MAY 2016 

Tuesday - May 31, 2016  -  Today in History:

1854 - The Kansas-Nebraska Act passed by the U.S. Congress.
1879 - New York's Madison Square Garden opened.
1889 - In Johnstown, PA, more than 2,200 people died after the South Fork Dam collapsed.
1900 - U.S. troops arrived in Peking to help put down the Boxer Rebellion.
1902 - The Boer War ended between the Boers of South Africa and Great Britain with the Treaty of Vereeniging.
1907 - The first taxis arrived in New York City. They were the first in the United States.
1913 - The 17th Amendment went into effect. It provided for popular election of U.S. senators.
1927 - Ford Motor Company produced the last "Tin Lizzie" in order to begin production of the Model A.
1947 - Communists seized control of Hungary.
1955 - The U.S. Supreme Court ordered that all states must end racial segregation "with all deliberate speed."
1962 - Adolf Eichmann was hanged in Israel. Eichmann was a Gestapo official and was executed for his actions in the Nazi Holocaust.
1977 - The trans-Alaska oil pipeline was finished after 3 years of construction.
1994 - The U.S. announced it was no longer aiming long-range nuclear missiles at targets in the former Soviet Union.
1995 - Bob Dole singled out Time Warner for "the marketing of evil" in movies and music. Dole later admitted that he had not seen or heard much of what he had been criticizing.
2003 - In North Carolina, Eric Robert Rudolph was captured. He had been on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list for five years for several bombings including the 1996 Olympic bombing.

Vladimir Putin warns Poland and Romania could be caught in Russian rockets
Daily Mail Online - Vladimir Putin has warned that Romania and Poland could be caught in the 'crosshairs' of Russian rockets for hosting elements of a U.S. missile shield that Moscow considers a threat to its security.... Earlier this month the U.S. military - which says the shield is needed to protect from Iran, not threaten Russia - angered Russia by switching on the Romanian part of the shield. Work is also going ahead on another part of the shield, in Poland. He said the argument that the project was needed to defend against Iran made no sense because an international deal had been reached to curb Tehran's nuclear programme. The missiles that will form the shield can easily reach Russian cities, he said. 'How can that not create a threat for us?' Putin asked.

Germany's New "Integration Law"
Zero Hedge - After months of haggling, Germany's coalition government has agreed on a new "Integration Law" aimed at regulating the rights and responsibilities of asylum seekers in Germany....Critics say the new law, which must be approved by the German Parliament, which will debate the measure in July, is inadequate to deal with Germany's integration problems. For a start, the law applies only to legitimate asylum seekers, not to the hundreds of thousands of economic migrants from Africa, Asia and the Middle East....Of the more than 1.1 million migrants who arrived in Germany in 2015, only 476,649 have applied for asylum, according to official statistics. Many of the rest have gone underground and are sustaining themselves through petty crime and drug dealing. The government has not said how it plans to "integrate" such migrants. In addition, the government is already facing an acute shortage of instructors to teach the integration courses.... Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière has admitted: "The bottleneck is not money but the lack of teachers."

Venezuela's Gold Reserves Plunge To Lowest Ever As Maduro Repays Debt With Gold
Zero Hedge - ... Venezuela’s gold reserves have plunged to their lowest level on record after the country sold $1.7 billion of the precious metal in the first quarter of the year to repay debts. The country is grappling with an economic crisis that has left it struggling to feed its population.The OPEC member’s gold reserves have dropped almost a third over the past year and it sold over 40 tonnes in February and March, according to IMF data.... At this point it is only a matter of time before Maduro, scrambling to preserve his regime from both domestic political opposition and foreign creditors, sell all of the Venezuela gold which his late predecessor diligently scrambled to repatriate so it would avoid precisely this fate.... Seeking to reassure investors this month, Miguel Pérez Abad, Venezuela’s economic tsar, told news agencies that the country has reached a deal with its main financier China to extend loans, and that he would further cut imports, even if shortages of basic goods are ravaging the country.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis: Disfiguring tropical disease sweeps across Middle East
The Independent - A disfiguring tropical disease is sweeping across the Middle East as a combination of heavy conflict and a breakdown of health care facilities in Isis-occupied areas leaves swathes of people vulnerable to the illness. Cutaneous leishmaniasis is caused by a parasite in the blood stream transmitted through sand fly bites. The disease can result in horrible open sores as well as disfiguring skin lesions, nodules or papules. Leishmaniasis has been endemic in Syria for centuries and was once commonly known as the “Aleppo evil”. However, as Syria’s civil war continues the resulting refugee crisis has triggered a catastrophic outbreak of the disease. Research published on Thursday in the scientific journal PLOS has found the disease is now affecting hundreds of thousands of people living in refugee camps or trapped in conflict zones. A similar situation may also be unfolding in eastern Libya and Yemen.

Video: Non-Disclosure Agreement For Canada’s Fort McMurray Wildfire Devastation
Tom Lupshu - In this video I am talking about the latest news out of Fort McMurray in Canada. The location of an Extreme Wildfire that caused the evacuation of over 90,000 people. They have cordoned off the area of devastation with roadblocks and are requiring all media allowed to go in to sign a Non-Disclosure agreement. That in it's self should tell you they are hiding something.
* Related Video: Fort McMurray wildfire: First views of devastated neighborhoods

Obama Steps In To Defend Hillary: DOJ Fights To Block Clinton Deposition
Zero Hedge - Late Thursday evening the Justice Department, under US attorney general Loretta Lynch... filed a court motion opposing the Clinton deposition request from conservative legal watchdog Judicial Watch, claiming that the organization was trying to dramatically expand the scope of the lawsuit.... Last week, Judicial Watch asked the court to interview Clinton and five other current and former State Department officials about the server, after it received a judge's permission to move ahead with the process. The case is the second in which Judicial Watch has been granted approval to depose witnesses to gather evidence about Clinton’s email setup. In the other case, interviews of current and former Clinton aides have already begun. For now, Hillary is not scheduled to answer questions as part of that case, through a federal judge has warned that she could be called upon in the future. It is this potentially destructive deposition, that the DOJ is seeking to hide.

Massachusetts House Committee Passes Bill to Restrict ALPR Use; Help Block National License Plate Tracking Program
Activist Post - The Joint Committee on Transportation created House Bill 4322 (H.4322) after considering several bills that would limit the use of ALPRs. The legislation would restrict the use of ALPRs to specific law enforcement functions, and place strict limits on the storage and sharing of any data collected by such systems…. H.4322 would require law enforcement agencies to completely destroy data gathered by an ALPR within 48 hours. A law enforcement agency could transfer information to the executive office of public safety and security, but would still be required to erase the data from its system. The executive office would maintain the only database in the state. It would be required to destroy all data within 120 days. Sharing of ALPR information or retention of data beyond 120 days would require a warrant, a preservation request or a production order. The legislation includes strict criteria for issuance of such orders.

Massachusetts Homeschool Families Report Being Subjected to Investigations
Government Slaves - Six homeschooling families in Massachusetts say they are being subjected to unnecessary inquiries by the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (MDCF) for alleged educational neglect. Bill Heuer, a member of the board of directors for the Massachusetts Home Learning Association, says he’s not surprised by the reports. Heuer says though it’s easy to homeschool in Massachusetts, there’s a “gray area” in state education law that makes room for these type of investigations. Massachusetts is an “approval” state, meaning the district superintendent must approve a homeschooling family’s education plan. Heuer says miscommunication can arise when some districts interpret the law to mean families need the approval of the superintendent before they remove a child to homeschool. Heuer says unfriendly district superintendents can report children from families in transition to homeschool as truant and turn them over to MDCF. Once they have the case, families can get caught up in circles of paperwork to rectify the situation.

Donald Trump and Bikers Share Affection at Rolling Thunder Rally
NY Times - Mr. Trump was addressing a gathering at the 29th annual Rolling Thunder motorcycle run, a vast event over Memorial Day weekend that is dedicated to accounting for military members taken as prisoners of war or listed as missing in action. Bikers assembled at the Pentagon before riding en masse into the nation’s capital, with many dressed in leather vests covered in patches, their bikes rumbling throughout the afternoon. For the blunt-spoken Mr. Trump, who likes to stress his desire to strengthen the military and improve how veterans are treated, the gathering provided a receptive audience, if one where he might otherwise seem out of place.
* Related: Full Speech: Donald Trump Speaks at Rolling Thunder Memorial Day Event

Politico Magazine: Trump’s Position on Trade Could Give Him Ohio, Wisconsin and Michigan
Breitbart - A Friday piece in Politico Magazine warns that a Hillary Clinton “fumble on trade” could give Donald Trump wins in Ohio, Wisconsin, and Michigan in a general election contest. In a piece entitled, “How Hillary Loses,” David S. Bernstein writes that the new polls showing Trump ahead of Clinton represent a “terrifying moment for Democrats.”

Bill Kristol Announces That ‘There Will Be An Independent Candidate’ To Sabotage Donald Trump
Economic Collapse - On Sunday, the founder and editor of the Weekly Standard, Bill Kristol, announced on Twitter that there “will be an independent candidate–an impressive one, with a strong team and a real chance.” Kristol has very, very deep ties to the Republican elite, and so this is certainly not an idle threat. At this point we do not know who the candidate will be, but some of the names that have been mentioned include Mitt Romney, John Kasich, Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse and billionaire Mark Cuban. Of course dividing the conservative vote would be suicidal and would virtually ensure a victory for Hillary Clinton in November. The truth is that the elite are accustomed to being in control of both parties, and that is why things never seem to change very much no matter who is elected…. But this time someone that the elite do not control has miraculously captured the Republican nomination, and this scares them to death.

Bernie Sanders asks to oust Barney Frank, Dannel Malloy from DNC committees
MassLive - Looking to force a contested convention, Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders's campaign called on party leaders Saturday to remove "aggressive attack surrogates" former Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank and Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy from key DNC panels. Contending that Frank and Malloy's criticisms of the Vermont senator have "exposed a deeper professional, political and personal hostility," Sanders campaign counsel Brad Deutsch penned a letter to the Democratic Party's Rules and Bylaws Committee asking to remove them as the convention's respective Standing Rules Committee co-chair and Standing Platform Committee co-chair.

Trump decides he won't debate Bernie Sanders
The Hill - Donald Trump on Friday said it would be "inappropriate" to hold a debate with Bernie Sanders, throwing cold water on an idea that had captivated the political world in recent days. "As much as I want to debate Bernie Sanders -- and it would be an easy payday -- I will wait to debate the first place finisher in the Democratic Party, probably Crooked Hillary Clinton, or whoever it may be," Trump said in a statement. The presumptive GOP presidential nominee added that it "seems inappropriate" to debate the "second place finisher."

Gary Johnson wins Libertarian presidential nomination, Weld chosen for VP
CNN - Libertarians on Sunday selected former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson as their party's presidential nominee and ex-Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld as the vice presidential nominee, at their party convention in Orlando, Florida. Johnson was the party's nominee in 2012 and once again won the position despite backlash from the party's more radical Libertarian wing. In the first round of voting, Johnson reached 49.5 percent of the vote, according to the official party total, just shy of the majority needed for victory.

Volunteers Flock to Clean Up Defaced Vietnam Memorial
Breitbart - Volunteers rushed Sunday to clean, repaint and restore a Vietnam memorial in Venice that had been tagged with graffiti late last week, after a veteran’s appeal that was reported by Breitbart News and other outlets on Sunday morning.“The bad guys were not going to win today. We are going to come here and repair the wall. These guys gave their lives so that we can have what we have today, and I refuse for them to be disrespected,” one volunteer told the local ABC News affiliate.The memorial, dedicated in 1992 to Vietnam veterans missing in action or held as prisoners of war, lists the name and home town of dozens of American soldiers. The graffiti tags had obscured many of the names on the lower portions of the wall. LA Curbed reports that much of the cleanup also removed some of the names on the wall. However, the Venice Chamber of Commerce now says that it will prioritize the restoration of the memorial.

Instead of Watching them Decay, LA is Turning Rundown Motels into Housing for Homeless Veterans
Activist Post - A deal has been approved by the city of Los Angeles that will allow nonprofit and private developers to modify “nuisance” motels into apartment housing that will permanently house 500 homeless veterans. City officials consider the development a major accomplishment in the drive to create large-scale housing for the estimated 2,700 homeless veterans in Los Angeles County. The plan calls for developers to purchase crime ridden, often run down motels from private owners in an effort to convert them into efficiency apartments, according to the Los Angeles Times. It’s estimated that nationally between 529,000 and 840,000 veterans are homeless at some time during the year, and that on any given night, more than 300,000 veterans are living on the streets or in shelters in the U.S.

VA Cops Attack 71-Year-Old Vietnam Veteran for Walking Through Metal Detector Without Showing ID
Photography is not a crime - Video surfaced this Memorial Day weekend showing police officers wrapping their arms around the neck of a 71-year-old Vietnam veteran and tackling him to the ground before handcuffing him inside a Veterans Administration clinic in El Paso. His crime: He allegedly walked through a metal detector without first showing identification while having something on (or in) him that set the alarm off. However, Jose Oliva said he placed his identification into the bucket with the rest of his belongings that were in his pocket to be screened. And even if he didn’t, there was no need to abuse him as they did. However, the VA police officers were found to have done nothing wrong, according to the Office of Security and Law Enforcement (OS&LE) and Law Enforcement Training Center, which oversees VA police.

