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DeSwiss
DeSwiss's Journal
DeSwiss's Journal
May 29, 2012
U.S. Plans To Arm Italy's Drones
Source: Wall Street Journal
Updated May 29, 2012, 8:13 a.m. ET
By ADAM ENTOUS
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration plans to arm Italy's fleet of Reaper drone aircraft, a move that could open the door for sales of advanced hunter-killer drone technology to other allies, according to lawmakers and others familiar with the matter. The sale would make Italy the first foreign country besides Britain to fly U.S. drones armed with missiles and laser-guided bombs. U.S. officials said Italy intends initially to deploy the armed drones in Afghanistan.
Lawmakers who question the planned deal say the decision to "weaponize" Italy's unarmed surveillance drones could make it harder for the U.S. to deny similar capabilities to other North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies, and set back efforts to urge sales limitations on other nations that make sophisticated drones such as Israel.
Advocates say such sales would enable trusted allies to conduct military missions on their own as well as help open markets for U.S. drone manufacturers.
The administration sent a confidential "pre-notification" to congressional panels in April detailing its plan to sell kits to Italy to arm up to six Reaper drones, which are larger, more-powerful versions of Predators.
Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303395604577432323658176792.html
May 23, 2012
Published on May 22, 2012 by europarl
Donate to UKIP: http://www.ukip.org/donations | http://www.ukipmeps.org | http://twitter.com/#!/Nigel_Farage
• European Parliament, Strasbourg, 22 May 2012
• Speaker: Nigel Farage MEP, Leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP), Co-President of the 'Europe of Freedom and Democracy' (EFD) Group in the European Parliament - http://nigelfaragemep.co.uk
• Bluecard question: Georgios PAPANIKOLAOU MEP (Greece), Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) (EPP group)
• Debate: Preparation of the informal European summit - Investment, growth and jobs - Council and Commission statements [2012/2645(RSP)]: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/ficheprocedure.do?lang=en&refer...
Transcript:
President, we're in the midst of an economic and increasingly humanitarian crisis and yet Commission president Barroso is not here. Indeed, Herman van Rompuy is not here either. Not that it relly matters, because they're not prepared to listen to any debate or any argument. They're intent on pursuing their political dream of a United States of Europe. They're prepared to commit
economic suicide for an entire continent.
And tomorrow night Mr van Rompuy has called yet another summit at which he's going to present a strategy for growth and jobs. Elected MEPs, representatives of the people of Europe from left and right - we've heard it all before - remember the euro itself was supposed to create growth and jobs and yet it is actively destroying both of those things.
The remedy we're being offered is more of the same. I would suggest that the medicine is killing the patient, and to increase the dosage is madness.
And don't listen to those who will tell you that the only alternative is for Greece to stay in the euro. Everyone's pushing this. David Cameron, all the other leaders are saying, we must keep Greece in the euro, if she leaves the sky will fall in.
It won't! There'll be a few difficult weeks and then things will settle down. There'll be a boom in tourism, investment will start to come back into Greece, innovation will start to come back into Greece as people start making products to beat expensive imports.
Indeed Greece outside of the eurozone may well provide to be an inspiration for Spain, for Portugal and many other countries. We need to recognise that a terrible mistake has been made. We must resolve to put it right. We've got to give people hope because out there now is absolute despair.
We all remember Dimitris Christoulas, the 77-year-old former pharmacist who shot himself dead outside the Greek parliament. But he is just one of a growing humanitarian disaster. Huge increases in suicides in Italy, in Greece, particularly from people running small businesses who cannot see a way out of the problem. Children being left in increasing numbers outside the doors of churches because they can't afford to feed them.
Our leaders are too callous to listen and care. YOU can do something about this. YOU can rise up and say - and I know in my conversations with you that many of you agree with me, that I'm right - we've got to break up the euro; we've got to restore democracy; we've got to restore human dignity; we must ignore Messers Barroso and Van Rompuy, they have been proved to be wrong. WE must provide people with hope.
..................................
• Video: EbS (European Parliament)
..................................
• EU Member States:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, United Kingdom
- ''Fiat, fiat, fiat......''
Farage: Break up the euro and restore human dignity
Published on May 22, 2012 by europarl
Donate to UKIP: http://www.ukip.org/donations | http://www.ukipmeps.org | http://twitter.com/#!/Nigel_Farage
• European Parliament, Strasbourg, 22 May 2012
• Speaker: Nigel Farage MEP, Leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP), Co-President of the 'Europe of Freedom and Democracy' (EFD) Group in the European Parliament - http://nigelfaragemep.co.uk
• Bluecard question: Georgios PAPANIKOLAOU MEP (Greece), Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) (EPP group)
• Debate: Preparation of the informal European summit - Investment, growth and jobs - Council and Commission statements [2012/2645(RSP)]: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/ficheprocedure.do?lang=en&refer...
