Ninety miles from the South Eastern tip of the United States, Liberty has no stead. In order for Liberty to exist and thrive, Tyranny must be identified, recognized, confronted and extinguished.
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Saturday, August 11, 2018
I Have A Dream...
I have a dream that globalists like George Soros that try to destroy America are arrested, convicted and thrown in prison to be forgotten forever.
10 Plants That Survive A Zero Sunlight Bathroom
Particular benefits of interior plants include:
- Reducing carbon dioxide levels.
- Increasing humidity.
- Reducing levels of certain pollutants, such as benzene and nitrogen dioxide.
- Reducing airborne dust levels.
- Keeping air temperatures down.
The Emperor's Seed
Border Patrol Agent Attacked By 6 Illegal Aliens; One In Custody
Six illegal immigrants allegedly attacked a border patrol agent trying to arrest them in Calexico, California, Tuesday night, leaving the agent with injuries.
The agent reportedly witnessed the group illegally enter the U.S. near the Calexico West Port of Entry and New River, so he pursued them. The agent originally arrested one of the illegal immigrants, who was put in the back of his service vehicle, before attempting to chase down the rest of the group.
While the agent was in pursuit of the rest of the illegal immigrants, one of them allegedly jumped out of the river and was able to open the door to the agent’s service car, letting the suspect who was placed in custody free. The two then jumped back in the river, trying to flee from the agent, who spotted the two fleeing, while the rest continued to run.
The agent reportedly witnessed the group illegally enter the U.S. near the Calexico West Port of Entry and New River, so he pursued them. The agent originally arrested one of the illegal immigrants, who was put in the back of his service vehicle, before attempting to chase down the rest of the group.
While the agent was in pursuit of the rest of the illegal immigrants, one of them allegedly jumped out of the river and was able to open the door to the agent’s service car, letting the suspect who was placed in custody free. The two then jumped back in the river, trying to flee from the agent, who spotted the two fleeing, while the rest continued to run.
The two men then assaulted the agent as he tried to arrest them. The rest of the illegal immigrants in the group then reportedly began throwing objects at the agent, while the agent called for backup.
Border Patrol agents were able to arrest the one illegal immigrant who escaped custody. He was placed into federal custody and is awaiting charges. The five other illegal immigrants safely made it back across the U.S.-Mexico border.
Border Patrol agents were able to arrest the one illegal immigrant who escaped custody. He was placed into federal custody and is awaiting charges. The five other illegal immigrants safely made it back across the U.S.-Mexico border.
“The New River and immediate surrounding area remains one of our most challenging and dangerous areas to work,” El Centro Sector Assistant Chief Patrol Agent David S. Kim said in a statement. “The border wall system replacing the old fencing in that area is a solid step in mitigating those challenges.”
This incident comes just days after an illegal border-crosser broke both of his legs and injured his back after...
Big Tech Shows "Net Neutrality" Battle Was About Power, Not an "Open Internet"
The de-platforming of Alex Jones and InfoWars is a subject that has a number of layers to it, including the responsibilities social media companies have to free speech — particularly in a world where the lines between Big Tech and Big Government are increasingly blurred. While I’ll leave others to debate those particular subjects, these developments — and reactions to it — do help provide clarity to another heated tech-related debate: the hypocrisy of “net neutrality” advocates.
After all, there is a ton of overlap between those who advocated Title II regulation of the internet and those celebrating the deplatforming of Alex Jones. This is particularly true among the most powerful players in this debate, including legislators and leaders in the industry.
Consider, for example, the reaction from Big Tech to the FCC's repeal Title II regulation last December.
Facebook’s Sherryl Sansberg published a statement saying: “An open internet is critical for new ideas and economic opportunity. ... We're ready to work with members of Congress and others to help make the internet free and open for everyone.”
Google encouraged online activists to “take action,” in order to “protect the free flow of information and help make sure the Internet is available to everyone, everywhere.”
Apple went so far as to say:
Fast-forward eight months later and now those that demanded ISPs treat all content equally are the very same platforms actively deciding what content is or is not permissible for consumption.
This is hardly surprising to anyone who has paid attention to the debate. Google and Apple’s lip service to the importance of protecting tech startups has never jived well with their app stores serving as the greatest filters to what new products can be easily accessed by the consumer public. Tellingly, both have caved to government pressure whenever an app — no matter how popular — has frustrated legal authorities.
What is all the more repulsive about the tech giant’s contributions to the net neutrality debate is how potentially dangerous their disingenuous crusade was to the future of internet in America.
After all, largely overlooked in FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s willingness to stand up to Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page, and the other titans of tech is that it was a major victory for the future of online service: 5G.
As industry analysts like Peter Rysavy have explained:
Tellingly, the imposition of FDR-era-like regulation on internet service providers correlated with a significant decrease in telecom investment, stalling the development of American 5G at a time when America’s tech dominance is threatened by rivals like China.
This is not to say that private companies have an inherent responsibility to place “national interest” over their own bottom line, companies have the right to behave cynically. At the same time, those same companies deserved to be exposed for such behavior, and allow consumers to react accordingly.
Net neutrality was about control and regulatory capture, not online freedom. What tech giants are now counting on is that brand loyalty and market size will isolate them from the increased politicization of their content — something that may not be working out so well for Netflix.
At the end of the day, on the market it is consumers that are king. Will consumer apathy allow...
After all, there is a ton of overlap between those who advocated Title II regulation of the internet and those celebrating the deplatforming of Alex Jones. This is particularly true among the most powerful players in this debate, including legislators and leaders in the industry.
Consider, for example, the reaction from Big Tech to the FCC's repeal Title II regulation last December.