Hedge Fund with $146 Billion in Assets Gets $22 Million Government Subsidy
Economic Policy Journal - The hedge fund, Ray Dalio’s Bridgewater Associates, has $146bn of assets under management. A meeting of Connecticut’s bond commission on Friday approved $5 million in grants for Bridgewater and a $17 million loan that will be forgiven if fund creates 750 jobs in the state. Connecticut is charging Bridgewater an interest rate of 1 per cent.... Dalio’s firm originally asked the state for $130 million to build new offices in Stamford, but those plans were scrapped after a local backlash. Instead, it will expand and update its existing headquarters.

"Anonymous" Hacks Federal Reserve; Grabs Stock Ownership files!
SuperStation95 - The hacker group known as "Anonymous" has announced it successfully penetrated multiple systems within the federal reserve bank, and successfully downloaded two crucial files: One showing an account number and the stocks owned by that account number, the other showing an account number and the name of the owner of that account. Without having BOTH files, no one could ever tell who owned what. Anonymous claims they stole BOTH files! Anonymous says the federal reserve bank owns more than fifty percent of the stock in quite a few major US Corporations! If the fed had not purchased these vast quantities of stocks (Think Dow Jones Industrials (DJIA) and the S&P 500) both markets would have crashed long ago! Even worse, the group claims that the US federal reserve also purchased stocks in foreign companies and foreign banks in such vast quantities as to prop-up European and Asian markets!!!! The hacker group says they are planning to release the two files via WikiLeaks or to the Internet through a third-party anonymous site (like pastebin) in the near future, to show all the details.

National Institutes of Health Approves Experiments to Reactivate Brains of Dead People
AllGov - In a controversial move, a US biotechnology company has been given permission to recruit 20 clinically dead patients and try to bring their central nervous system back to life. If they can successfully reanimate parts of the upper spinal cord, where the lower brain stem is located, there’s a possibility that they could kick start vital body functions such as breathing and heartbeats - something these patients can only do with the help of machines. "This represents the first trial of its kind and another step towards the eventual reversal of death in our lifetime," CEO of Bioquark Inc., Ira Pastor, told Sarah Knapton at The Telegraph.... The phase 1 trial is described as a non-randomized, proof-of-concept study to determine whether they can reverse brain death using a combination of techniques, including drug administration, nerve stimulation, and laser therapy. That’s the best-case scenario - failing actual reanimation of the central nervous system, the team will be investigating if they can affect any changes in the meninges of the brain - layers of tissue that sit between the skull and the surface of the brain. In particular, the team will be looking for improvements in the patients’ pulse, blood oxygen saturation, blood pressure, and respiration.

Toxic Phenol Ingredient in Vaccines
Green Med Info - Phenol is hazardous when comes into contact with the skin or eyes or is ingested or inhaled. The safety record of injected phenol is neither convincing nor comforting. Phenol, chemically known as carbolic acid, is a white, volatile crystal solid. It is a mildly acidic, water-soluble chemical that requires safe handling due its ability to cause chemical burns. Phenol is produced both “naturally” as well as synthetically. In its natural form, phenol was initially found in coal tar. It is also present naturally in human and animal wastes as well as in some foods…. Manufactured phenol is used as a chemical intermediate to produce industrial commodities such as plastics (BPA), nylon 6, synthetic fibers, detergents, herbicides, pharmaceutical drugs and vaccines…. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Vaccine Excipient and Media Summary lists five U.S. licensed vaccines that contain phenol, including two vaccines routinely given to infants and children: Hib (PedvaxHIB), Hib/Hep B (Comvax), Pneumococcal (PPSV-23—Pneumovax), Smallpox (Vaccinia—ACAM2000), Typhoid (inactivated—Typhim Vi)3.

Experts Warn How Artificial Sweeteners Cause Diabetes
Brandon Turbeville - According to a new study, research is increasingly demonstrating what many natural health advocates and critics of artificial sweeteners have been saying for years. That sugar replacements like sucralose, aspartame, and saccharin are actually causing diabetes as opposed to preventing it…. Artificial sweeteners are used to replace sugar and the argument behind them centers around the fact that they are allegedly not digested by humans, but the recent study has demonstrated that the well-treaded claim of non-digestibility may not actually be true…. In reality, research is demonstrating that gut bacteria might be able to break down artificial sweeteners but as a result, gut bacteria becomes altered and thus, a trigger for diabetes. As Professor Kuk says, “our study shows individuals with obesity who consume artificial sweeteners, particularly aspartame, may have worse glucose management than those who don’t take sugar substitutes.”

8 Miraculous Healing Uses For Apple Cider Vinegar (No. 2 Alone Could Save Millions Of Lives)
Off the Grid News - Golden brown and slightly hazy from the fine fibers floating inside, apple cider vinegar may seem unimpressive at first glance. From thousands of years, however, this unassuming panacea has been used to combat a wide variety of health problems. And while not every Internet claim can be substantiated, scientific research continues to reveal legitimate ways vinegar can contribute to a healthier life, including the following eight great uses: 1. Treating ear infections… 2. Improving cardiovascular health… 3. Reducing cancer risk… 3. Reducing cancer risk… 5. Relieving jellyfish stings… 6. Losing weight… 7. Cleaning produce… [and] 8. Caring for dentures.

This is The Most Powerful Natural Antibiotic Ever – Kills Any Infections in The Body
Refreshing News - This master cleansing tonic is actually an antibiotic that kills gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. It has also a powerful antiviral and antifungal formula, increases blood circulation and lymph flow in all parts of the body. This plant-based remedy is the best choice for the fight against candida. Ingredients: apple cider vinegar, garlic, onion, peppers, ginger, horseradish [and] turmeric.

My Cat Has Zits! What You Can Do About Feline Acne
The Catington Post - It’s a medical mystery as to what actually triggers feline acne. Some cats can get it once and then it never comes back. Others can be plagued with it their entire lives. Veterinary Dermatologists think there are a few things that contribute to a cat’s acne condition: • Stress. Adding a new pet to the family, moving, losing a family member…all of these may elevate your cat’s stress and a breakout could occur. • Plastic bowls. The porous plastic may harbor bacteria that can contribute to feline acne. • Genetics. A cat with feline acne may pass the trait along to kittens. • Allergies. Is your cat allergic to certain foods or sensitive to household cleaning products? Exposure might trigger a bout of feline acne.

Monday - May 30, 2016  -  Today in History:  Memorial Day!!!



 

Friday - May 27, 2016  -  Today in History:

1813 - Americans captured Fort George, Canada.
1907 - The Bubonic Plague broke out in San Francisco.
1919 - A U.S. Navy seaplane completed the first transatlantic flight.
1926 - Bronze figures of Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer were erected in Hannibal, MO.
1937 - In California, the Golden Gate Bridge was opened to pedestrian traffic. The bridge connected San Francisco and Marin County.
1941 - U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt proclaimed an "unlimited national emergency" amid rising world tensions.
1941 - The German battleship Bismarck was sunk by British naval and air forces. 2,300 people were killed.
1944 - U.S. General MacArthur landed on Biak Island in New Guinea.
1982 - Japan announced the elimination of tariffs on 96 industrial goods.
1995 - In Charlottesville, VA, Christopher Reeve was paralyzed after being thrown from his horse during a jumping event.
1997 - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the sexual harassment suit filed by Paula Jones could continue while President Clinton was in office.
1998 - Michael Fortier was sentenced to 12 years in prison for not warning anyone about the plot to bomb an Oklahoma City federal building.
1999 - In The Hague, Netherlands, a war crimes tribunal indicted Slobodan Milosevic and four others for atrocities in Kosovo. It was the first time that a sitting head of state had been charged with such a crime.

Greece, Italy and Malta close off airspace to Libyans amid NATO operation rumors
RT - Greece has closed off its airspace to flights from Libya until September, local media reported citing a looming NATO operation. The alliance however refuted “baseless rumors” of any combat op in Libya, which remains in turmoil since the 2011 intervention. A notice to airmen (NOTAM) was issued by the Greek authorities on Wednesday, which bans Libyan flights from entering Flight Information Region Athens starting Thursday, the Greek media reported. Similar restrictions were reportedly imposed by Malta and Italy, although they will last till August. An exception to the rule is made for military aircraft with special authorization, and emergency cases such as evacuations for medical reasons, according to the Kathimerini daily. The newspaper claims the decision was made ahead of EU and NATO joint training in the Mediterranean. The Phoenix Express 2016 exercise is scheduled for the summer off the island of Crete.

Iraqi forces slice through ISIS fortifications on all fronts around Fallujah (VIDEO)
RT - Iraqi government-led forces are slicing through ISIS positions around Fallujah, the citadel of the terror organization in the country. After less than a week of combat, armed units have recaptured key strategic points surrounding the city. Reporting from the northwestern outskirts of Fallujah, an RT Arabic crew has been witnessing a large-scale attack on Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) positions just outside the city. Barrages of rockets continue to push back the defense front of the terrorists, who had fortified their positions with trenches and minefields. The assault, carried out by the army, police counterterrorism units, local tribal fighters and a coalition of Shiite Muslim militias, continues on all fronts around the city. Besides making vast gains in the north, the forces, aided by US advisers, have also been advancing on the city from the direction of Sinjar.

Syrian Analyst, Afraa Dagher, To U.S.: “Is It Normal To Kill Kids, Women? Is This Normal For You?”
Brandon Turbeville - In an interview with Aimee Anderson of ED TV, Afraa Dagher, a Syrian political analyst currently residing in Syria, expressed much of that frustration. After reporting the facts of the recent bombings, Dagher stated what many Syrians feel and what any informed observed can easily see for himself. She said, There is a mastermind behind this. Such [an] attack is well-organized and is planned. . . . . It is an organized plan to destroy our infrastructure, battle stations, hospitals, electricity directorate, many of our important and sensitive sides, killing our people. So called Ahrar al-Sham announced their responsibility but the U.S. refuses to designate it or to classify it as a terrorist group in [at] the U.N. Later, the so-called ISIS declared its responsibility. As I said, [there is] no presence for those [ISIS] in our cities in the coastal line. They are just a cover.

Caught on camera: US Special Forces on ISIS frontline in Syria
RT - US Special Forces operatives have been photographed fighting alongside the Kurdish militia in northern Syria in a drive against the Islamic State-held city of Raqqa. The Pentagon insists the Americans are there in “advise and assist” capacity only, however. A photographer for Agence France-Presse (AFP) took pictures of the American special operatives in what The Washington Post identified as the village of Fatisah, roughly 30 miles (48 km) north of Raqqa. Kurdish fighters from the People’s Protection Units (YPG) – part of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighting against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) in northern Syria – identified the men as Americans.

Signals detected from EgyptAir Flight 804 in Mediterranean - report
CNN - Airbus has detected signals from the Mediterranean Sea where EgyptAir Flight 804 crashed last week, Egypt's state-run Al Ahram news agency reported Thursday. The signals were emitted by the plane's emergency locator transmitter, a device that can manually or automatically activate at impact and will usually send a distress signal. The signals from the emergency locator transmitter are different from the pings emitted by the "black boxes." Having these signals narrows down the area that the multinational search team has been focusing on -- which a few days ago was described as "about the size of Connecticut." It dramatically decreases the search area to a 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) radius, giving investigators a more specific location to detect pings from the black boxes…. A French vessel, equipped with special detection equipment to locate the pings, will begin an underwater search for the wreckage "in the coming days," according to the BEA, France's accident investigation agency. That French naval vessel, La Place, departed Tuesday from Porto Vecchio toward the Egyptian coast.

Oil hits $50 for first time in seven months
RT - Brent crude topped $50 a barrel for first time this year as US stockpiles dropped more than expected, supply outages continued and the dollar weakened. Analysts are cautious about a further rise, as US producers could return, bringing the rally to an end. As of 9am GMT, Brent was trading at $50.18 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate was approaching the psychological barrier at $49.91. Geopolitical issues in West Africa and the Middle East, supply outages, increased demand and maybe a touch of a weaker dollar have all helped push prices higher," Jonathan Barratt, chief investment officer at Sydney's Ayers Alliance told Reuters.

China unveils 'straddling bus' design to beat traffic jams
The Guardian - A Beijing company has unveiled spectacularly futuristic designs for a pollution-busting, elevated bus capable of gliding over the nightmarish mega-jams for which urban China has become notorious. Plans for the so-called Transit Explore Bus or TEB were showcased earlier this month at a technology expo in the Chinese capital. The “straddling bus”, which owes more to Blade Runner than China’s car-clogged highways, is supported by two legs that run along rails laid along the roadside. Those legs allow the TEB’s giant frame to glide high above the gridlock at speeds of up to 60km per hour. Equally, vehicles that are less than two metres high will be able to drive freely underneath the bus, even when it is stationary. “The biggest advantage is that the bus will save lots of road space,” Song Youzhou, the project’s chief engineer, told Xinhua, China’s official news agency.