Transcript:
President, we're in the midst of an economic and increasingly humanitarian crisis and yet Commission president Barroso is not here. Indeed, Herman van Rompuy is not here either. Not that it relly matters, because they're not prepared to listen to any debate or any argument. They're intent on pursuing their political dream of a United States of Europe. They're prepared to commit
economic suicide for an entire continent.
And tomorrow night Mr van Rompuy has called yet another summit at which he's going to present a strategy for growth and jobs. Elected MEPs, representatives of the people of Europe from left and right - we've heard it all before - remember the euro itself was supposed to create growth and jobs and yet it is actively destroying both of those things.
The remedy we're being offered is more of the same. I would suggest that the medicine is killing the patient, and to increase the dosage is madness.
And don't listen to those who will tell you that the only alternative is for Greece to stay in the euro. Everyone's pushing this. David Cameron, all the other leaders are saying, we must keep Greece in the euro, if she leaves the sky will fall in.
It won't! There'll be a few difficult weeks and then things will settle down. There'll be a boom in tourism, investment will start to come back into Greece, innovation will start to come back into Greece as people start making products to beat expensive imports.
Indeed Greece outside of the eurozone may well provide to be an inspiration for Spain, for Portugal and many other countries. We need to recognise that a terrible mistake has been made. We must resolve to put it right. We've got to give people hope because out there now is absolute despair.
We all remember Dimitris Christoulas, the 77-year-old former pharmacist who shot himself dead outside the Greek parliament. But he is just one of a growing humanitarian disaster. Huge increases in suicides in Italy, in Greece, particularly from people running small businesses who cannot see a way out of the problem. Children being left in increasing numbers outside the doors of churches because they can't afford to feed them.
Our leaders are too callous to listen and care. YOU can do something about this. YOU can rise up and say - and I know in my conversations with you that many of you agree with me, that I'm right - we've got to break up the euro; we've got to restore democracy; we've got to restore human dignity; we must ignore Messers Barroso and Van Rompuy, they have been proved to be wrong. WE must provide people with hope.
..................................
• Video: EbS (European Parliament)
..................................
• EU Member States:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, United Kingdom
- ''Fiat, fiat, fiat......''
May 22, 2012
Published on May 21, 2012 by MsMilkytheclown
too weary for usual edits today... fill in your own WTF moments...
Arnie Gundersen explains why a Global effort has not been made to extract the spent fuel at Fukushima SFP #4 sighting that it would draw more awareness that the United States and others have the same design on the Mark 1 containment design and the NRC does not want negative publicity.
A new building material to absorb cesium has been developed, but they say NOTHING about the OTHER radioactive isotopes.
Talk about the Pacific Garbage patch from the tsunami, and still nobody has plans for when it arrives.
Here's a killer: Geoparks to show how natural disasters are going to be "preserved" to teach others about disasters...
Meanwhile, get this, a low cost travel agency sends people to Fukushima and explains the radiation to them (of course they do NOT tell What they told the visitors) in an Effort To Increase Tourism to Fukushima! (MsMilky rolling eyes).
A crack very large in spent fuel pool may threaten all life as we know it - at least in the northern hemisphere. (repeating the significance of the situation).
various other articles.
NRC Chairman Gregory B. Jaczko - Resignation Statement.... (see link below)
&feature=uploademail
Latest Headlines: http://enenews.com/
'The Sleeper': Unit 3 building 'fatally flawed' (VIDEO)
Ambassador's comments translated by Asahi: Another accident at No. 4 reactor building could cause the "final catastrophe of the world"
Gundersen: Pyrophoric fire if fuel rods in Unit 4 pool are not cooled — Potential contamination of entire northern hemisphere (VIDEO)
Reporters repeatedly ask gov't why it does not consider worst-case scenarios at Unit 4 and get help from foreign experts
NYTimes: N.R.C. Chairman Jaczko to Resign
Fukushima reactors to be entombed like Chernobyl? Officials may say "We're just going to fill it with concrete and walk away" (VIDEO)
Gov't Holds Press Conference on Unit No. 4 Fuel Rods: Workers still reinforcing reactor's anti-quake capacity — 'Despite growing international concerns... no plans to speed up their scheduled removal by 2015?