Facebook’s Sherryl Sansberg published a statement saying: “An open internet is critical for new ideas and economic opportunity. ... We're ready to work with members of Congress and others to help make the internet free and open for everyone.”
Google encouraged online activists to “take action,” in order to “protect the free flow of information and help make sure the Internet is available to everyone, everywhere.”
Apple went so far as to say:
An open internet ensures that hundreds of millions of consumers get the experience they want, over the broadband connections they choose, to use the devices they love, which have become an integral part of their lives.
What consumers do with those tools is up to them — not Apple, and not broadband providers.
Fast-forward eight months later and now those that demanded ISPs treat all content equally are the very same platforms actively deciding what content is or is not permissible for consumption.
This is hardly surprising to anyone who has paid attention to the debate. Google and Apple’s lip service to the importance of protecting tech startups has never jived well with their app stores serving as the greatest filters to what new products can be easily accessed by the consumer public. Tellingly, both have caved to government pressure whenever an app — no matter how popular — has frustrated legal authorities.
What is all the more repulsive about the tech giant’s contributions to the net neutrality debate is how potentially dangerous their disingenuous crusade was to the future of internet in America.
After all, largely overlooked in FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s willingness to stand up to Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page, and the other titans of tech is that it was a major victory for the future of online service: 5G.
As industry analysts like Peter Rysavy have explained:
"[N]etwork slicing, a key architecture for 5G, will allow an operator to provide different services with different performance characteristics to address specific use cases. It’s critical that quality of service management be employed in 5G because 5G is being designed for a wider range of use cases than prior technology generations and certain applications will need higher priority than other.”…
Even with access to new spectrum and peak throughputs that will exceed 1 Gbps, 5G networks will need to manage latency, reliability, massive numbers of connections and a mix of stationary and mobile users, Rysavy added. “The United States has assumed global leadership in 4G and enjoys deep LTE penetration, leading smartphone platforms, and a vibrant application ecosystem. But globally, countries and companies are investing in and concentrating on what will come next with 5G. Constraining 5G with rules that unnecessarily undermine its potential is economic folly,” he said.
Tellingly, the imposition of FDR-era-like regulation on internet service providers correlated with a significant decrease in telecom investment, stalling the development of American 5G at a time when America’s tech dominance is threatened by rivals like China.
This is not to say that private companies have an inherent responsibility to place “national interest” over their own bottom line, companies have the right to behave cynically. At the same time, those same companies deserved to be exposed for such behavior, and allow consumers to react accordingly.
Net neutrality was about control and regulatory capture, not online freedom. What tech giants are now counting on is that brand loyalty and market size will isolate them from the increased politicization of their content — something that may not be working out so well for Netflix.
At the end of the day, on the market it is consumers that are king. Will consumer apathy allow...
Pelosi promises: Voting for Dems in November will give ‘leverage’ to illegal immigrants
Not so fast, Ocasio-Cortez. You may be the current top dog on the crazy-statements leaderboard, but that doesn’t mean the old guard is willing to go down without a fight. Nancy Pelosi is still out there saying all kinds of ridiculous stuff, and she’s not about to let you hog all the glory.
If there’s one issue where Democrats are at odds with the electorate, it’s illegal immigration. Poll after poll indicates that their open-borders aspirations are killing their electoral chances outside of California and New York. The coasts are on board, but middle-America is decidedly not.
Dems, of course, don’t care. If you disagree with them, you’re one of the little people and you either need to be educated, silenced, or ignored. That attitude goes a long way toward explaining Nancy Pelosi’s recent presser, in which she made it clear that a vote for Democrats was a vote to give “leverage” to those who have entered the country illegally….
“We believe that we will have leverage when we win in November. And why is that important? Because it gives leverage to every family, to every mom who courageously brought her child across the desert to escape, to escape death, rape, gang violence, and the rest.”
That’s right in line with the ‘eliminate ICE’ message being offered by the party’s socialist base, and it should be the centerpiece of every GOP advertisement from now until November.
Here’s the video:
Congratulations, Democrats. Your presumed Speaker of the House just made it even clearer that you are, in fact, the party of...
If there’s one issue where Democrats are at odds with the electorate, it’s illegal immigration. Poll after poll indicates that their open-borders aspirations are killing their electoral chances outside of California and New York. The coasts are on board, but middle-America is decidedly not.
Dems, of course, don’t care. If you disagree with them, you’re one of the little people and you either need to be educated, silenced, or ignored. That attitude goes a long way toward explaining Nancy Pelosi’s recent presser, in which she made it clear that a vote for Democrats was a vote to give “leverage” to those who have entered the country illegally….
“We believe that we will have leverage when we win in November. And why is that important? Because it gives leverage to every family, to every mom who courageously brought her child across the desert to escape, to escape death, rape, gang violence, and the rest.”
That’s right in line with the ‘eliminate ICE’ message being offered by the party’s socialist base, and it should be the centerpiece of every GOP advertisement from now until November.
Here’s the video:
Congratulations, Democrats. Your presumed Speaker of the House just made it even clearer that you are, in fact, the party of...
Dutch politician commits suicide after revealing she was ‘gang raped by Muslims’
Willie Dille, city councillor in The Hague and member of the anti-immigrant Freedom Party, has taken her own life on Wednesday. She had just posted a video on Facebook describing her gang-rape as being part of an intimidation campaign over a year ago.
Mrs. Dillie was an MP for the anti-immigrant Freedom Party from 2010-2012 before returning to her seat on The Hague city council. Geert Wilders, the party’s leader, is an outspoken critic of Islam.
Local Freedom Party leader, Karen Gerbrands said, Dille “could no longer bear what had happened to her and the reactions she had had”, when confirming the suicide.