Obamacare: This Is How Much Your Health Insurance Payment Will Surge
Zero Hedge - As the WSJ reports, the insurers’ proposed rates for individual coverage in states that have made their 2017 requests public largely bear out health plans’ grim predictions about their challenges under the health-care overhaul. According to the insurers’ filings with regulators, large plans in states including New York, Pennsylvania and Georgia are seeking to raise rates by 20% or more. In states such as Florida and Maryland, insurers are seeking to raise premiums by percentage averages that are markedly above 10%. Among those that have published so far, only in Vermont do big insurers’ requests fall below 10%. Proposals still have to be approved by state regulators, and a full picture of final approved rates across the entire country likely won’t be known until shortly before HealthCare.gov and state equivalents reopen for the law’s fourth main enrollment window on Nov. 1. Nonetheless, the proposed average increases that are available are a vivid indicator this year of how insurers are adapting to the 2010 Affordable Care Act’s transformation of the way health coverage is priced and sold in the U.S.

11 States Sue Obama Administration Over Transgender Bathroom Directive
ABC News - Eleven states have filed a lawsuit against Barack Obama's administration, challenging the government's directive that transgender individuals should be permitted to use bathrooms that match their gender identity. Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin, along with one Arizona and one Texas school district, signed the 32-page lawsuit, which was filed today in a federal court in Dallas. It accuses the Obama administration of violating federal law and the U.S. Constitution.

Los Angeles City Council Wants $1 Billion for the Homeless
Breitbart - Two Los Angeles City Council members are pushing for a November ballot measure that, if voted in, would authorize a bond of at least $1 billion that would go towards housing for the city’s 47,000-person (and growing) homeless population…. The Times notes that Huizar’s district includes Skid Row and has Los Angeles’s highest concentration of homeless individuals. A new poll that was reportedly provided to Harris-Dawson and Huizar last week found that 68 percent of individuals surveyed would “probably” or “definitely” vote in support of a bond that would help allay the onslaught of homelessness. However, the Times notes that that same poll found that there was very low support for new taxes.

Injustice System: Texas Jail Sued for Locking Up The Poor: “They Can’t Afford Bail or Trial”
Lily Dane - Harris County Jail – the largest in Texas and the third largest in the US – is accused of keeping most of its incarcerated population locked up for misdemeanors because they can’t afford bail or trial. Now, Harris County, Sheriff Ron Hickman, and five bail-hearing magistrates are being sued by the human rights group Equal Justice Under Law for discriminating against poor prisoners. From the Houston Press: In Harris County, 77 percent of the jail population are people who have yet to be convicted of crimes, who are in jail because they cannot afford to get out. A recent study by Gerald Wheeler, retired director of Harris County Pretrial Services and a doctoral researcher, found that 81 percent of people charged with misdemeanors will spend time in jail, and of those, a quarter of them can’t afford bail costing $500 or less. Only 7 percent were released on a personal bond.

Trump Clinches GOP Nomination
Kit Daniels - Donald Trump reached the number of delegates needed to clinch the GOP nomination for president Thursday after several unbound delegates flipped sides. Trump now has 1,238 delegates, one more than he needed to clinch the nomination, and with 303 delegates still remaining at five state primaries scheduled for June 7, the mogul will avoid a contested GOP convention.
* Related: 2016 Delegate Tracker

Trump Rips “Loser” Neocon Bill Kristol and Doomed Third Party
Kurt Nimmo - Trump said Kristol “wants the war in Iraq. All the guy wants to do is kill people, go to war and kill people, even though he knows it’s not working, although he doesn’t know because he’s not smart enough.” Kristol was a leading proponent of the invasion and occupation of Iraq. He teamed up with fellow neocon Lawrence Kaplan and wrote The War Over Iraq which predicted a “two month war, not an eight year war” in 2003, weeks before the invasion. According to Kristol, the Gulf War, the Kosovo War, the War in Afghanistan, and the Iraq War were not invasions, but rather “liberations.” The invasion of Iraq alone cost over one million Iraqi lives. Kristol leads the “Never Trump” movement and is attempting to establish a third party and run a candidate to oppose both Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton. The effort has been plagued by false starts and criticism that it is not realistic this late in the game. Despite this, on Thursday Bloomberg reported remarks by Kristol that failed Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney may head up the new party.

Gary Johnson to Never-Trumpers: ‘I’m It’
Breitbart - “I will be the only third-party candidate on the ballot in all 50 states,” Johnson says. “I’m it.” He is not their top choice, and he must first clinch the Libertarian nomination at this weekend’s national convention, but the quirky White House hopeful may be the GOP’s best, last chance to stop a New York billionaire some fear is destroying the soul of their party. The Trump haters have struggled to convince other third-party prospects to join the presidential contest. They’ve courted the likes of 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney, Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn, Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse and retired Marine Corps General James Mattis to no avail. And with ballot access deadlines already starting to pass, some say Johnson is beginning to look like the most legitimate alternative, even if he earned just 1 percent of the national vote in the last presidential contest.

Bernie Challenges Trump to Debate
Adan Salazar - During a Jimmy Kimmel Live! interview Wednesday, the host presented Trump with a statement from the Sanders campaign…“Here’s the question from Bernie: ‘Hillary Clinton backed out of an agreement to debate me in California before the June 7th primary. Are you prepared to debate the major issues facing our largest state and the country before the California primary. Yes or No,’ He wants to know if you will debate him,” Kimmel said. “Yes I will,” Trump answered. “How much will he pay me?” the GOP nominee said, seemingly serious, elaborating that any money made from such a high profile event would be donated to a worthy cause. “If we paid a nice sum toward a charity, I would love to do that.” “Game on,” the Bernie camp enthusiastically responded within moments of the hotel mogul’s statements.

200 Stranded Marines Needed A Plane Ride Home, Here's How Donald Trump Responded
The Sean Hannity Show - When Corporal Ryan Stickney and 200 of his fellow Marines prepared to return to their families after Operation Desert Storm in 1991, a logistics error forced them to turn to a surprising source for a ride home: Donald J. Trump. Today, Stickney would like to say "thank you." Stickney (left), was a squad leader in a TOW company of a Marine reserve unit based in Miami, FL and spent approximately six months in Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War between 1990 and 1991. Upon his unit’s return to the United States, the former Marine says the group spent several weeks decompressing at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina before heading back to Miami. Stickney recalls being told that a mistake had been made within the logistics unit and that an aircraft wasn’t available to take the Marines home on their scheduled departure date…. "The way the story was told to us was that Mr. Trump found out about it and sent the airline down to take care of us. And that’s all we knew….I remember asking 'Who is Donald Trump?' I truly didn't know anything about him," the former Marine said. The Trump campaign has confirmed to Hannity.com that Mr. Trump did indeed send his plane to make two trips from North Carolina to Miami, Florida to transport over 200 Gulf War Marines back home. No further details were provided.

Video: The Vicious Snake
Donald Trump began reciting the lyrics to a song entitled “The Snake” at his rallies, a few weeks back , which was not reported by the mainstream media. To tell you more would be to give away the following video that is allegedly making its way through Europe. This is a powerful video that cuts straight to the heart.

New York Bill Would Allow Customers to Opt-Out of Smart Meters; Undermine Federal Program
Activist Post - A bill working its way through the New York legislature would allow customers to opt out of installing “smart meter” technology on their homes and businesses. Passage of this bill would allow New Yorkers to protect their own privacy, and it would take a step towards block a federal program in effect. Asm. Michael DenDekker (D – East Elmhurst), along with a bipartisan coalition of four cosponsors, introduced Assembly Bill 4364 (A4354) in January. The legislation would allow New Yorkers to opt out of any utility company smart meter program with no penalty. The Assembly Energy Committee passed the bill on April 28. It now moves on to the Ways and Means Committee for further consideration.

1970s Computers and Floppy Disks: US Nukes Run on Archaic Technology
Sputnik News - A report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) states that the Strategic Automated Command and Control System (SACS), which "coordinates the operational functions of the US' nuclear forces, such as intercontinental ballistic missiles, nuclear bombers, and tanker support aircrafts," functions, in part, on 40-year-old 8-inch floppy disks. To use these discs it is necessary to maintain IBM Series 1 computers, which were first introduced in November 1976. The presence of this archaic technology isn’t merely a case of America being behind the times, but is actually a tactic designed to protect some of the country’s most sensitive and potentially dangerous information. In 2014 Maj. General Jack Weinstein told CBS’ 60 minutes that the US military uses floppy discs for the same reason. "I'll tell you, those older systems provide us some — I will say huge — safety when it comes to some cyber issues that we currently have in the world," he said, explaining that storing information on outdated media instead of using online or local area networks helps protect it from hackers. "

US Army to test driverless vehicle technology in Michigan
Stars and Stripes - A convoy of U.S. Army vehicles will cruise along a stretch of Interstate 69 in Michigan as part of an initial testing of driverless military vehicle equipment on public roadways…. n late June, the vehicles will test a piece of technology that's critical in the development and testing of driverless and connected vehicles, the Times Herald of Port Huron reported. Someone will be behind the wheel of each vehicle, which is equipped with features from the driverless vehicle systems, including adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist, The Flint Journal reported. Six radio transmitters will be set up along Interstate 69 to allow for groups of five vehicles to broadcast speed, distance, and traffic issues as directed over the frequency, said Alex Kade, chief system architect in ground vehicle robotics for the Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center. If the testing is successful, the technology could save the lives of soldiers serving overseas, according to officials.

U.S. Hemp Industry Generates Half a Billion Dollars In Sales
Activist Post - The Weed Blog reports: The Hemp Industries Association (HIA), a non-profit trade association consisting of hundreds of hemp businesses, has released final estimates of the size of the 2015 U.S. retail market for hemp products. Data from market research supports an estimate of total retail sales of hemp food, supplements and body care products in the United States at $283 million….The HIA has also reviewed sales of clothing, auto parts, building materials and various other products, and estimates the total retail value of hemp products sold in the U.S. in 2015 to be at least $573 million. The next step is very obvious, according to Eric Steenstra, executive director of the Hemp Industries Association. “We need Congress to pass federal legislation to allow commercial hemp farming nationally, for this ripe industry to finally be able to bloom,” he said. But congressional action anytime soon seems unlikely. The best way to move forward is for states to simply ignore federal prohibition and open the door to hemp farming within their borders.

Hair And Urine: The Absolute Best Way To Keep Animals Out Of Your Garden?
Off the Grid News - Yes, human urine and human hair can be surpassingly effective in your garden as deterrents to pests and as fertilizers. Contrary to what you might think, fresh human urine is clean and bacteria-free. It is only when urine is stored for more than 24 hours that it gets that familiar, unpleasant odor. Healthy human urine is about 95 percent water, 2.5 percent urea and 2.5 percent a mixture of hormones, minerals, enzymes and salts…. A ratio of one part urine with 10 parts water helps mitigate the excess nitrogen and reduces the chance of offensive odor as well. Speaking of that odor, dilution will make the urine undetectable to the human nose, but garden pests will still be able to smell it. And that’s a good thing. Rabbits, deer, groundhogs and skunks dislike the smell of human urine and tend to stay away from it…. Just as with human urine, human hair can serve as a deterrent to animals, especially snails, rodents, rabbits and deer. In addition to sprinkling hair in your garden, you can tie cheesecloth or nylon bags filled with unwashed hair onto posts or branches near your garden to deter animals.

The superbug that doctors have been dreading just reached the U.S.
Washington Post - The antibiotic-resistant strain was found last month in the urine of a 49-year-old Pennsylvania woman. Defense Department researchers determined that she carried a strain of E. coli resistant to the antibiotic colistin, according to a study published Thursday in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, a publication of the American Society for Microbiology. The authors wrote that the discovery "heralds the emergence of a truly pan-drug resistant bacteria." [Superbug known as ‘phantom menace’ on the rise in U.S.] Colistin is the antibiotic of last resort for particularly dangerous types of superbugs, including a family of bacteria known as carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, or CRE, which health officials have dubbed "nightmare bacteria." In some instances, these superbugs kill up to 50 percent of patients who become infected.
* Related: Rise of the Phantom Menace

Superbugs to Kill Millions Soon?
Alliance for Natural Health - Clearly a lot more needs to be done if we want to avoid the “post-antibiotic era” that the World Health Organization warns about. Most importantly, the FDA needs to reconsider its stance towards natural health alternatives like vitamin D to stay healthy; grapefruit seed extract and other herbs to fight bacterial illnesses; and silver, high-dose vitamin A, intravenous and lipospheric C, and olive leaf extract to fight viral and bacterial illness. It is very difficult, for example—perhaps impossible—for bacteria to become resistant to silver. It is safe enough to be commonly used to purify water in developing countries. It is approved by the EPA for use in consumer products as a sanitizing agent! If medical authorities think it is safe enough for people to drink routinely in their water and to use as a sanitizing agent, why does the FDA oppose its use in medicine? Presumably because it isn’t patentable and therefore won’t make big money for Big Pharma, the FDA’s partner and the source of its funding. The agency doesn’t even approve its use in hospitals! Must millions die because of this corruption?