Report from Fukushima: 'Total levels of radiation are not decreasing at all' — Japan gov't 'does nothing' — 'Individuals are left to deal with the problem'
Reporter: What plans do you have in case Unit 4 pool does come down? — Gov't official 'evaded or wouldn't answer' -Wall St. Journal
Gundersen on Plutonium: I believe fragments of nuclear fuel are in the ocean — From explosions at Unit 3 AND Unit 1 (VIDEO)
Work at Spent Fuel Pool No. 4 "being handled like a construction project and that's unfortunate to say the least" — "There is no international effort" (VIDEO)
"Pacific Ocean will continue to be contaminated, kind of for the rest of time" — Containment vessels continuously leaking into sea (VIDEO)
Trillions of becquerels per day still being emitted from Fukushima Daiichi — Radioactive steam continues (VIDEO)
Former Senior Reactor Operator: You can get a recriticality in Spent Fuel Pool No. 4 — "Never ending fountain of particulates and gas" (VIDEO)
M6.2 quake and several above M5.0 hit off Northeast Japan in last day — UPDATED
Gundersen: Recent hydrogen build up inside Fukushima reactor "worrisome" (VIDEO)
Reporter at Fukushima Daiichi: Reactors seemed terribly threatened by the slightest movement or upheaval of heaven and of earth
Again: Three strong quakes in 15 minutes hit near same area as on 3/11 — M5.8, M5.0, M4.8 (MAPS)
Bill Maher: "Arizona, nothing wrong with that state that a crippled Japanese nuclear plant couldn't solve" (VIDEO)
Gundersen: Japan is sitting on a ticking time bomb — "We're all in a situation of having to pray there's not an earthquake"
CTV: No. 3 fuel pool "poses a greater risk of failing" than No. 4 — "Has not been strengthened since the disaster"
Fukushima Japan Nuclear update 5/21/12
Published on May 21, 2012 by MsMilkytheclown
too weary for usual edits today... fill in your own WTF moments...
Arnie Gundersen explains why a Global effort has not been made to extract the spent fuel at Fukushima SFP #4 sighting that it would draw more awareness that the United States and others have the same design on the Mark 1 containment design and the NRC does not want negative publicity.
A new building material to absorb cesium has been developed, but they say NOTHING about the OTHER radioactive isotopes.
Talk about the Pacific Garbage patch from the tsunami, and still nobody has plans for when it arrives.
Here's a killer: Geoparks to show how natural disasters are going to be "preserved" to teach others about disasters...
Meanwhile, get this, a low cost travel agency sends people to Fukushima and explains the radiation to them (of course they do NOT tell What they told the visitors) in an Effort To Increase Tourism to Fukushima! (MsMilky rolling eyes).
A crack very large in spent fuel pool may threaten all life as we know it - at least in the northern hemisphere. (repeating the significance of the situation).
various other articles.
NRC Chairman Gregory B. Jaczko - Resignation Statement.... (see link below)
&feature=uploademail
Latest Headlines: http://enenews.com/
'The Sleeper': Unit 3 building 'fatally flawed' (VIDEO)
Ambassador's comments translated by Asahi: Another accident at No. 4 reactor building could cause the "final catastrophe of the world"
Gundersen: Pyrophoric fire if fuel rods in Unit 4 pool are not cooled — Potential contamination of entire northern hemisphere (VIDEO)
Reporters repeatedly ask gov't why it does not consider worst-case scenarios at Unit 4 and get help from foreign experts
NYTimes: N.R.C. Chairman Jaczko to Resign
Fukushima reactors to be entombed like Chernobyl? Officials may say "We're just going to fill it with concrete and walk away" (VIDEO)
Gov't Holds Press Conference on Unit No. 4 Fuel Rods: Workers still reinforcing reactor's anti-quake capacity — 'Despite growing international concerns... no plans to speed up their scheduled removal by 2015?