In the video, she stated how the gang demanded her silence during council debates and had recently had her life threatened and that “we will soon cut your throat and let you bleed to death.”
She appeared distressed and anxious in the video where she reveals in the video: “I just want the world to know the truth. 15 March 2017 I was kidnapped, raped and assaulted by a group of Muslims because they wanted me to keep quiet in the Hague city council.”
15 March last year was the day of the parliamentary elections. “After it happened, I did not tell anyone, I just did my debates the next day.”
She further stated she was leaving politics because she was afraid that someone might hurt her children. “I cannot live with that. They don’t like women at all. They don’t like me at all,” Willie said. “That’s why I decided to stop.”
The video was removed shortly after being posted. Police told local media on Thursday afternoon that they had been in contact with her regarding the rape, though she never felt she could officially file a formal complaint, a fear many rape victims suffer.
Police spokesperson Hilde Vijverberg speaking to Dutch daily Algemeen Dagblad (AD) said:
“There was talk of rape. We offered her help and said we need a formal complaint and concrete evidence to start an investigation. But she did not make a formal complaint and we did not get any concrete information to enable us to launch an inquiry.”
Dille’s husband and a close friend say they don’t doubt her story. “The rape happened, I’m sure that it is the truth,” Caspar Reedijk, her husband, tells AD.
Linda, Dille’s best friend, who wants to be kept anonymous, tells the same newspaper: “She wasn’t sick or confused, I had daily contact with her.”
“Her husband, I and others who know Willie Dille don’t doubt one second of her story,” Linda tells AD. She says she knows why Dille did not file charges, but it’s not up to her to tell the reason for that.
She calls the hateful replies on social media to Dille’s death horrible because Willie was the sweetest and most helpful woman she knows.
Geert Wilders’ statement, released on Twitter, says he was shocked by...
Mrs. Dillie was an MP for the anti-immigrant Freedom Party from 2010-2012 before returning to her seat on The Hague city council. Geert Wilders, the party’s leader, is an outspoken critic of Islam.
Local Freedom Party leader, Karen Gerbrands said, Dille “could no longer bear what had happened to her and the reactions she had had”, when confirming the suicide.
In the video, she stated how the gang demanded her silence during council debates and had recently had her life threatened and that “we will soon cut your throat and let you bleed to death.”
She appeared distressed and anxious in the video where she reveals in the video: “I just want the world to know the truth. 15 March 2017 I was kidnapped, raped and assaulted by a group of Muslims because they wanted me to keep quiet in the Hague city council.”
15 March last year was the day of the parliamentary elections. “After it happened, I did not tell anyone, I just did my debates the next day.”
She further stated she was leaving politics because she was afraid that someone might hurt her children. “I cannot live with that. They don’t like women at all. They don’t like me at all,” Willie said. “That’s why I decided to stop.”
The video was removed shortly after being posted. Police told local media on Thursday afternoon that they had been in contact with her regarding the rape, though she never felt she could officially file a formal complaint, a fear many rape victims suffer.
Police spokesperson Hilde Vijverberg speaking to Dutch daily Algemeen Dagblad (AD) said:
“There was talk of rape. We offered her help and said we need a formal complaint and concrete evidence to start an investigation. But she did not make a formal complaint and we did not get any concrete information to enable us to launch an inquiry.”
Dille’s husband and a close friend say they don’t doubt her story. “The rape happened, I’m sure that it is the truth,” Caspar Reedijk, her husband, tells AD.
Linda, Dille’s best friend, who wants to be kept anonymous, tells the same newspaper: “She wasn’t sick or confused, I had daily contact with her.”
“Her husband, I and others who know Willie Dille don’t doubt one second of her story,” Linda tells AD. She says she knows why Dille did not file charges, but it’s not up to her to tell the reason for that.
She calls the hateful replies on social media to Dille’s death horrible because Willie was the sweetest and most helpful woman she knows.
Geert Wilders’ statement, released on Twitter, says he was shocked by...
The 90 Miles Mystery Box: Episode #345
You have come across a mystery box. But what is inside?
It could be literally anything from the serene to the horrific,
from the beautiful to the repugnant,
from the mysterious to the familiar.
If you decide to open it, you could be disappointed,
you could be inspired, you could be appalled.
This is not for the faint of heart or the easily offended.
You have been warned.
Friday, August 10, 2018
SCIENTIST CALLS OUT MEDIA ‘MISINFORMATION’ ON WILDFIRES AND GLOBAL WARMING
With wildfires engulfing over 620,000 acres of California, there’s been a concerted media campaign to single out man-made global warming as the primary force behind the deadly blazes.
But that’s not what the data suggests, according to University of Washington climate scientist Cliff Mass.
“So there is a lot misinformation going around in the media, some environmental advocacy groups, and some politicians,” Mass wrote in the first of a series of blog posts analyzing the California wildfires.
“The story can’t be a simply that warming is increasing the numbers of wildfires in California because the number of fires is declining. And area burned has not been increasing either,” Mass wrote.
Firefighters are struggling to put out the largest fire in recent decades, the Mendocino Complex fire, that’s consumed over 300,000 acres in northern California. Environmentalists and some scientists have pushed a media narrative that blazes across the state to global warming.
“Climate change is making wildfires more extreme. Here’s how,” PBS Newshour warned viewers on Monday, quoting Pennsylvania State University climate scientist Michael Mann.
“You warm the planet, you’re going to get more frequent and intense heat waves. You warm the soils, you dry them out, you get worst drought,” Mann said. “You bring all that together, and those are all the ingredients for unprecedented wildfires.”
The San Francisco Chronicle ran with similar coverage: “Scientists see fingerprints of climate change all over California’s wildfires.” The Chronicle also quoted Mann, who further argued global warming weakened the jet stream, causing extreme weather patterns to persist.