Attorney Takes On State of California on Forced Vaccination
Denver Valenti - Almost a year ago, Governor Brown of California signed SB277 for mandatory vaccines which has been set to go into effect on July 1, 2016…. This law removes all exemptions: religious, medical, and philosophical. However, attorney T. Matthew Phillips believes the first amendment allows parents to exercise religion in the face of state-mandated vaccinations. He also says that children have a constitutional right to go to school, regardless of medical procedures. Ultimately a judge will decide which is more important: educating kids or vaccinating them…. This is the only lawsuit that has been filed against the issue and has received no media attention.
* Related: Patrick Timpone interview with T. Matthew Phillips (Podcast and Transcript)

The Many Benefits of Calendula Officinalis (Marigold)
Green Med Info - That marigold on your windowsill can go in your salad, become a soup, soothe your sore throat or treat your eczema. Although a common garden plant, marigold (Calendula officinalis) has a long history as food and medicine. The Egyptians employed calendula as a rejuvenating herb, while the ancient Greeks utilized the golden petals to garnish and flavor food…. Although not a strong herbal medicine, calendula is a multipurpose standout. It’s anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antiviral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial. It heals wounds, increases bile flow, and cleanses the lymph system. In Europe, calendula was known to comfort the heart, soothe agitation, strengthen eyesight and draw evil spirits. Calendula has a long history of use for headaches, jaundice, red eyes, and toothaches…. Calendula salve heals wounds, rashes and inflammatory skin lesions with itching, burning, and swelling…. Internally, calendula helps heartburn (gastritis)…. For the lymph system, calendula targets the breast and pelvic tissues, where it stimulates the drainage of enlarged, inflamed lymph nodes. Naturopathic physicians use it as poultice to drain fibroid breast cysts. Calendula is a general remedy for liver disorders. It contains a resin, calendulin, which promotes bile flow, aiding digestion.

3 Colostrum Secrets Revealed
Natural Blaze - Colostrum is the milk or pre-milk substance produced by mammals and humans in late pregnancy and the first 2-4 days after birth. It is loaded with valuable immune-boosting proteins, antioxidants and other compounds…. Colostrum is a “first food” for mammals and like many white colored foods, the primary benefit is bolstering the immune system or providing a makeshift immunity in those who have an underdeveloped or broken down immune system. I.e., babies, children constantly exposed to sickness, those who are ill, and the elderly – oh, and many of us who are exposed to myriad environmental toxins in a single day. It is said to have over 90 health components including immunglobulins, antibodies, antimicrobial fatty acids, growth factors (hormones and precursors to hormones), gut-loving prebiotics and probiotics, and pretty much every essential nutrient currently known. Research papers have proven its ability to ease autoimmune conditions like Sjogren’s, ulcers and other intestinal inflammation, inflammatory cytokine secretions, Leaky Gut, bowel issues, wound healing, Crohn’s, and sheep’s colostrum may have a preventative effect on Alzheimer’s.

Hibiscus Tea: A Soothing Elixir
Dr. Mercola - Hibiscus tea, either hot or iced, is a refreshing alternative that was traditionally used as a diuretic, to calm nervous disorders, treat insomnia, and decrease inflammation. The leaves were made into a paste as a poultice for wounds. Studies show hibiscus can lower blood pressure, fight obesity, improve immunity, decrease inflammation problems and even reduce the risk of stroke, heart attack and cancer. Many people believe choosing juice “drinks” may be a good alternative to soda, but research shows manufacturing practices and excess fructose in juice makes it less than beneficial and even detrimental to your health … Real juice contains pectin, which binds to naturally occurring methanol present in the fruit. When you eat fresh fruit, the pectin grabs the methanol and prevents you from absorbing it. However, when you eat or drink processed fruit or fruit juice that has been commercially bottled, the pectin and the methanol dissociate. When pectin in natural fruit and fruit juice binds itself to methanol, a wood alcohol known to be poison to your metabolic system, the methanol leaves your body. But fruit juice at its worst not only contains dangerous amounts of methanol the longer it sets on the shelf, but also causes the methanol to dissolve into the juice as the dissociation process continues.

EWG’s 2016 Guide to Sunscreens
The Environmental Working Group - This year, EWG scientists investigated more than 750 beach and sport sunscreens for our 10th annual guide, and while there has been significant progress over the last decade, serious concerns remain. Almost 75 percent of the products we examined provide inferior sun protection or contain worrisome ingredients like the hormone-disrupting chemical oxybenzone.

Proposed Law Will Allow California Residents to Smash Car Windows to Save Dogs
Dogington Post - Assembly Bill 797, known as “The Right to Rescue Act,” was drafted by Assembly members Marc Steinorth of Rancho Cucamonga, Ling Ling Chang of Diamond Bar, and Kristin Olsen of Riverbank. The trio of lawmakers videoed themselves sitting in a hot car for 21 minutes to demonstrate the dangers of leaving dogs in such a situation. While the proposed bill is met with a lot of support from dog lovers, many fear that people will take advantage of such a law, resorting to drastic measures, like smashing windows and breaking into cars, to rescue dogs that aren’t in distress at all.

How to Treat (and Possibly Save!) An Overheated Dog
If an animal experiences heatstroke, you may notice hyperventilation, excessive panting, dry gums that become pale, increased salivation, erratic or rapid pulse, confusion, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, and possibly rectal bleeding. If the dog continues overheating, his breathing efforts will become slow, or worse, absent. This in turn can lead to seizure or coma. To prevent overheating during the hot summer months, make sure your pet has a shaded, breezy place to rest, away from direct sunlight. Always provide plenty of fresh, cool drinking water. And, don’t push your dog too hard to play or work…Treatment guidelines…

Pet Food Consumer Alert - Made in China Pet Food
Susan Thixton - China – a major supplier of pet food ingredients and treats – is making “a significant change”. China is now manufacturing complete pet foods and will be exporting soon. Every pet food consumer needs to pay close attention to their pet food labels for the words ‘Made in China’…. I suspect we will see new brands of China manufactured pet foods on store shelves very soon. And I suspect we will notice that some familiar brands will switch to a co-packer in China (a change that could happen without notice). Consumers will need to be very diligent and carefully examine the label of every pet food they purchase – and every time they purchase it. ‘Made in China’ will be required to be on the label, but…the statement will be very small, difficult to find and read (a font issue). From this point on – carefully read the fine print on your pet food label. Continue to ask your existing pet food who manufactures for them and where.

Video: Bedtime for the #NeverTrump Anger Babies – Intellectual Froglegs
By Joe Dan Gorman - #NeverTrump is fading into the sunset… now relegated to a few tassel loafered pockets of resistance….and social media trollers. The Anger babies, if you will (a phrase coined by my friend Anthony Adams, I liked it so I stole it). These folks like Ben Shapiro, Bill Kristol, Paul Ryan, etc… believe themselves to be intellectually superior to all of us. They represent purist of the pure… the self-appointed guardians of conservatism, who for the most part are the biggest hypocrites on the planet. First.. where was their little #NeverRomney when we were forced to vote for the Grandfather of Obamacare? Or #NeverMcCain? Apparently McCain-Feingold didn’t infringe on our first amendment TOO much.
 

Thursday - May 26, 2016  -  Today in History:

1736 - The British and Chickasaw Indians defeated the French at the Battle of Ackia.
1791 - The French Assembly forced King Louis XVI to hand over the crown and state assets.
1805 - Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned King of Italy in Milan Cathedral.
1835 - A resolution was passed in the U.S. Congress stating that Congress has no authority over state slavery laws.
1836 - The U.S. House of Representatives adopted what has been called the Gag Rule.
1864 - The Territory of Montana was organized.
1865 - Arrangements were made in New Orleans for the surrender of Confederate forces west of the Mississippi.
1868 - U.S. President Andrew Johnson was acquitted, by one vote, of all charges in his impeachment trial.
1946 - A patent was filed in the United States for an H-bomb.
1961 - A U.S. Air Force bomber flew across the Atlantic in a record time of just over three hours.
1972 - The Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT I) was signed by the U.S. and USSR. The short-term agreement put a freeze on the testing and deployment of intercontinental and submarine-launched ballistic missiles for a 5-year period.
1977 - George H. Willig was arrested after he scaled the South Tower of New York's World Trade Center. It took him 3 1/2 hours.
1978 - The first legal casino in the Eastern U.S. opened in Atlantic City, NJ.
1987 - Sri Lanka launched Operation Liberation. It was an offensive against the Tamil rebellion in Jaffra.
1994 - U.S. President Clinton renewed trade privileges for China, and announced that his administration would no longer link China's trade status with its human rights record.
1998 - The United States Senate approved legislation that allowed the U.S. Mint flexibility on how the mandatory inscriptions on the Washington quarter could be placed. H.R. 3301 allowed the mandatory inscriptions to be moved to the front of the quarter for the 50 States Circulating Commemorative Coin Program.

Espionage fears: ‘Fake documents’ of 10 employees puts Turkish air base on alert
RT - Anti-Islamic State coalition aircraft at the Turkish air base in Incirlik, Adana, may have been serviced by technicians with fake qualifications, local media report. The revelations have sparked suspicions of espionage at the restricted access facility. Some 10 Turkish technicians employed with the US Air Force at Incirlik Air Base are suspected of having presented fake diplomas to obtain a job there, reports Gazete Vatan. Suspicions were reportedly aroused when a maintenance contractor was tipped off that one of the technicians was using a forged high school diploma. The person, identified only as Y.Y., was questioned by the air base authorities. The suspect confessed he had obtained a fake diploma, but said it was only to receive a job at the facility and had nothing to do with covert activity. The incident raised suspicion among the Turkish authorities, which launched a further investigation into the transgression.

US spy plane created ‘real threat’ to KLM & Swiss flights over Sea of Japan – Moscow
RT - A US spy jet flying near Russia's eastern borders over the Sea of Japan on May 22 “created a real threat” to passenger planes, Russia’s Defense Ministry said. A new and similar episode in the same area has been reported by Russian media. US spy planes conduct flights along the Russian frontier in the east almost on a daily basis, according to Defense Ministry spokesman Major-General Igor Konashenkov. “However, this time while maneuvering along the international air route, the US spy plane created a real threat of collision for passenger aircraft, which could lead to catastrophic consequences,” the spokesman said. On May 22, a US RC-135 spy plane launched from the Kadena Air Base carried out a reconnaissance flight over the Sea of Japan at an altitude of 10,000 meters with a switched-off transponder, a device responsible for emitting an identifying signal, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported earlier. Konashenkov reminded that when approaching Russia’s border, an RC-135 reconnaissance plane found itself on the international air route flown by a KLM Dutch Airlines (Tokyo-Amsterdam) and a Swiss Airlines (Tokyo-Zurich) passenger planes.

ISIS Testing Chemical Weapons on Christians
Kit Daniels - The Islamic State, which has benefited from arm shipments by the Obama administration, is testing homemade chemical weapons on Christians. ISIS has set up a chemical lab inside the Christian Iraqi city of Mosul after U.S. airstrikes targeted its weapons facility at a former university – and residents near the lab are suffering side effects associated with mustard gas. “The terror group is known to harbor chemical and nuclear ambitions, and is trying to manufacture weapons not only for attacks within Iraq and Syria but also the West,” The Telegraph reported. “It has a special unit for chemical weapons research made up of Iraqi scientists who worked on weapons programs under Saddam Hussein, as well as foreign experts.” The Islamic State is also exposing prisoners at a secret jail in al-Andalus to chemical weapons to test the toxicity – for potential attacks against the West.

Germany Recruiting Muslim Illegals as Police Officers
Kit Daniels - The German state of Bavaria is recruiting Muslim migrants as police officers – and German citizenship isn’t required. When announcing the move, Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann implied they needed Muslim migrants as police because they speak the same language as their fellow illegals and know how they think. “Our experience has shown that employees with foreign roots are more successful at finding a better approach to migrants,” he told the Bayerische Rundfunk. “I’m optimistic that in this way we can improve our ability to solve crimes and reduce conflict.” The Bavarian police are also encouraging migrants to enroll due to the fierce opposition to German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s open borders policy. In other words, they want cops who won’t resist Merkel’s agenda.

Professor: If You Read To Your Kids, You’re ‘Unfairly Disadvantaging’ Others
National Review - According to a professor at the University of Warwick in England, parents who read to their kids should be thinking about how they’re “unfairly disadvantaging other people’s children” by doing so. In an interview with ABC Radio last week, philosopher and professor Adam Swift said that since “bedtime stories activities . . . do indeed foster and produce . . . [desired] familial relationship goods,” he wouldn’t want to ban them, but that parents who “engage in bedtime-stories activities” should definitely at least feel kinda bad about it sometimes: “I don’t think parents reading their children bedtime stories should constantly have in their minds the way that they are unfairly disadvantaging other people’s children, but I think they should have that thought occasionally,” he said. But Swift also added that some other things parents do to give their kids the best education possible — like sending them to “an elite private school” — “cannot be justified” in this way.

US Arms Industry Dead: World Bought American Weapons, Stole the Technology
Sputnik News - The expansion of American arms exports leaves the military-industrial complex at risk of being overtaken by countries who scooped up defense secrets without the cost of research and development. On Tuesday, US defense industry analysts offered a report claiming that American military contractors will be overtaken in coming years by defense contractors in Israel, South Korea, and Brazil, marking an end to Western dominance over war profiteering. The report, "Dynamics of International Military Modernization 2016," authored by Daniel Yoon and Doug Berenson from Beltway consultants Avascent blamed American military exports for the market threat, as countries buy arms at a cut rate to back-engineer US weapons technology. In many cases, these emerging players developed through diffused technology via prior export arrangements with Western suppliers, often through offset requirements and domestic industry participation," stated the report. In layman’s terms, foreign countries purchase US arms to steal American know-how, avoiding the burdensome taxpayer-subsidized cost of research and development.