Report from Fukushima: 'Total levels of radiation are not decreasing at all' — Japan gov't 'does nothing' — 'Individuals are left to deal with the problem'
Reporter: What plans do you have in case Unit 4 pool does come down? — Gov't official 'evaded or wouldn't answer' -Wall St. Journal
Gundersen on Plutonium: I believe fragments of nuclear fuel are in the ocean — From explosions at Unit 3 AND Unit 1 (VIDEO)
Work at Spent Fuel Pool No. 4 "being handled like a construction project and that's unfortunate to say the least" — "There is no international effort" (VIDEO)
"Pacific Ocean will continue to be contaminated, kind of for the rest of time" — Containment vessels continuously leaking into sea (VIDEO)
Trillions of becquerels per day still being emitted from Fukushima Daiichi — Radioactive steam continues (VIDEO)
Former Senior Reactor Operator: You can get a recriticality in Spent Fuel Pool No. 4 — "Never ending fountain of particulates and gas" (VIDEO)
M6.2 quake and several above M5.0 hit off Northeast Japan in last day — UPDATED
Gundersen: Recent hydrogen build up inside Fukushima reactor "worrisome" (VIDEO)
Reporter at Fukushima Daiichi: Reactors seemed terribly threatened by the slightest movement or upheaval of heaven and of earth
Again: Three strong quakes in 15 minutes hit near same area as on 3/11 — M5.8, M5.0, M4.8 (MAPS)
Bill Maher: "Arizona, nothing wrong with that state that a crippled Japanese nuclear plant couldn't solve" (VIDEO)
Gundersen: Japan is sitting on a ticking time bomb — "We're all in a situation of having to pray there's not an earthquake"
CTV: No. 3 fuel pool "poses a greater risk of failing" than No. 4 — "Has not been strengthened since the disaster"
May 21, 2012
- This is the primary reason why the MSM can't and won't ever tell the TRUTH. Some think the Church Committee hearings put a stop to this. It didn't. They examined the mistakes they made, and endeavored to not make the same mistakes again, so they don't get caught.......
Operation Mockingbird: CIA Manipulation of the Media
- This is the primary reason why the MSM can't and won't ever tell the TRUTH. Some think the Church Committee hearings put a stop to this. It didn't. They examined the mistakes they made, and endeavored to not make the same mistakes again, so they don't get caught.......
May 21, 2012
Published on May 20, 2012 by RussiaToday
Millions of people across Asia were watching the sky as a rare 'ring of fire' eclipse crossed their skies. A 'ring of fire', or annular eclipse, appears when the Moon is further away and does not prevent all sunlight from getting through. During an annular eclipse, as the Moon aligns with the Sun, it appears as if there is a black hole in the middle of a burning disc -- its name comes from annulus, which means 'ring' in Latin. This time, the eclipse started on Sunday night (GMT) in China and Japan, and over the next four hours will traveled more than 10,000 km across the Pacific Ocean and onto the United States. But only those lucky enough to be in the 300-kilometer-wide corridor were be able to observe the eclipse. On average there are about four annular eclipses every five years. But they are always in different places.
Rare 'ring of fire' eclipse seen across Asia
Published on May 20, 2012 by RussiaToday
Millions of people across Asia were watching the sky as a rare 'ring of fire' eclipse crossed their skies. A 'ring of fire', or annular eclipse, appears when the Moon is further away and does not prevent all sunlight from getting through. During an annular eclipse, as the Moon aligns with the Sun, it appears as if there is a black hole in the middle of a burning disc -- its name comes from annulus, which means 'ring' in Latin. This time, the eclipse started on Sunday night (GMT) in China and Japan, and over the next four hours will traveled more than 10,000 km across the Pacific Ocean and onto the United States. But only those lucky enough to be in the 300-kilometer-wide corridor were be able to observe the eclipse. On average there are about four annular eclipses every five years. But they are always in different places.
May 12, 2012
Published on May 8, 2012 by PressTVGlobalNews
For the second time, the Kuala Lumpur Foundation to Criminalize War is putting a former head of state and their administration before a peoples court to face charges of Torture and War Crimes.
Press TV's Lauren Booth reports from Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia puts Bush, Cheney on 'trial' for war crimes
Published on May 8, 2012 by PressTVGlobalNews
For the second time, the Kuala Lumpur Foundation to Criminalize War is putting a former head of state and their administration before a peoples court to face charges of Torture and War Crimes.
Press TV's Lauren Booth reports from Kuala Lumpur.
May 9, 2012
- Right. Well, I can see where this is headed - The Standardized Errant Drone Missile Apology Form:
From: U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, CIA, and/or Local Traffic Enforcement Dept. {underline any that apply}
''We are sorry that ______________ and/or other family member(s) ___________, ___________, ___________, ___________, ___________, {for more family members or neighbors see attached additional sheet(s) of paper} was killed by our errant drone missile, even though it was programmed to kill only bad guys. And particularly since we have since discovered that there were no real terrorists or bad guys in your home/mosque/school/supermarket/carpool {underline any that apply} at the time it exploded.
Therefore, I have been authorized to give to you our official and truly sincerest condolences and apologies. And we really, really mean it this time. And to let you know that we'll try real hard not to do this again.
For a reparations quote, contact: 1-800-CASH-4-R-MISTAKES.''