“These factors work together to produce the sorts of persistent extreme weather events — droughts, floods, heat waves, wildfires — that we’re seeing across the Northern Hemisphere right now,” Mann said.
However, Mass combed through California wildfire statistics, finding state figures showed a decrease in acres burned in four out of five regions. U.S. Forest Service data for public forests and lands in California shows mixed trends, with some regions having just as big of fires as in the 1920s.
“The bottom line of the real fire data produced by the State of California and in the peer-reviewed literature is clear: there has been no upward trend in the number of wildfires in California during the past decades,” Mass wrote on his blog.
“In fact, the frequency of fires has declined,” he wrote. “And in most of the state, there has not been an increasing trend in area burned during the past several decades.”
“Clearly, climate change is only one possible factor in controlling fire frequency and may not be the most important,” Mass wrote.
While seasonal weather is an important ingredient for wildfires, it’s not the only factor, making it particularly hard to attribute fires to global warming. Land management and population growth are also major factors, since most fires are...
But that’s not what the data suggests, according to University of Washington climate scientist Cliff Mass.
“So there is a lot misinformation going around in the media, some environmental advocacy groups, and some politicians,” Mass wrote in the first of a series of blog posts analyzing the California wildfires.
“The story can’t be a simply that warming is increasing the numbers of wildfires in California because the number of fires is declining. And area burned has not been increasing either,” Mass wrote.
Related: Big Government and Environmentalists Are Causing Massive Fires in Western States
Firefighters are struggling to put out the largest fire in recent decades, the Mendocino Complex fire, that’s consumed over 300,000 acres in northern California. Environmentalists and some scientists have pushed a media narrative that blazes across the state to global warming.
“Climate change is making wildfires more extreme. Here’s how,” PBS Newshour warned viewers on Monday, quoting Pennsylvania State University climate scientist Michael Mann.
“You warm the planet, you’re going to get more frequent and intense heat waves. You warm the soils, you dry them out, you get worst drought,” Mann said. “You bring all that together, and those are all the ingredients for unprecedented wildfires.”
The San Francisco Chronicle ran with similar coverage: “Scientists see fingerprints of climate change all over California’s wildfires.” The Chronicle also quoted Mann, who further argued global warming weakened the jet stream, causing extreme weather patterns to persist.
“These factors work together to produce the sorts of persistent extreme weather events — droughts, floods, heat waves, wildfires — that we’re seeing across the Northern Hemisphere right now,” Mann said.
However, Mass combed through California wildfire statistics, finding state figures showed a decrease in acres burned in four out of five regions. U.S. Forest Service data for public forests and lands in California shows mixed trends, with some regions having just as big of fires as in the 1920s.
“The bottom line of the real fire data produced by the State of California and in the peer-reviewed literature is clear: there has been no upward trend in the number of wildfires in California during the past decades,” Mass wrote on his blog.
“In fact, the frequency of fires has declined,” he wrote. “And in most of the state, there has not been an increasing trend in area burned during the past several decades.”
“Clearly, climate change is only one possible factor in controlling fire frequency and may not be the most important,” Mass wrote.
While seasonal weather is an important ingredient for wildfires, it’s not the only factor, making it particularly hard to attribute fires to global warming. Land management and population growth are also major factors, since most fires are...
When Fully Loaded Truck Meets Poorly Constructed Road...
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Why the EU Won't Comply with Trump
Two of the main points of contention between the European Union and President Trump are trade and military spending. Scrap away the rhetoric presented in the mainstream media, most of it reflexively anti-Trump, the fact is that what the president is demanding is nothing but what's fair and reasonable. As regards trade, Europe currently has significantly more barriers to our exports than America does to theirs. As for military spending on NATO, it is universally recognized that the United States carries the bulk of defending Europe.
At first blush, recent news indicates that Europe is moving in the right direction under U.S. pressure. At the recent NATO conference, countries in the alliance committed to up their defense spending -- somewhat. And the tentative agreement between Trump and European Union President Jean-Claude Juncker for the EU to move to free trade and to buy more U.S. LNG is also a good start. Juncker also said Europe will work with America on curbing China's theft of technology and intellectual property.
But let's be realistic. Words and promises are one thing, deeds are another. Countries in Europe have long promised to increase their military spending but few have and some have actually decreased their defense spending. As for LNG, what's the big concession? Energy-poor Europe needs it, and the U.S. has it. Same with addressing China's aggressive mercantilism; Europe suffers from it as does America.
On trade in general, Europe will find it hard, if not politically impossible, to open up. There are several reasons why aside from the natural tendency for people to want to keep whatever advantages they have had for a long time.
Europe's Structure
As wealthy as Europe may be, its budgets are stretched tight to support the welfare state it has created for itself since the end of WWII. Already, the Mediterranean countries of the EU are drowning in debt. The percent of debt to the GDP for Italy, Greece, Portugal, and Spain are 132, 180, 130, and 99 percent, respectively. And since these countries are yoked to the Euro, there's no way out for them.
These southern countries want Germany, the powerhouse of Europe, to bail them out. And although Germany is wealthy and actually runs a budget surplus, this won't happen. Germany is facing a demographic nightmare. It has one of the oldest populations on the Continent with a meager fertility rate of just 1.5 births per woman.
Demography is destiny, so it's only a matter of time before this affects German growth. The Germans know this and that they'll soon enough have trouble supporting their welfare state. This is why, aside throwing some crumbs to the Mediterranean countries, Germany will remain tightfisted. And financial prospects for Germany does not factor in the million or so uneducated and unskilled immigrants from Africa and the Middle East that are now domiciled in Deutschland. These new arrivals are people who seemingly can't or won't assimilate into a Western society. The delusional thinking of Frau Merkel and the German establishment is that Mohammad will step right in, replace Hans on the assembly line when Hans retires, and things will go on as normal. Good luck with that.