Rand Paul Continues Push To Release 9/11 Saudi Documents
Steve Watson- Paul has filed an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which would mandate that the 28 pages be released within 60 days of the NDAA being signed into law, later this year. Paul’s amendment would see all the redacted pages made public, minus any “identifying information”… Paul has introduced legislation called the “Transparency for the Families of 9/11 Act,” that would force the Obama administration to disclose the pages, which were extracted from a congressional inquiry into the attacks in 2002 and made secret by the Bush government…. Senator Paul also vowed Monday to introduce legislation connected to the Defense bill that would make it clear that a 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) no longer applies when it comes to military operations in Iraq and Syria currently being conducted. “I will be introducing an amendment to the upcoming defense bill that will state in no uncertain terms that the President cannot use vague, out-of-date authorities to send our troops to war,” Paul wrote in an op-ed for Time.

Hillary Clinton's email server violated State Department rules, audit finds
The Guardian - The 78-page investigation by the inspector general of the State Department singled out several previously unknown breaches by Clinton while she was secretary of state, including the use of mobile devices to conduct official business without checking whether they posed a security risk. Although the report is potentially less damaging than a separate investigation by the FBI into whether she broke federal laws, it poses a significant challenge to the Clinton campaign, which has recently slipped behind Donald Trump in opinion polling.

Mexican Drug Cartel Assassins Poised to Murder Americans in Arizona
Kurt Nimmo - Hikers and campers are taking heed after the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office in Arizona issued a warning about Mexican drug cartel assassins operating in the county. Sheriff Paul Babeu suggested people using back roads, trails and campsites in wilderness areas be armed and vigilant over the Memorial Day weekend. His office says Mexican “sicarios”—assassination crews—are operating in the area. The assassins regularly target rival “rip crews” ferrying drugs over the border and steal their money and drugs. Police have reported numerous instances of armed confrontations in southern Arizona between rival drug runners. Since March, gun battles have taken place on I-8 near Casa Grande, outside of Arizona City, and on the Tohono O’Odham reservation.

State Department Sets New Single-day Record For Syrian Refugee Approvals
Washington Times - The State Department admitted 80 Syrian refugees on Tuesday and 225 on Monday, setting a single-day record, as President Obama tries to meet his target of 10,000 approvals this year — renewing fears among security analysts who say the administration is cutting corners to meet a political goal. Officials insist they are moving faster because of improvements in screening and say they are still running all the traps on applicants. But the spike is stunning, with more people accepted Monday alone than in the entire months of January or February. “The Obama administration is on full throttle to admit as many people as possible before the time clock runs out on them,” said Jessica Vaughan, policy studies director at the Center for Immigration Studies. “This is the classic scenario when political expediency trumps prudence, and someone slips through who shouldn’t have, and tragedy ensues.”

House Passes Bill Overhauling Chemical Safety Standards
Natural Society - On Tuesday, the House overwhelmingly approved new chemical safety rules intended to overhaul a law created 40 years ago governing toxic chemicals. The measure will for the first time subject some 64,000 chemicals to regulation. The bill, which was passed 403 to 12, is expected to be passed by the Senate as soon as this week, and signed into law by President Obama…. Under the new rules, the EPA must launch a review of 10 chemicals and eventually have 20 chemicals under review at a time. The agency will have a deadline of 7 years per chemical. Policy experts say it could take several years to review all of the chemicals that escaped regulation under the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). However, these deadlines will make it harder for the industry to claim chemical information is proprietary, and therefore secret. Not all environmental groups are fully on board with the bill, and say it does too little to protect consumers from toxic chemicals that that can contribute to the development of cancer, nervous system disorders, and other health problems.

Lawyers Promise to Smoke Out Collusion with Planned Parenthood Videographer’s Prosecutor
Breitbart - Houston attorney Jared Woodfill, one of Daleiden’s lawyers told Breitbart Texas, “The collusion between the DA and Planned Parenthood lawyers will be flushed out during this hearing. We will put Planned Parenthood’s lawyer on the stand and will expose the witch hunt that ended up with the indictment of my client but let baby part selling Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast get off scot-free.” Lawyers for Planned Parenthood and Daleiden faced a felony district court judge on Wednesday to report when they would be ready to call witnesses on the allegations raised in Daleiden’s motion to quash his indictment. The judge set a hearing for July 26th wherein witnesses will be called and evidence presented on the motion on the felony indictment, including allegations that the District Attorney colluded with a Planned Parenthood lawyer. Planned Parenthood lawyers asked the judge to postpone the hearing during a prior conference.

Anti-Trump protesters confront police in Anaheim, California (Video)
RT - Police are currently attempting to subdue protesters outside in Anaheim, California, following a rally for presidential candidate Donald Trump. The protesters, whose gathering was deemed unlawful, were reportedly throwing stones at police. Even amidst traffic, protesters were being swept aside, as police lined up in rows, with some officers riding horseback. Riot officers on horseback have regrouped and are gathering in front of the convention center, where the Trump event was held, as protesters refuse to leave. Once the Trump rally ended, some protesters began to throw debris, prompting police to deem the gathering, which was not permitted, unlawful. From a sheriff's department helicopter, the orders to "disperse now" came with warnings of arrest…. Some cars in traffic were reportedly kicked or their windows hit, with some anti-Trump protesters throwing objects and lighting small fires. Anti-Trump protesters have been confronted by his supporters. Some of them have gathered at a parking lot nearby chanting "Build the wall!"

More “Kill Trump” Threats Flood Twitter Before Potential Anaheim Riots
Paul Joseph Watson - Threats to kill Donald Trump are again flooding Twitter as the presidential candidate prepares to makes an appearance at an event in Anaheim which police have warned could see more riots similar to last night’s mayhem in Albuquerque. Crazed leftists, Bernie Sanders supporters and illegal aliens assaulted reporters and police, attacked horses, threw rocks and even targeted a Trump supporter in a wheelchair during demonstrations against the presumptive Republican nominee. Anaheim police chief Raul Quezada warned today that such behavior would not be tolerated, asserting, “While we recognize and respect the First Amendment rights of all individuals to express their viewpoints and protest peacefully, we will not tolerate violence or disobedience of the law during the upcoming rally in Anaheim.”

Brad Thor and Glenn Beck Advocate Assassination of Trump
Mike Cernovich - Today on Glenn Beck’s show, author Brad Thor advocated the assassination of Donald Trump: I am about to suggest something very bad….With the feckless, spineless Congress we have, who will stand in the way of Donald Trump overstepping his constitutional authority as President? If Congress won’t remove him from office, what patriot will step up and do that? … I don’t think there is a legal means available. I think it will be a terrible, terrible position the American people will be in to get Trump out of office, because you won’t be able to do it through Congress.” – Brad Thor Glenn Beck, who was already investigated by Secret Service agents before, replied, “I would agree with you on that.” Thor tries to call this a “hypothetical asked as a thriller writer,” a thin defense to be sure.

Bernie Sanders ‘Has a Real Potential to Win Latinos’ in California
Breitbart - The latest sign of Sanders’s potential in the state is voter registration data that show a surge among young, Democratic voters in recent weeks. Registration among Latino voters is up a staggering 123%, according to a recent report by Political Data. Anecdotal evidence is also piling up. Latino activists have been protesting Trump events for months, but have also taken to demonstrating outside Hillary Clinton rallies in California…. Clinton has relied on strong support from black and Latino voters as a firewall against Sanders’s insurgent campaign. But if that firewall shifts — as it did in Michigan and elsewhere — Sanders could win California, even though Hillary’s dominant lead among the party’s “superdelegates” almost certainly guarantees her more delegates from the Golden State.

Anonymous Hits New York Stock Exchange, World Bank, The Fed, & Vatican — Total Media Blackout
thefreethoughtproject.com - Amidst a global media blackout of Anonymous’ ongoing worldwide attacks on the “corrupt banking cartels,” the hacking collective has now taken down some of the most prestigious institutions in global governance. OpIcarus has recently taken offline the World Bank, the New York Stock Exchange, five U.S. Federal Reserve Banks and the Vatican.

Citigroup to pay $425 mln over attempted benchmark manipulation
Reuters - Citigroup Inc has agreed to pay $425 million to resolve civil charges by the Commodities Futures Trading Commission it tried to manipulate foreign exchange and interest rate benchmarks, the latest settlement in ongoing international probes of global banks. Citigroup affiliates were also charged with false reporting in connection with ISDAFIX benchmark rates and with false reporting of U.S. dollar Libor rates during the financial crisis to protect its reputation, the CFTC said on Wednesday, adding that the various actions occurred between 2007 and 2012. With the Citigroup settlement, the CFTC said it has imposed more than $5 billion in penalties in 17 actions against banks and brokers for manipulating benchmarks for interest rates and foreign exchange. The benchmarks including the U.S. dollar ISDAFIX for fixed interest rate swaps, the Yen Libor and the Euroyen Tibor.

So, You Thought Bank of America Would be Punished for Role in 2008 Crisis? Think Again
The Anti-Media - In a reversal of the smidgen of accountability forced on Bank of America for its role in the 2008 financial crisis, a U.S. appeals court threw out a jury’s verdict — and with it, the $1.27 billion fine BoA would have paid for mortgage fraud. Though the Department of Justice had alleged Countrywide Financial Corp., which was purchased by Bank of America in 2008, had sold Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac thousands of bad loans through its “Hustle” mortgage program, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York found insufficient evidence to back charges of fraud.

Ex-CEO of McDonald’s: $15 Minimum Wage ‘To Cause Job Loss … Like You’re Not Going to Believe’
Breitbart - Former McDonald’s CEO Ed Rensi appeared on Fox Business Network and warned progressive groups against $15 per hour minimum-wage hikes. “I was at the National Restaurant Show yesterday and if you look at the robotic devices that are coming into the restaurant industry — it’s cheaper to buy a $35,000 robotic arm than it is to hire an employee who’s inefficient [while] making $15 an hour bagging French fries,” Rensi said Tuesday. “It’s nonsense and it’s very destructive and it’s inflationary and it’s going to cause a job loss across this country like you’re not going to believe,” Rensi added…. His solution, scrap the federal minimum wage and allow states to seek solutions to the issue. “I think we ought to have a multi-faceted wage program in this country,” Rensi said. “If you’re a high school kid, you ought to have a student wage. If you’re an entry level worker you ought to have a separate wage. The states ought to manage this because they know more about what’s going on the ground than anybody in Washington D.C.”

Bye Bye McDonald’s: Costco executives are pouring money into an organic fast-food chain
Government Slaves - The Organic Coup, which is the first USDA-certified organic fast-food chain in the US, just raised $7 million in an initial round of financing led by Costco founder and former CEO Jim Sinegal. Costco’s chief financial officer, Richard Galanti, also participated in the round of funding. The Organic Coup will use the investment to open at least two dozen more restaurants over the next year, the company’s cofounder Erica Welton told Business Insider. The chain, which specializes in fried-chicken sandwiches and chocolate-drizzled caramel popcorn, has two restaurants — one in San Francisco and another in Pleasanton, California.. Organic Coup is paying starting wages of $16 an hour in San Francisco and $14 an hour in Pleasanton. Fast-food workers in the US make $7.98 an hour on average, according to PayScale. The restaurant’s specialty is its spicy fried chicken made from organic, air-chilled chicken breasts fried in coconut oil. The menu is pretty simple. Customers can get the fried chicken with a range of sauces on a bun, in a multigrain wrap, or in a bowl with shredded vegetables.

Cell Phone Radiation Boosts Cancer Rates in Animals; $25 Million NTP Study Finds Brain Tumors — U.S. Government Expected To Advise Public of Health Risk
Microwave News - The U.S. National Toxicology Program (NTP) is expected to issue a public announcement that cell phone radiation presents a cancer risk for humans. The move comes soon after its recently completed study showed statistically significant increases in cancer among rats that had been exposed to GSM or CDMA signals for two-years. Discussions are currently underway among federal agencies on how to inform the public about the new findings. NTP senior managers believe that these results should be released as soon as possible because just about everyone is exposed to wireless radiation all the time and therefore everyone is potentially at risk. The new results contradict the conventional wisdom, advanced by doctors, biologists, physicists, epidemiologists, engineers, journalists and government officials, among other pundits, that such effects are impossible. This view is based, in part, on the lack of an established mechanism for RF radiation from cell phones to induce cancer.

Google aims to kill passwords by the end of this year
The Guardian - Google will begin testing an alternative to passwords next month, in a move that could do away with complicated logins for good. The new feature, introduced to developers at the company’s I/O conference, is called the Trust API, and will initially be tested with “several very large financial institutions” in June, according to Google’s Daniel Kaufman…. Among the pieces of evidence that Google suggests the Trust API could use are some obvious biometric indicators, such as your face shape and voice pattern, as well as some less obvious ones: how you move, how you type and how you swipe on the screen. With the service continually running in the background of the phone, it can keep track of whether those indicators match how it knows you use your phone. Individually, it would be ludicrous to use any of those methods to secure web services. Even facial recognition, now built in to many Android phones, is significantly less secure than a fingerprint scanner, according to Google’s own metrics. But combining them can, the company suggests, result in something more than 10 times as secure as a fingerprint.

