US borrowing ceiling, warning that not doing so could jeopardize Washington’s creditworthiness and raise fears of a default. With the US closing on the point where spending will surpass available funds, Lew said it was crucial for Congress to raise the debt cap as soon as it comes back into session at the beginning of September. Failure to raise the ceiling would force cuts to many parts of the government, including the military and social security benefit payouts, and 'have disastrous effects for our nation,' Lew told an audience in Mountain View, California." Continue reading

Continue ReadingTreasury chief says U.S. again perilously close to breaching the debt ceiling