The demographic problem of an aging population also affects trade. Even now, before the full effect of the demographic collapse hits, exports account for 46 percent of the German GPD. This means Germany cannot consume what it produces. It must therefore export to maintain viability. And as the German and the European populations diminish further, this factor will only grow more pronounced.
The U.S. is a main market for German exports. In 2017, America ran a $63.3 billion trade deficit in goods with Germany and the trend is continuing into 2018. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the goods trade with the European Union was $146.7 billion in 2016. Such trade surpluses, which help underpin Europe's prosperity, are possible only with Europe maintaining its unfair trade barriers to U.S. exports.
Inability to Compete
Although not openly admitted, Europe knows in its heart that it cannot compete with the United States on a level playing field. A trading system devoid of tariffs and other trade barriers would hurt the economies of Europe. The political and cultural attitudes of Europe are highly adverse to risk taking and the entrepreneurship needed to create innovations. One Chinese official looking at the world situation summed it up as America being a robust adult, China as a growing teenager, and Europe as a feeble old rich man. Sounds right to me.
The Europeans might give the appearance of moving to fair trade under U.S. pressure, but that's a smoke screen. In the end, they know that their societies, as presently structured, cannot afford it.
The socialistic mindset affects Europe deeply. Socialist countries cannot compete with capitalist ones. But more than that, it also influences how Europe looks at America. Europe sees the U.S. as tremendously rich in natural resources, wealthy, and powerful relative to them. Given how Europeans arrange their own societies, it is only natural that they feel it is America's duty to subsidize them in terms of trade and providing for their defense.
Sadly, most of the American foreign affairs establishment seems to agree with this sentiment -- a major reason why Donald Trump and his deplorable supporters are seen as an anathema to those 'experts.' And it must be noted, that subsidizing Europe (and China) on trade has not cost any of these elites anything, but it has helped devastate much of middle America.
What's Europe to do?
European strategy is clear. They dare not confront America directly. Instead, they will hunker down and engage in talks with U.S. trade officials, offering small concessions here and there. The real objectives of the talks will not be to work toward a resolution but to delay -- delay hoping for either a blue wave in November or a favorable finding in the Mueller witch-hunt that cuts Trump down to size. Europe's concessions are to appease Trump while he shifts his focus on China. Of course, Europe's fondest wish is for Trump to be repudiated in the 2020 election.
But even should 2020 bring defeat, Trump has opened a Pandora's Box on trade that cannot be closed. The points he has made about the inherent unfairness of the current trade system will not vanish. There will be adjustments in America's favor with or without Donald Trump in the Oval Office. Simply put, there can be no going back to the way things were.
Europe is in a fix. Sooner or later, it will have a stark choice to make: either radically reform its societies or suffer the consequences.
Two of the main points of contention between the European Union and President Trump are trade and military spending. Scrap away the rhetoric presented in the mainstream media, most of it reflexively anti-Trump, the fact is that what the president is demanding is nothing but what's fair and reasonable. As regards trade, Europe currently has significantly more barriers to our exports than America does to theirs. As for military spending on NATO, it is universally recognized that the United States carries the bulk of defending Europe.
At first blush, recent news indicates that Europe is moving in the right direction under U.S. pressure. At the recent NATO conference, countries in the alliance committed to up their defense spending -- somewhat. And the tentative agreement between Trump and European Union President Jean-Claude Juncker for the EU to move to free trade and to buy more U.S. LNG is also a good start. Juncker also said Europe will work with America on curbing China's theft of technology and intellectual property.
But let's be realistic. Words and promises are one thing, deeds are another. Countries in Europe have long promised to increase their military spending but few have and some have actually decreased their defense spending. As for LNG, what's the big concession? Energy-poor Europe needs it, and the U.S. has it. Same with addressing China's aggressive mercantilism; Europe suffers from it as does America.
On trade in general, Europe will find it hard, if not politically impossible, to open up. There are several reasons why aside from the natural tendency for people to want to keep whatever advantages they have had for a long time.
Europe's Structure
As wealthy as Europe may be, its budgets are stretch tight to support the welfare state it has created for itself since the end of WWII. Already, the Mediterranean countries of the EU are drowning in debt. The percent of debt to the GDP for Italy, Greece, Portugal, and Spain are 132, 180, 130, and 99 percent, respectively. And since these countries are yoked to the Euro, there's no way out for them.
These southern countries want Germany, the powerhouse of Europe, to bail them out. And although Germany is wealthy and actually runs a budget surplus, this won't happen. Germany is facing a demographic nightmare. It has one of the oldest populations on the Continent with a meager fertility rate of just 1.5 births per woman.
Demography is destiny, so it's only a matter of time before this affects German growth. The Germans know this and that they'll soon enough have trouble supporting their welfare state. This is why, aside throwing some crumbs to the Mediterranean countries, Germany will remain tightfisted. And financial prospects for Germany does not factor in the million or so uneducated and...
At first blush, recent news indicates that Europe is moving in the right direction under U.S. pressure. At the recent NATO conference, countries in the alliance committed to up their defense spending -- somewhat. And the tentative agreement between Trump and European Union President Jean-Claude Juncker for the EU to move to free trade and to buy more U.S. LNG is also a good start. Juncker also said Europe will work with America on curbing China's theft of technology and intellectual property.