Study: This Activity may Cut Your Risk of 13 Types of Cancer!
Natural Society - Earlier this month, a massive study involving 1.44 million people was published in JAMA Internal Medicine that revealed a connection between comparatively higher levels of physical activity and lower risk of developing 13 types of cancer. The strongest effect was seen for esophageal cancer, with 42% lower risk. Physical activity was found to lower liver cancer risk by 27%, leukemia risk by 20%, and breast cancer risk by 10%. Overall, increased physical activity was associated with a 7% lower risk of developing any type of cancer…. The study found that even a few hours of physical activity per week shrank the risk of breast, colon, and lung cancer – three of the four major cancers that affect people in the United States…. Even “vigorous yard work” was considered a form of moderate exercise in the study. So if you’re a recovering couch potato, you can lower your cancer risk by simply pulling weeds, mowing the lawn, or planting flowers.

This Ingredient Isn’t Food, But Most Americans Eat It
Food Babe - Although several large food corporations are reformulating their products to be more “natural”, there’s still a substance found in many conventional food items that isn’t suitable for human consumption.… Cottonseed oil is made from a byproduct of the industrial waste from the cotton farming industry, which isn’t a food crop. Cotton crop waste is also used is to make some “cellulose” additives (when wood isn’t used) that’s added to products like Kraft shredded cheese…. Cotton waste is also fed to conventional farm animals as a way to cheaply dispose of it and artificially bulk up their feed. Not only is cotton one of the most prevalent genetically modified (GMO) crops (designed to produce an insecticide), cotton crops still require an intense application of agricultural chemicals. That’s why cotton has been called the “World’s Dirtiest Crop”, contaminating our groundwater and food supply with numerous pesticides that are classified as highly hazardous by the World Health Organization. Residues from these pesticides can remain in the cottonseed oil according to data collected by the FAO/WHO Joint Meetings on Pesticides Residues in Food. Further, to extract the oil the cottonseeds are subjected to intensive chemical refining with toxic hexane, bleach, and deodorizers.

Clean Teeth for Good Health
Little Big Cat - What can you do to prevent dental disease in your cats? The best way to prevent dental disease is to feed your cats a species-appropriate diet, without wheat, corn, soy or by-products. Most cats that are eating a balanced raw food diet have much less dental disease than those eating processed cat foods, even dry cat food. (No matter what the pet food companies say, dry food does not clean the teeth!) The better the diet, the less you have to spend treating dental diseases. Gentle tooth brushing helps too. Toothpaste is not necessary. Toothpaste doesn’t remove the biofilm, the toothbrush does! What is a biofilm? It is the bacterial basis of plaque; and the carbohydrates in food, particularly simple carbs like corn and potato, feed it. When cats eat food that contains undesirable carbohydrates, they have more biofilm. If the biofilm isn’t removed every day (think about why you brush your teeth), it hardens into tartar; and then it must be removed professionally at a dental cleaning.

Video: NATO's Destruction of Libya (Song)
NATO's 60,000 bombing raids over Libya destroyed that beautiful country and took the freedom of the Libya people and put it in the hands of Al Qaeda leaving half a million dead and 2 million in exile. The 3 million left in Libya now live in terror with no security.
 

Wednesday - May 25, 2016  -  Today in History:

1787 - The Constitutional convention opened in Philadelphia with George Washington presiding.
1844 - The first telegraphed news dispatch, sent from Washington, DC, to Baltimore, MD, appeared in the Baltimore "Patriot."
1895 - James P. Lee first published "Gold in America -- A Practical Manual."
1911 - President of Mexico, Porfolio Diaz, resigned his office.
1925 - John Scopes was indicted for teaching the Darwinian theory in school.
1927 - Ford Motor Company announced that the Model A would replace the Model T.
1953 - In Nevada, the first atomic cannon was fired.
1961 - America was asked by U.S. President Kennedy to work toward putting a man on the moon before the end of the decade.
1968 - The Gateway Arch, part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in St. Louis, MO, was dedicated.
1977 - An opinion piece by Vietnam veteran Jan Scruggs appeared in "The Washington Post." The article called for a national memorial to "remind an ungrateful nation of what it has done to its sons" that had served in the Vietnam War.
1986 - Approximately 7 million Americans participated in "Hands Across America."
1997 - U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond became the longest-serving senator in U.S. history (41 years and 10 months).
1999 - A report by the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on U.S. National Security and Military/Commercial Concerns with the People's Republic of China concluded that China had "stolen design information on the U.S. most-advanced thermonuclear weapons" and that China's penetration of U.S. weapons laboratories "spans at least the past several decades and almost certainly continues today."
2006 - In Houston, former Enron Corp. chiefs Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling were convicted of conspiracy and fraud for the downfall of Enron.
2008 - NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander landed in the arctic plains of Mars.
2009 - North Korea announced that it had conducted a second successful nuclear test in the province of North Hamgyong. The United Nations Security Council condemned the reported test.

Over 100 feared killed as blasts hit near Russian military bases in Syria’s Latakia province (Video)
RT - Over 100 people are feared dead after seven blasts targeted several locations in the coastal towns of Jableh and Tartus, Syria’s Latakia province, according to media reports. The locations are close to two Russian military facilities: the Khmeimim airbase and the Tartus naval base. Islamic State militants claimed the attacks saying via its news outlet, Amaq, that "gatherings of Alawites in Tartous and Jableh" had been targeted. The Alawites is the minority sect to which President Bashar Assad belongs.

U.S.-backed Syrian alliance launches new attack near Islamic State capital
Reuters - A U.S.-backed alliance of Syrian militias launched a new offensive against Islamic State fighters near their de facto capital of Raqqa city on Tuesday, a monitoring group and an official said. The Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance is the main Syrian partner for the U.S.-led alliance battling the Islamic State group that controls large areas of northern and eastern Syria. Its most powerful component is the Kurdish YPG militia. Aided by U.S.-led air strikes, the YPG has driven Islamic State from wide areas of northern Syria over the last year or more, though its advances have recently slowed. There has been no indication of when a full assault on Raqqa city might take place. A Kurdish official contacted by Reuters declined to say whether it was a target of the latest offensive.

Belgian police clash with anti-austerity protesters at 60,000-strong rally in Brussels
Belgian riot police deployed water cannons to disperse a major anti-austerity demonstration attended by tens of thousands of people in central Brussels. At least two policemen and several protesters have been injured…. Initially peaceful the rally that gathered some 60,000 people turned violent after a group of around 100 masked activists broke away from the main rally and started throwing objects at police and vandalizing publicity boards near Brussels South Station. Clashes broke out and police intervened using water cannons and – reportedly – tear gas. Reports say at least 10 people have been arrested so far…. The demonstration was called by the workers’ and trade unions under the slogan “enough is enough” to protest against what they dub “antisocial” government policies, which cut into the foundations of the country’s welfare system. Unions denounce budget cuts in public services and education, lack of jobs and the absence of social dialogue.

Eurogroup Agrees To Disburse €7.5BN To Greece Which Will Be Used To Repay Creditors
Zero Hedge - Greece has promised to implement even more Draconian measures (which may or may not happen) in order to get money that was already promised to it, while the Eurogroup disburses just enough cash to cover the immediate funding needs of the creditors with a little left over to pay for government arrears, while future tranches will be paid out if Greece complies with its promises (which will not happen), and meanwhile the Eurogroup promises to maybe someday provide debt relief, once Greece ends its bailout program... which will certainly never happen.

Venezuela Banned Guns for Private Citizens Only 4 Years Ago
Activist Post - Under the reign of Hugo Chavez, the government introduced a law that banned personal purchases of firearms and ammunition in an attempt to “improve security and cut crime.” The law was designed to keep guns in the hands of only police, military, and some security companies. At the time, Chavez’s government said that “the ultimate aim is to disarm all civilians.” Shortly after the law passed, Chavez lost a battle to cancer, and bus driver Nicolas Maduro became the new president. Maduro invested $47 million in “disarmament centers” in 2014, where citizens could turn in their firearms without fear of repercussions. This was at about the same time as the government declared that prepping was illegal and those “hoarding” could be detained on criminal charges and when the country instituted a fingerprint registry for purchasing groceries so that they could ensure people only purchased what they were allotted…. It’s interesting to note that nearly all repressive regimes take away the means for the citizens to stand up for their rights.

Analysis of human remains points to 'explosion' on crashed jet
The Independent - A forensics official has said human remains retrieved from the area where EgyptAir flight 804 crashed point to an explosion on board. The anonymous official is part of Egypt's investigative team and has examined victims' remains at a morgue in Cairo. He told the Associated Press that all 80 body parts retrieved so far are small and that “there isn't even a whole body part, like an arm or a head", adding: “The logical explanation is that an explosion brought it down...but I cannot say what caused the blast."

600 tons of melted radioactive Fukushima fuel still not found, clean-up chief reveals
RT - The company hopes to locate and start removing the missing fuel from 2021, the Tokyo Electric Power Company's (TEPCO) chief of decommissioning at Fukushima, Naohiro Masuda, revealed…. Following the tsunami-caused 2011 meltdown at Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant uranium fuel of three power generating reactors gained critical temperature and burnt through the respective reactor pressure vessels, concentrating somewhere on the lower levels of the station currently filled with water. The melted nuclear fuel from Reactor 1 poured out completely, estimated 30 to 50 percent of fuel from Reactor 2 and 3 remained in the active zone, Masuda said. The official estimates that approximately “200 tons of [nuclear fuel] debris lies within each unit," which makes in total about 600 tons of melted fuel mixed up with metal construction elements, concrete and whatever else was down there…. “It's important to find it as soon as possible,” acknowledged Masuda, admitting that Japan does not yet possess the technology to extract the melted uranium fuel.

Putin is Taking a Bold Step against Biotech Giant Monsanto
Anthony Gucciardi - In a new address to the Russian Parliament Thursday, Putin proudly outlined his plan to make Russia the world’s ‘leading exporter’ of non-GMO foods that are based on ‘ecologically clean’ production. Perhaps even more importantly, Putin also went on to harshly criticize food production in the United States, declaring that Western food producers are no longer offering high quality, healthy, and ecologically clean food. “We are not only able to feed ourselves taking into account our lands, water resources – Russia is able to become the largest world supplier of healthy, ecologically clean and high-quality food which the Western producers have long lost, especially given the fact that demand for such products in the world market is steadily growing,” Putin said in his address to the Russian Parliament. And this announcement comes just months after the Kremlin decided to put a stop to the production of GMO-containing foods, which was seen as a huge step forward in the international fight to fight back against companies like Monsanto. Using the decision as a launch platform, it’s clear that Russia is now positioning itself as a dominant force in the realm of organic farming.

“Did We Go to War?” Indiana Residents Stunned by Military Drill
Paul Joseph Watson - Residents of Beech Grove, Indiana, thought that war had broken out last night after the Marion County police dispatch was flooded with 911 calls from panicked residents confused about a military drill. Callers reported explosions, gunshots and the sound of low-flying helicopters as a simulated raid on the old St. Francis hospital got underway. Residents were “upset about the drills,” according to Fox 59, many of whom say they didn’t receive a knock on the door warning them about the exercises. Startled locals took to Twitter to express their shock. “Did we go to war and no one mention it?” asked Mary Graham. “We’re sorry people were startled,” Beech Grove Police Capt. Robert Mercuri told the Indianapolis Star. “We hope they understand that the city of Beech Grove was trying to help the people who protect us everyday.” Controversy over military drills taking place near populated areas has been raging for years, with many concerned about a blurring of the lines between the military and domestic law enforcement.

Justice Dept. seeking death penalty in Charleston church massacre case
Fox News - The Justice Department intends to seek the death penalty against Dylann Roof, the man charged with killing nine black parishioners last year in a church in Charleston, South Carolina, Attorney General Loretta Lynch said Tuesday. Roof is awaiting trial on federal hate crime charges in connection with the June 17 shooting at Emanuel AME Church, which contributed to a national conversation about race relations and also led to the removal of a Confederate battle flag from the South Carolina Statehouse. Roof is also charged with nine counts of murder in state court, and South Carolina prosecutors have already announced plans to seek the death penalty when he stands trial next year. Solicitor Scarlett Wilson has said she wants her case to be tried first.

Hawaii Considers Gun Owner Registry For Firearm Confiscations
Kit Daniels - Hawaii wants to become the first state to register gun owners into a federal database – and expects other states to follow its lead, despite the Second Amendment. Under a bill proposed by Sen. Will Espero, Hawaii would enter gun owners into an FBI database available to local police. The FBI already has a similar database for people in “positions in trust,” such as school teachers and other public officials, but Hawaii would be the first to enter gun owners into a database. “I don’t like the idea of us being entered into a database,” firearm instructor Jerry Ilo told AP. “It basically tells us that they know where the guns are, they can go grab them.” “We get the feeling that Big Brother is watching us.” His fear is not unfounded; New York City already had a similar registry in place which was used by police to confiscate firearms. After N.Y. passed the SAFE Act in 2013, the NYPD sent out notices to registered gun owners demanding they give up their guns.

U.S. judge rules Bill Cosby must stand trial on sexual assault charges
Reuters - A Pennsylvania judge on Tuesday ordered 'entertainer' Bill Cosby to stand trial on sexual assault charges over allegations that he drugged and assaulted a woman in 2004. The ruling came after a preliminary hearing that Cosby attended in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, in which witnesses testified about statements that Cosby and his accuser, Andrea Constand, gave to police in 2005. Constand, a former basketball coach at Cosby's Temple University alma mater, is the only woman whose accusations of sexual assault have resulted in criminal charges against Cosby.