More Apologies: ''NATO Apologizes For Killing Mom, 5 Kids In Airstrike''
[font size=3]NATO Apologizes For Killing Mom, 5 Kids In Airstrike[/font]
THE INQUISITR
Posted: May 7, 2012
A U.S.-led NATO attack killed six members of a family in Afghanistan late Friday night, in what was supposed to be a response to a Taliban attack. Instead of the Taliban, the American airstrike took the lives of a mother and five children, as well as up to eight other victims.
The attack was first revealed by Helmland Province governor Muhammad Gulab Mangal on Monday. Lt. Col. Stewart Upton, a spokesman for the United States military in Helmland, stated that: “We don’t have any issues with the governor’s statement.”
Colonel Upton went on to say that: “We expressed regret over the incident, and we’re investigating to determine how this happened. We are deeply saddened by any civilian death and particularly regret an incident where civilians are killed….”
Lt. Col. Upton also stated that American officials were aware of the civilian casualties, and began an investigation immediately.
http://www.inquisitr.com/231836/nato-apologizes-for-killing-mom-5-kids-in-airstrike/
THE INQUISITR
Posted: May 7, 2012
A U.S.-led NATO attack killed six members of a family in Afghanistan late Friday night, in what was supposed to be a response to a Taliban attack. Instead of the Taliban, the American airstrike took the lives of a mother and five children, as well as up to eight other victims.
The attack was first revealed by Helmland Province governor Muhammad Gulab Mangal on Monday. Lt. Col. Stewart Upton, a spokesman for the United States military in Helmland, stated that: “We don’t have any issues with the governor’s statement.”
Colonel Upton went on to say that: “We expressed regret over the incident, and we’re investigating to determine how this happened. We are deeply saddened by any civilian death and particularly regret an incident where civilians are killed….”
Lt. Col. Upton also stated that American officials were aware of the civilian casualties, and began an investigation immediately.
http://www.inquisitr.com/231836/nato-apologizes-for-killing-mom-5-kids-in-airstrike/
- Right. Well, I can see where this is headed - The Standardized Errant Drone Missile Apology Form:
From: U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, CIA, and/or Local Traffic Enforcement Dept. {underline any that apply}
''We are sorry that ______________ and/or other family member(s) ___________, ___________, ___________, ___________, ___________, {for more family members or neighbors see attached additional sheet(s) of paper} was killed by our errant drone missile, even though it was programmed to kill only bad guys. And particularly since we have since discovered that there were no real terrorists or bad guys in your home/mosque/school/supermarket/carpool {underline any that apply} at the time it exploded.
Therefore, I have been authorized to give to you our official and truly sincerest condolences and apologies. And we really, really mean it this time. And to let you know that we'll try real hard not to do this again.
For a reparations quote, contact: 1-800-CASH-4-R-MISTAKES.''
May 2, 2012
Published on Apr 10, 2012 by TEDtalksDirector
http://www.ted.com Empathy, cooperation, fairness and reciprocity -- caring about the well-being of others seems like a very human trait. But Frans de Waal shares some surprising videos of behavioral tests, on primates and other mammals, that show how many of these moral traits all of us share.
TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. Featured speakers have included Al Gore on climate change, Philippe Starck on design, Jill Bolte Taylor on observing her own stroke, Nicholas Negroponte on One Laptop per Child, Jane Goodall on chimpanzees, Bill Gates on malaria and mosquitoes, Pattie Maes on the "Sixth Sense" wearable tech, and "Lost" producer JJ Abrams on the allure of mystery. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts. Closed captions and translated subtitles in a variety of languages are now available on TED.com, at http://www.ted.com/translate
If you have questions or comments about this or other TED videos, please go to http://support.ted.com
- So it's true. Nature does have a liberal bias......
Frans de Waal: Moral Behavior In Animals
Published on Apr 10, 2012 by TEDtalksDirector
http://www.ted.com Empathy, cooperation, fairness and reciprocity -- caring about the well-being of others seems like a very human trait. But Frans de Waal shares some surprising videos of behavioral tests, on primates and other mammals, that show how many of these moral traits all of us share.
TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. Featured speakers have included Al Gore on climate change, Philippe Starck on design, Jill Bolte Taylor on observing her own stroke, Nicholas Negroponte on One Laptop per Child, Jane Goodall on chimpanzees, Bill Gates on malaria and mosquitoes, Pattie Maes on the "Sixth Sense" wearable tech, and "Lost" producer JJ Abrams on the allure of mystery. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts. Closed captions and translated subtitles in a variety of languages are now available on TED.com, at http://www.ted.com/translate
If you have questions or comments about this or other TED videos, please go to http://support.ted.com
- So it's true. Nature does have a liberal bias......