But let's be realistic. Words and promises are one thing, deeds are another. Countries in Europe have long promised to increase their military spending but few have and some have actually decreased their defense spending. As for LNG, what's the big concession? Energy-poor Europe needs it, and the U.S. has it. Same with addressing China's aggressive mercantilism; Europe suffers from it as does America.
On trade in general, Europe will find it hard, if not politically impossible, to open up. There are several reasons why aside from the natural tendency for people to want to keep whatever advantages they have had for a long time.
Europe's Structure
As wealthy as Europe may be, its budgets are stretched tight to support the welfare state it has created for itself since the end of WWII. Already, the Mediterranean countries of the EU are drowning in debt. The percent of debt to the GDP for Italy, Greece, Portugal, and Spain are 132, 180, 130, and 99 percent, respectively. And since these countries are yoked to the Euro, there's no way out for them.
These southern countries want Germany, the powerhouse of Europe, to bail them out. And although Germany is wealthy and actually runs a budget surplus, this won't happen. Germany is facing a demographic nightmare. It has one of the oldest populations on the Continent with a meager fertility rate of just 1.5 births per woman.
Demography is destiny, so it's only a matter of time before this affects German growth. The Germans know this and that they'll soon enough have trouble supporting their welfare state. This is why, aside throwing some crumbs to the Mediterranean countries, Germany will remain tightfisted. And financial prospects for Germany does not factor in the million or so uneducated and unskilled immigrants from Africa and the Middle East that are now domiciled in Deutschland. These new arrivals are people who seemingly can't or won't assimilate into a Western society. The delusional thinking of Frau Merkel and the German establishment is that Mohammad will step right in, replace Hans on the assembly line when Hans retires, and things will go on as normal. Good luck with that.
The demographic problem of an aging population also affects trade. Even now, before the full effect of the demographic collapse hits, exports account for 46 percent of the German GPD. This means Germany cannot consume what it produces. It must therefore export to maintain viability. And as the German and the European populations diminish further, this factor will only grow more pronounced.
The U.S. is a main market for German exports. In 2017, America ran a $63.3 billion trade deficit in goods with Germany and the trend is continuing into 2018. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the goods trade with the European Union was $146.7 billion in 2016. Such trade surpluses, which help underpin Europe's prosperity, are possible only with Europe maintaining its unfair trade barriers to U.S. exports.
Inability to Compete
Although not openly admitted, Europe knows in its heart that it cannot compete with the United States on a level playing field. A trading system devoid of tariffs and other trade barriers would hurt the economies of Europe. The political and cultural attitudes of Europe are highly adverse to risk taking and the entrepreneurship needed to create innovations. One Chinese official looking at the world situation summed it up as America being a robust adult, China as a growing teenager, and Europe as a feeble old rich man. Sounds right to me.
The Europeans might give the appearance of moving to fair trade under U.S. pressure, but that's a smoke screen. In the end, they know that their societies, as presently structured, cannot afford it.
The socialistic mindset affects Europe deeply. Socialist countries cannot compete with capitalist ones. But more than that, it also influences how Europe looks at America. Europe sees the U.S. as tremendously rich in natural resources, wealthy, and powerful relative to them. Given how Europeans arrange their own societies, it is only natural that they feel it is America's duty to subsidize them in terms of trade and providing for their defense.
Sadly, most of the American foreign affairs establishment seems to agree with this sentiment -- a major reason why Donald Trump and his deplorable supporters are seen as an anathema to those 'experts.' And it must be noted, that subsidizing Europe (and China) on trade has not cost any of these elites anything, but it has helped devastate much of middle America.
What's Europe to do?
European strategy is clear. They dare not confront America directly. Instead, they will hunker down and engage in talks with U.S. trade officials, offering small concessions here and there. The real objectives of the talks will not be to work toward a resolution but to delay -- delay hoping for either a blue wave in November or a favorable finding in the Mueller witch-hunt that cuts Trump down to size. Europe's concessions are to appease Trump while he shifts his focus on China. Of course, Europe's fondest wish is for Trump to be repudiated in the 2020 election.
But even should 2020 bring defeat, Trump has opened a Pandora's Box on trade that cannot be closed. The points he has made about the inherent unfairness of the current trade system will not vanish. There will be adjustments in America's favor with or without Donald Trump in the Oval Office. Simply put, there can be no going back to the way things were.
Europe is in a fix. Sooner or later, it will have a stark choice to make: either radically reform its societies or suffer the consequences.
Two of the main points of contention between the European Union and President Trump are trade and military spending. Scrap away the rhetoric presented in the mainstream media, most of it reflexively anti-Trump, the fact is that what the president is demanding is nothing but what's fair and reasonable. As regards trade, Europe currently has significantly more barriers to our exports than America does to theirs. As for military spending on NATO, it is universally recognized that the United States carries the bulk of defending Europe.
At first blush, recent news indicates that Europe is moving in the right direction under U.S. pressure. At the recent NATO conference, countries in the alliance committed to up their defense spending -- somewhat. And the tentative agreement between Trump and European Union President Jean-Claude Juncker for the EU to move to free trade and to buy more U.S. LNG is also a good start. Juncker also said Europe will work with America on curbing China's theft of technology and intellectual property.
But let's be realistic. Words and promises are one thing, deeds are another. Countries in Europe have long promised to increase their military spending but few have and some have actually decreased their defense spending. As for LNG, what's the big concession? Energy-poor Europe needs it, and the U.S. has it. Same with addressing China's aggressive mercantilism; Europe suffers from it as does America.
On trade in general, Europe will find it hard, if not politically impossible, to open up. There are several reasons why aside from the natural tendency for people to want to keep whatever advantages they have had for a long time.