TSA security chief removed from position over “mismanagement”
RT - The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has removed its head of security from his post following a US House of Representatives hearing earlier this month. The Oversight Committee met on May 12 to discuss long lines at airport security checkpoints and criticized the TSA for paying out more than $90,000 in bonuses and awards to head of security, Assistant Administrator Kelly Hoggan over a 13-month period. Hoggan’s dismissal was confirmed by the Oversight Committee on Twitter Monday night. TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger had been questioned by the committee about why Hoggan was awarded such bonuses when waiting times in security lines were not improving. He was also quizzed on retaliatory techniques used by management against whistleblowers.

Trump Wins Washington State Primary
Breitbart - Los Angeles (AFP) – Donald Trump, the last Republican standing in the 2016 US presidential race, took a major step toward clinching the party’s nomination with a victory Tuesday in the Washington state primary…. He had amassed 1,189 delegates prior to Washington state, according to a CNN tally, just 48 delegates short of the 1,237 needed for the nomination. Washington has 44 delegates up for grabs. Trump will therefore cross the threshold and clinch the nomination on June 7, when California and four other states vote on the final day of the Republican primary contest.
* Related: Washington Presidential Caucus and Primary Results

FNC’s Cameron: Shot Fired, Fire Thrown at Mounted Police During Anti-Trump NM Protests
Breitbart - On Tuesday’s “Special Report,” Fox News Chief Political Correspondent Carl Cameron reported that during protests against presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s rally in New Mexico, “there was a shot fired. There was a bullet that shattered a glass window of this facility. At one point, a vendor, with Trump t-shirts and hats had his table overturned and someone tried to set that on fire. At another time, there was fire ‘thrown’ at some the mounted police who were trying to control the crowd.”

Game On: Trump Targets Clinton over Vince Foster, Whitewater
Breitbart - Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, in a recent interview, brought up former White House aide Vincent Foster’s suspicious death, among other scandals surrounding Bill and Hillary Clinton in the 1990s. “It’s the one thing with her, whether it’s Whitewater or whether it’s Vince Foster or whether it’s Benghazi. It’s always a mess with Hillary,” Trump reportedly said in a recent interview, bringing up Foster’s suicide. Foster was a former White House aide and friend of Hillary Clinton. Trump recently said the circumstances around Foster’s death seemed “fishy,” and allegations of foul play are “very serious.” “He knew everything that was going on, and then all of a sudden he committed suicide,” Trump stated. Foster was discovered in a Virginia park on July 20, 1993, with a fatal bullet wound. Two investigations into Foster’s death yielded the same conclusion: suicide. However, newly discovered evidence increased belief that foul play was involved and resulted in an alleged coverup.
* Related: CNN Lashes Out At Trump Over Vince Foster "Conspiracy", Rushes To Hillary's Defense

Vince Foster ‘suicide’ shocker: 2nd wound documented
WND 2/28/2016 - The smoking-gun information comes from two documents: a two-page letter of resignation and a 31-page memo both written by Starr’s lead prosecutor, Miguel Rodriguez. Rodriguez refers in his letter to photographs showing a wound on Foster’s neck – a wound that did not exist according to accounts in Starr’s official government report. The obvious questions: How could a suicide victim be found with two wounds – a .38-caliber gunshot into the mouth that exited through his head and another wound on the right side of his neck that one of the paramedics described as a small-caliber bullet hole? And why would the government investigators go to great lengths to cover it up? Another question some will be asking is about Hillary Clinton’s embattled presidential run. Can it survive renewed scrutiny into one of the darkest clouds that hovered over her husband’s administration – especially considering her close friendship with Foster and the fact that her aides were seen rifling through files in Foster’s White House office just hours after his body was found?

Democratic presidential candidate Sanders seeks recount in Kentucky
Reuters - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders on Tuesday requested a recount in the close Kentucky presidential primary against front-runner Hillary Clinton, state election officials said on Tuesday. The recanvass will take place at all 120 county boards of election on Thursday, according to the Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Grimes. Clinton won Kentucky by just 1,924 votes, according to the unofficial totals posted on the secretary of state's elections page.

Ohio violated voting rights by reducing early voting - U.S. judge
Reuters - A federal judge ruled on Tuesday that Ohio violated voters' rights in 2014 by cutting the number of days in which people were allowed to cast early ballots to 28 from 35. Judge Michael Watson of U.S. District Court in Columbus ordered Ohio to reinstate the 35-day period and also to grant residents a week-long opportunity to register and cast a ballot at the same time - a period known as "Golden Week." If the ruling stands, voters in Ohio will be able to vote a full 35 days before the general election on Nov. 8.

Head of US Vets’ Affairs: Long Hospital Wait Times Like Lines at Disneyland
Sputnik News - Democrats and Republicans alike lambasted Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert McDonald after he made comments likening the prolonged waiting times at veteran’s medical centers in California to waiting in line at the Happiest Place on Earth. "When you go to Disneyland, do they measure the number of hours you wait in line?" McDonald asked in an interview on Monday. "What’s important? What’s important is: What’s your satisfaction with the experience?" Jeff Miller, the Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs released a statement Monday saying, "There is nothing amusing about VA’s performance over the past few years, and comparing VA wait times to those of an amusement park is just plain wrong. Wait times are of critical importance to the veterans waiting for VA medical care and they should be to Sec. Bob McDonald as well."

Armageddon drones: Radiation-detecting UAVs to trial at notorious Nevada nuke desert
RT - The scorched moonscape of Nevada’s former nuclear test site will be used for drone radiation detection trials, as the US ramps up an emergency response program in case of a Fukushima-like meltdown or attack on its territory. Two ‘Sandstorm’ drones will be tested at the site for operation in the event of large scale nuclear contamination. The state-of-the art drones have been bought by National Security Technologies (NSTec), who run the Nevada National Security Site, formerly the infamous Nevada Test Site or ‘Proving Grounds’.

Michigan declares energy emergency as gas shortage looms over holiday weekend
RT - Michigan is rolling out a convoy of gasoline trucks as the state braces for a possible fuel shortage over the upcoming holiday weekend. The governor has declared an energy emergency, extending truckers’ work hours to ensure gas supplies…. The governor cited the shutdown of a fuel pipeline in Wisconsin and an unplanned outage of the Marathon refinery in Detroit as the two main reasons for the State of Energy Emergency in Michigan.

A Shocking NBC News Report Says That Someday We Will Be Microchipping All Of Our Children
Economic Collapse - Would you allow microchips to be surgically implanted in your children if that would keep them safer? This is already being done to pets on a widespread basis, and a shocking local NBC News report is promoting the idea that if it is good for our pets, then we should be doing it to our children as well. As you will see below, the report even puts a guilt trip on parents by asking them this question: “How far would you go to keep your children secure?” Of course most parents very much want to keep their children safe, and a microchip would enable authorities to track them down if they were lost or stolen. But is this really a good idea? And where is all of this technology eventually leading?

Israeli Start-up to Provide DHS With Facial Recognition Tech That Digs Up Character Traits
Activist Post - The Washington Post reports: Faception said it’s already signed a contract with a homeland security agency to help identify terrorists. The company said its technology also can be used to identify everything from great poker players to extroverts, pedophiles, geniuses and white collar-criminals. “We understand the human much better than other humans understand each other,” said Faception chief executive Shai Gilboa. “Our personality is determined by our DNA and reflected in our face. It’s a kind of signal.” Faception has built 15 different classifiers, which Gilboa said evaluate with 80 percent accuracy certain traits. The start-up is pushing forward, seeing tremendous power in a machine’s ability to analyze images…. Faception chief executive Shai Gilboa admits that dangers lie in the computer system’s imperfections. This leads one to wonder if simple characteristics like a beard or a scar could lead to someone being labeled a terrorist. And if that person is labeled a terrorist, what then follows?

Expert Warns Facebook Could Be Eavesdropping Through Your Phone
Breitbart - Facebook could be tapping into not just users personal information, interests, and online habits but also your private conversations, a new report has revealed. Facebook admits that it “uses your microphone to identify the things you’re listening to or watching, based on the music and TV matches we’re able to identify.” However, some experts believe that Facebook is not being fully transparent. Once the microphone feature is enabled, Facebook can listen in to your private conversation, even when one is not actively engaging with the app. The feature listens for particular buzz words, which enable the site to weave the content that appears on news feeds to suit users’ personal interests.

Horseradish Contains Compounds Which Remove Cancer From The Body
Natural Blaze - Horseradish (Cochlearia armoracia) is a natural antibacterial which contains compounds that could help detoxify and eliminate cancer-causing compounds in the body, a study has shown. The cancer-fighting compound, known as glucosinolates, undergoes a series of chemical reactions that activates enzymes involved in the detoxification of cancer-causing molecules. Health-supportive molecules like glucosinolates are concentrated in these horseradish greens in the same way that they are concentrated in the leaves of the plants. Even within individual prostate cells, glucosinolates beneficially influence the metabolism of hormones, which may explain why a higher consumption of mustard family vegetables is associated with a lower risk for prostate cancer.

Spinach Helps Protect Eyes from Macular Degeneration
Green Med Info - Japanese researchers tested the notion that ones dietary habits could significantly change our macular pigment density. So they recruited 11 healthy people and tested 22 eyes. They were non-smokers, aged between 21 and 45 years old. The researchers gave the subjects testing for the health of their macula and their macular pigment densities. They also gave them blood tests and general eye exams. ,Then they had the subjects eat 75 grams of frozen spinach each day for two months. The 75 grams of frozen spinach was tested and contained 10 mg of lutein – the sister carotenoid with zeaxanthin. They also gave the subjects food frequency questionnaires to measure the rest of their diets. The researchers found that the eyesight of the subjects was improved – measured as visual acuity. They also found their macular pigment densities were significantly increased. These improvements were seen at both one month and two months after the spinach regimen began. They confirmed the relationship between the lutein by seeing increased blood levels of lutein among the subjects.

Tuesday - May 24, 2016  -  Today in History:

1738 - The Methodist Church was established.
1764 - Bostonian lawyer James Otis denounced "taxation without representation" and called for the colonies to unite in demonstrating their opposition to Britain’s new tax measures.
1830 - The first passenger railroad service in the U.S. began service.
1844 - Samuel F.B. Morse formally opened America's first telegraph line. The first message was sent from Washington, DC, to Baltimore, MD. The message was "What hath God wrought?"
1863 - Bushwackers led by Captain William Marchbanks attacked a U.S. Federal militia party in Nevada, Missouri.
1883 - After 14 years of construction the Brooklyn Bridge was opened to traffic.
1931 - B&O Railroad began service with the first passenger train to have air conditioning throughout. The run was between NYC and Washington, DC.
1961 - The Freedom Riders were arrested in Jackson, Mississippi.
1980 - The International Court of Justice issued a final decision calling for the release of the hostages taken at the U.S. embassy in Tehran on Nov. 4, 1979.
1994 - The four men convicted of bombing the New York's World Trade Center were each sentenced to 240 years in prison.
2000 - The U.S. House of Representatives approved permanent normal trade relations with China. China was not happy about some of the human rights conditions that had been attached by the U.S. lawmakers.
2011 - NASA announced the development of the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) spacecraft. It is intended to facilitate exploration of the Moon, asteroids and Mars.

Over 100 feared killed as blasts hit near Russian military bases in Syria’s Latakia province (Video)
RT - Over 100 people are feared dead after seven blasts targeted several locations in the coastal towns of Jableh and Tartus, Syria’s Latakia province, according to media reports. The locations are close to two Russian military facilities: the Khmeimim airbase and the Tartus naval base. Islamic State militants claimed the attacks saying via its news outlet, Amaq, that "gatherings of Alawites in Tartous and Jableh" had been targeted. The Alawites is the minority sect to which President Bashar Assad belongs.

U.S. lifts arms ban on old foe Vietnam as China tensions simmer
RT - The United States announced a complete end to its arms embargo on Vietnam on Monday, a historic step that draws a line under the two countries' earlier enmity and underscores their shared concerns about China's growing military clout…. Vietnam, which borders China, is a key part of that strategy amid worries about Beijing's assertiveness and sovereignty claims to 80 percent of the South China Sea. The decision to lift the arms trade ban suggested such concerns outweighed arguments that Vietnam had not done enough to improve its human rights record and Washington would lose leverage for reforms. Obama told a joint news conference with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang that disputes in the South China Sea should be resolved peacefully and not by whoever "throws their weight around." But he insisted the arms embargo shift was not linked to China.

French fuel crisis: 1,600 gas stations running empty as workers strike, block supplies
RT - About 1,600 petrol stations across France are running out of fuel as employees go on strike and stage a petrol blockade across the country in response to recent changes to labor laws. French Transport Minister Alain Vidalies said on Monday that 800 petrol stations were out of fuel and a further 800 were running low. Six out of eight oil refineries are currently blocked, and five out of around 100 fuel depots are also affected. Panic is spreading among motorists with long queues forming at petrol stations over the weekend, as drivers desperately tried to fill up their tanks…. The unionists, meanwhile, are showing no sign of planning to stop the strike.