Europe's Structure
As wealthy as Europe may be, its budgets are stretch tight to support the welfare state it has created for itself since the end of WWII. Already, the Mediterranean countries of the EU are drowning in debt. The percent of debt to the GDP for Italy, Greece, Portugal, and Spain are 132, 180, 130, and 99 percent, respectively. And since these countries are yoked to the Euro, there's no way out for them.
These southern countries want Germany, the powerhouse of Europe, to bail them out. And although Germany is wealthy and actually runs a budget surplus, this won't happen. Germany is facing a demographic nightmare. It has one of the oldest populations on the Continent with a meager fertility rate of just 1.5 births per woman.
Demography is destiny, so it's only a matter of time before this affects German growth. The Germans know this and that they'll soon enough have trouble supporting their welfare state. This is why, aside throwing some crumbs to the Mediterranean countries, Germany will remain tightfisted. And financial prospects for Germany does not factor in the million or so uneducated and...
Kanye stands up to Kimmel’s grilling on Trump support: ‘Liberals can’t bully me’
Kanye West sat down with Weeping Jimmy Kimmel Thursday evening, marking his first appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” in five years, and the rapper was adamant that he would not be bullied over his support for President Donald Trump.
The late night comedian, who missed his calling as a CNN reporter, commented on West’s wife, Kim Kardashian, meeting with Trump back in May to make a clemency request on behalf of a non-violent first-time drug offender serving life, to set up a cheap shot at the president.
“Were you ever concerned about her being alone in the Oval Office with President Trump?” Kimmel asked.
“Well, he is a player,” West joked, making light of the barb.
Not satisfied, Kimmel, a resident member of the Trump Derangement Syndrome crowd, asked his guest if he thinks Trump is a good president, but West wasn’t about to be put on the spot for supporting the president, or get drawn into a debate over his actions.
“Everyone around me tried to pick my candidate for me,” he said, “and then told me every time I said I liked Trump that I couldn’t say it out loud or my career would be over. I’d get kicked out of the black community because blacks, we are supposed to have a monolithic thought, blacks can only be Democrats and all.”
West said he had lost his confidence after being released from the hospital — the rapper, who has since revealed that he is bi-polar, was hospitalized in late 2016 for exhaustion — and explained that acknowledging his support for Trump marked a...
The late night comedian, who missed his calling as a CNN reporter, commented on West’s wife, Kim Kardashian, meeting with Trump back in May to make a clemency request on behalf of a non-violent first-time drug offender serving life, to set up a cheap shot at the president.
“Were you ever concerned about her being alone in the Oval Office with President Trump?” Kimmel asked.
“Well, he is a player,” West joked, making light of the barb.
Not satisfied, Kimmel, a resident member of the Trump Derangement Syndrome crowd, asked his guest if he thinks Trump is a good president, but West wasn’t about to be put on the spot for supporting the president, or get drawn into a debate over his actions.
“Everyone around me tried to pick my candidate for me,” he said, “and then told me every time I said I liked Trump that I couldn’t say it out loud or my career would be over. I’d get kicked out of the black community because blacks, we are supposed to have a monolithic thought, blacks can only be Democrats and all.”
West said he had lost his confidence after being released from the hospital — the rapper, who has since revealed that he is bi-polar, was hospitalized in late 2016 for exhaustion — and explained that acknowledging his support for Trump marked a...
Crying Activist Goes Viral for Blocking Deportation of Afghan, but the True Story Is Really Ugly
There is more to the story of an Afghan migrant whose deportation from Sweden was blocked by an activist who filmed it on Facebook Live, which then went viral on social media.
The Afghan man who was "rescued" had served jail time for assaulting his wife and daughters, according to the Swedish news website, Fria Tider.
On July 23rd, Swedish activist Elin Ersson refused to take her seat on a flight until the Afghan man was removed from the plane. She said she had heard that among the passengers onboard was an Afghan man who was being deported and that he would be killed if he was sent back to his native Afghanistan.
The video of Ersson's protest was watched by millions of people and was portrayed as an act of heroism. But Ersson later admitted she didn't know anything about the man.
The Afghan, who has not been identified, was convicted for beating his wife and children and served nine months in prison, according to Nyheter Idag, but this was reportedly not why he was deported.
He whipped his daughters with a cord and struck his wife so hard she fell to the floor, and then he reportedly grabbed her head and pounded it against the floor.
Meanwhile, Christian asylum seekers in Sweden are often the real victims of the nation's policy of deportations. CBN News has reported the shocking case of Aideen Strandsson who is actually facing life-threatening danger if deported to Iran.
Faced with a huge political backlash over its open door immigration policy, Sweden has begun sending some migrants back, even if it means certain torture or death; a violation of...
The Afghan man who was "rescued" had served jail time for assaulting his wife and daughters, according to the Swedish news website, Fria Tider.
On July 23rd, Swedish activist Elin Ersson refused to take her seat on a flight until the Afghan man was removed from the plane. She said she had heard that among the passengers onboard was an Afghan man who was being deported and that he would be killed if he was sent back to his native Afghanistan.
The video of Ersson's protest was watched by millions of people and was portrayed as an act of heroism. But Ersson later admitted she didn't know anything about the man.
The Afghan, who has not been identified, was convicted for beating his wife and children and served nine months in prison, according to Nyheter Idag, but this was reportedly not why he was deported.
He whipped his daughters with a cord and struck his wife so hard she fell to the floor, and then he reportedly grabbed her head and pounded it against the floor.
Meanwhile, Christian asylum seekers in Sweden are often the real victims of the nation's policy of deportations. CBN News has reported the shocking case of Aideen Strandsson who is actually facing life-threatening danger if deported to Iran.
Faced with a huge political backlash over its open door immigration policy, Sweden has begun sending some migrants back, even if it means certain torture or death; a violation of...
Deported criminal illegal alien tries to sneak back in to molest kids in a church
Do you think it would be OK with the left and the media if we kick people like this guy out of the country?
I don’t agree with most of the criticisms of ICE and the Border Patrol, but let’s assume for the sake of discussion that maybe some of these criticisms are worth taking seriously. Does that justify the all-out attacks on these agencies, not to mention local police departments? The left wants ICE abolished completely. California Democrats want to make it impossible for police officers to defend themselves against lethal threats.
Apparently there is never a reason for either one to exist. No bad people sneak across the border! All immigrants are saints!
Well . . . maybe not all:
An undocumented immigrant and wanted sex offender has been arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents and police in Detroit, officials said.
Authorities have identified the man as Yemaneh Gebremedhin, 53, an immigrant from Eritrea, a country in northeast Africa on the Red Sea coast.
Border Patrol officials said agents were called by the Detroit Police on Tuesday to help identify a man who had attempted to get into a Detroit church that has a child care facility. The facility’s workers denied the man entry because of his criminal sexual background and called police, the Border Patrol said.
Agents questioned the man and identified him as Gebremedhin, officials said. He was taken to the agency’s Detroit station to be processed.
Investigators learned Gebremedhin was convicted in 2015 of gross sexual imposition and was wanted in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, for failing to register as a sex offender.
They also learned he is in the United States illegally and was ordered removed from...
I don’t agree with most of the criticisms of ICE and the Border Patrol, but let’s assume for the sake of discussion that maybe some of these criticisms are worth taking seriously. Does that justify the all-out attacks on these agencies, not to mention local police departments? The left wants ICE abolished completely. California Democrats want to make it impossible for police officers to defend themselves against lethal threats.
Apparently there is never a reason for either one to exist. No bad people sneak across the border! All immigrants are saints!
Well . . . maybe not all:
An undocumented immigrant and wanted sex offender has been arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents and police in Detroit, officials said.
Authorities have identified the man as Yemaneh Gebremedhin, 53, an immigrant from Eritrea, a country in northeast Africa on the Red Sea coast.
Border Patrol officials said agents were called by the Detroit Police on Tuesday to help identify a man who had attempted to get into a Detroit church that has a child care facility. The facility’s workers denied the man entry because of his criminal sexual background and called police, the Border Patrol said.
Agents questioned the man and identified him as Gebremedhin, officials said. He was taken to the agency’s Detroit station to be processed.
Investigators learned Gebremedhin was convicted in 2015 of gross sexual imposition and was wanted in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, for failing to register as a sex offender.
They also learned he is in the United States illegally and was ordered removed from...
After Being Destroyed, Trump's Walk of Fame Star Multiplies
Donald Trump's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame — destroyed on several occasions by detractors who sometimes wield a pick-ax — mysteriously multiplied over night so that on Thursday morning there were several dozen stars.
The effort comes from a conservative street artist who wishes to remain anonymous, but says he was motivated not only by the destruction of the president's real star, but also a recent unanimous vote by the West Hollywood City Council to recommend the removal of Trump's star due to accusations he has mistreated women.
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and Los Angeles City Council haven't weighed in on the matter, but those who oppose the proposal note that others in Hollywood who have also been accused of mistreating women still have stars on the Walk of Fame, most notably Bill Cosby.
The anonymous artist says he's not done with his mission to preserve Trump's star. "Rip up the president's Walk of Fame star or try to have it removed — like you're the mayor of West Hollywood or something — and 30 more will pop up," the artist tells The Hollywood Reporter.
The artist and his cohorts, who call themselves "The Faction" and are allies of prolific conservative artist Sabo, spent $1,000 on the stars, which they printed on sheets of floor vinyl with adhesive backing, and their mission was partially financed by "a young and anonymous entrepreneur."
The crew laminated the vinyl stars and placed them on blank squares on the Walk of Fame, though kept them covered until all were secured into place so that onlookers would not know exactly what was happening.
"I didn't want to get hit over the head from behind. We thought Trump Derangement Syndrome was a joke, but I'm pretty sure it's real," the artist...
The effort comes from a conservative street artist who wishes to remain anonymous, but says he was motivated not only by the destruction of the president's real star, but also a recent unanimous vote by the West Hollywood City Council to recommend the removal of Trump's star due to accusations he has mistreated women.
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and Los Angeles City Council haven't weighed in on the matter, but those who oppose the proposal note that others in Hollywood who have also been accused of mistreating women still have stars on the Walk of Fame, most notably Bill Cosby.
The anonymous artist says he's not done with his mission to preserve Trump's star. "Rip up the president's Walk of Fame star or try to have it removed — like you're the mayor of West Hollywood or something — and 30 more will pop up," the artist tells The Hollywood Reporter.
The artist and his cohorts, who call themselves "The Faction" and are allies of prolific conservative artist Sabo, spent $1,000 on the stars, which they printed on sheets of floor vinyl with adhesive backing, and their mission was partially financed by "a young and anonymous entrepreneur."
The crew laminated the vinyl stars and placed them on blank squares on the Walk of Fame, though kept them covered until all were secured into place so that onlookers would not know exactly what was happening.
"I didn't want to get hit over the head from behind. We thought Trump Derangement Syndrome was a joke, but I'm pretty sure it's real," the artist...
The 90 Miles Mystery Box: Episode #344
You have come across a mystery box. But what is inside?
It could be literally anything from the serene to the horrific,
from the beautiful to the repugnant,
from the mysterious to the familiar.
If you decide to open it, you could be disappointed,
you could be inspired, you could be appalled.
This is not for the faint of heart or the easily offended.
You have been warned.
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