Wilders: Brexit Britain Will ‘Liberate Europe’ From EU ‘Monster’
Breitbart - Speaking to Britain’s Sunday Telegraph, Eurosceptic and counter-Islamification campaigner Mr. Wilders said Britain would lead by example by voting to leave the European Union, and in doing so would “liberate Europe” for the second time in a century, making clear reference to Britain’s key role in resisting German expansionism during the Second World War. Mr. Wilders said: “Like in the 1940s, once again Britain could help liberate Europe from another totalitarian monster, this time called ‘Brussels’. Again, we could be saved by the British… If people see that a country can leave, and the lights do not go out, there is not a war, and a country does not go bankrupt, but even flourishes. If Britain proves that this theory can become a reality, it would have an enormous effect.”

Venezuela is collapsing and the military just got involved
SBS News - The president, outnumbered by opposition parties, faces violent protests and a push for new elections. A March poll showed more than 60% of Venezuelans think Mr Maduro should resign or be removed. It was against this backdrop that the Defence Minister appeared on state television this week. "Venezuela is threatened," he said. "This is the first time we are carrying out an exercise of this nature in the country. In terms of national reach, it's going to be in every strategic region." The statement came after the United States – somewhat provocatively – declared Venezuela a national security threat and sanctioned officials they claimed were responsible for corruption and human rights abuses. US Prosecutors have also charged a number of former officials with trafficking cocaine. President Maduro claims this is evidence of an attempted coup, citing the threat of a US attack when he declared a state of emergency. National security provisions now allow the government to impose tougher security measures, take control of basic goods and services, and distribute and sell food.

World’s 16 biggest banks, including RBC, ordered to face Libor lawsuits in ruling court warns could ruin them
Financial Post - Sixteen of the world’s largest banks including JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Citigroup Inc. must face antitrust lawsuits accusing them of hurting investors who bought securities tied to Libor by rigging an interest-rate benchmark.... The appellate judges reversed a lower-court ruling on one issue... while sending the cases back for the judge to consider another issue: whether the plaintiffs are the proper parties to sue, in part because their claims, if successful, provide for triple damages that could overwhelm the banks.... Bank of America Corp., HSBC Holdings Plc, Barclays Plc, Credit Suisse Group AG, Deutsche Bank AG, Royal Bank of Canada and Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc are also among the banks sued in Manhattan. About a dozen firms have paid almost US$9 billion in fines to resolve government investigations around the world into rigging of the key benchmark.... The ruling by a three-judge panel opens the possibility the banks may have to pay billions more.
* Related: Deutsche Bank Slides After Mortgage Probe Unveiled; Admission It Rigged Stocks

Thieves steal $13mn from Japanese ATMs in just 3 hours
RT - The thieves worked together to withdraw the huge sum of money in coordinated withdrawals at 1,400 convenience store ATMs throughout Tokyo and 16 other prefectures, police said, as cited by Kyodo News. Using forged credit cards containing account details illegally obtained from Standard Bank in South Africa, around 100 different people are believed to have made a single withdrawal of 100,000 yen (US$913) – the maximum allowed by cash machines – in each of the 14,000 transactions attempted. The withdraws took just three hours to complete, with the first one made just after 5am on May 15, and the last made just before 8am, The Yomiuri Shimbun reported. All of the ATMs were located at 7-Eleven stores.... Police are currently examining CCTV footage to identify the suspects, and have asked South African authorities to investigate how the credit card information was obtained.

Stunner! Obama names transgender to faith post
mobile.wnd.com - President Obama has appointed a transgender man to a prominent faith advisory position, sparking a flood of outrage from conservatives. His recent announcement named Barbara Satin to be a member of the president’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

Obama ‘confident’ TPP will be ratified in US despite intense opposition
RT - Even though ratification of the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) has stalled in the US, President Barack Obama said he’s still “confident” the trade deal will earn the support of Congress. "I remain confident we are going to get it done, and the reason I’m confident is because it is the right thing to do. It’s good for the country, it’s good for America, it’s good for the region, it’s good for the world," Obama said during a joint press conference with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang in Hanoi. Leaders signed the 12-nation TPP, which includes the US and Vietnam as members, back in February, but it still requires ratification from each country’s lawmakers before it can go into effect. That process has stumbled, though, as public outcry against international trade deals increases. In the US in particular, all three major-party presidential candidates have come out against the deal.

John Koskinen will not appear at IRS impeachment hearing
Politico - Koskinen won’t be there, the IRS says in a statement, because he was not given enough notice of the hearing, which was scheduled a little over a week ago.... "When the committee announced this hearing, he was returning from China after meeting with tax administrators of 43 nations,” the statement reads. “The committee’s quick timetable left him without the time to fully prepare for Tuesday’s hearing. In addition, he also has been preparing for a previous commitment to appear before a House Ways and Means Committee hearing on Wednesday.” A staffer on the tax-writing committee noted that Koskinen wasn’t required to attend its hearing this week but chose to.“The Ways and Means subcommittee initially requested that Richard Weber, the IRS criminal investigation chief, testify,” said the Republican aide. “Commissioner Koskinen insisted he attend alongside Mr. Weber.”

Republican House Panel Backs Bill Reducing Free and Low-Cost Meals for School Children
AllGov - Fewer students would receive free and reduced-price meals at school under legislation that Republicans pushed through a House committee Wednesday. On a vote of 20-14, the Education and Workforce Committee backed the bill, which would scale back the number of schools in which all students receive free or reduced-price meals. The measure would allow a trial period of so-called block grants for school meals in three states — meaning those states would no longer receive unlimited federal dollars for students who qualify for the free and reduced-price lunches, and states wouldn't have to follow most federal nutrition standards.

Freddie Gray Arresting Officer Edward Nero Found Not Guilty On All Charges
CBS News - Nero waived his right to a trial by jury. His bench trial began May 12 and final arguments were heard Thursday…. Gray, a 25-year-old black man from the Sandtown area of Baltimore, died on April 19, 2015 of a spinal cord injury he sustained while in police custody. His death set off more than a week of protests followed by looting, rioting and arson that prompted a citywide curfew. According to WJZ’s Mike Schuh, who was outside the courthouse, there was a huge “roar of disapproval” that came from the protesters outside…. Nero is one of six officers who was charged in relation to Gray’s death, and the second to be tried. Officer William Porter’s trial ended in a hung jury and mistrial in December…. Four other officers — Officer Garrett Miller, Lt. Brian Rice, Sgt. Alicia White and Officer Caesar Goodson Jr. — have not yet been tried.

Ohio House Committee Passes Bill to Curb “Policing for Profit” Via Asset Forfeiture; Close Federal Loophole
Tenth Amendment Center - Last week, an Ohio House committee passed a bill that would reform asset forfeiture laws to prohibit the state from taking property without a criminal conviction in most cases. The legislation also takes on federal forfeiture programs by banning prosecutors from circumventing state laws by passing cases off to the feds. Rep. Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) and Rep. Tom Brinkman Jr. (R-Cincinnati), along with 17 cosponsors, introduced HB347 on last fall. The legislation would require a criminal conviction before proceeding with asset forfeiture in the majority of cases…. The committee passed the amended version of HB347 9-4. It will now move to the full House for further consideration. The bill also almost completely closes a loophole that allows prosecutors to bypass more stringent state asset forfeiture laws by passing cases off to the federal government under its Equitable Sharing forfeiture program.

Texas Town Makes Unexpected Move In Response To Atheist Group's Demand To Take Down Cross
Western Journalism - A Texas community responded to an atheist group’s demand to take down a cross in its public park.... The Freedom From Religion Foundation threatened to sue the City of Port Neches unless the cross was taken down. Port Neches city council decided to take a different tack, selling a 20′ x 20′ parcel to the First United Methodist Church for $100. The 10-foot cement cross has stood in Riverfront Park for over 45 years, Christian News Network reported.... The city council of Port Neches followed precedent from lawsuits brought against crosses being displayed on public lands. In 2014, Congress authorized the transfer of the land where San Diego’s Mount Soledad Cross stands to the Mount Soledad Veterans Memorial Association. Additionally, in 2012 the land surrounding cross on Sunrise Rock in the Mojave National Preserve was transferred to a nearby Veterans of Foreign Wars post.

Mother lets son drive golf cart at resort, gets jailed for child abuse
McClatchy DC - On the second day of her dream vacation on exclusive Bald Head Island in North Carolina Julie Mall went with her family to the beach to catch the sunset. Her 11-year-old son asked to drive the golf cart back to their $1,000-a-day rented cottage. It was dusk, no traffic on the path and his father would sit next to him. A two-block, 30-second ride. She said sure. What could go wrong? In the next four hours, Mall says she was pinned to the ground by police, repeatedly accused of being drunk, frogmarched barefoot aboard a ferry in handcuffs, jailed in leg irons and charged with child abuse…. There are two versions of what happened, one told by Mall and her companions that night and one by the authorities.

Washington Post/ABC Poll: Donald Trump Leads Hillary Clinton; 11-Point Swing Since March
Breitbart - The Washington Post/ABC poll released Saturday night shows that Trump is now favored by 46 percent among registered voters, with Clinton at 44 percent. That marks an eleven-point shift towards Trump since the same poll conducted in March. Clinton is down five points among registered voters while Trump is up six. Forty-four percent of voters said they wanted a third-party candidate to run, but 51 percent said they were satisfied with the current field. When asked to pick Clinton, Trump, or Romney, only 22 percent of voters chose the former failed Republican nominee, while 37 percent chose Clinton and 35 percent chose Trump.

Trump Goes For Hillary's Jugular: Releases Video Featuring Bill Clinton Rape Accusers
Zero Hedge - Donald Trump on Monday released a clip that uses audio of two women who have accused President Clinton of rape to attack Hillary Clinton. As reported originally by The Hill, the new black-and-white video plays audio of two women - Kathleen Willey and Juanita Broaddrick - who have made accusations against Bill Clinton. It plays the audio against a black-and-white backdrop of the White House and an image of Bill Clinton with a cigar in his mouth. It then pivots to audio of Hillary Clinton laughing. While Trump has previously sought to use allegations of sexual misconduct against Bill Clinton to attack Hillary Clinton, this is the first time it has been encapsulated in internet media, and seeks to provoke an angry response by his presidential challenger. A Trump senior adviser warned last week Trump's attacks would escalate after Trump accused Bill Clinton of rape.

US Manufacturing PMI Collapses To 2009 Lows
Zero Hedge - After this morning's extremely disappointing European data, US Manufacturing's flash PMI [Purchasing Managers Index] for May printed a disappointing 50.5 - its lowest since 2009. Under the surface the state of American manufacturing is even more disastrous as Markit notes, output is falling for the first time since the height of the global financial crisis, with factories hit by slowing growth of order books and falling exports.... A general lack of pressure on operating capacity was signaled by the latest survey data, with outstanding work at U.S. manufacturers falling for the fourth successive month in May.... A number of monitored firms mentioned that uncertainty around the general economic outlook had caused clients to delay spending decisions, which in turn prompted firms to trim their production schedules.

Germany’s Bayer makes $62bn offer to buy US firm Monsanto
RT - German drugs and chemical giant Bayer has offered to pay $62 billion to buy American GMO giant Monsanto. Bayer’s takeover bid, made on Monday, values Monsanto shares at $122 apiece. The acquisition of Monsanto “would be a compelling opportunity to create a global agriculture leader, while reinforcing Bayer as a life science company with a deepened position in a long-term growth industry,” Bayer said in a statement. The Bayer and Monsanto merger sparked hundreds of protest rallies worldwide. Thousands of protesters in many European cities marched to show their disgust toward the US biotech behemoth, condemning the sale of the herbicide RoundUp, which has been accused of causing cancer in humans, and the development of genetically-modified crops.

Vet Intern Finds Tick Just Moments Before Paralyzed Dog is to be Euthanized
Dogington Post - It was a lucky day for Ollie. Just moments before the paralyzed dog was to be euthanized a veterinary intern decided to take one last thorough look at the pup and made a startling discovery that ultimately saved his life. Ollie had suddenly and unexplainably lost his mobility. When the Collie reached the point that he could no longer stand, couldn’t walk, and could no longer urinate, and after several failed treatments from their veterinarian, the family made the heartbreaking decision to humanely euthanize their furriest family member…. The observant intern spotted a tiny tick embedded just behind Ollie’s ear. “They have a neurotoxin in their saliva that prevents nerve transition to the muscles, and that takes time to build up in the body and cause paralysis like what we saw in Ollie,” Dr. Stone said. It’s likely Ollie picked up the tick on a recent family camping trip. Just 10 hours after removing the tick from Ollie’s neck, the dog had made a complete and full recovery, had regained all mobility, and was back to his old, spunky self again.
 

Monday - May 23, 2016  -  Today in History:

1618 - The Thirty Years War began when three opponents of the Reformation were thrown through a window.
1701 - In London, Captain William Kidd was hanged after being convicted of murder and piracy..
1788 - South Carolina became the eighth state to ratify U.S. Constitution.
1827 - The first nursery school in the U.S. was established in New York City.
1873 - Canada's North West Mounted Police force was established. The organization's name was changed to Royal Canadian Mounted Police in 1920.
1879 - The first U.S. veterinary school was established by Iowa State University.
1895 - The New York Public Library was created with an agreement that combined the city's existing Astor and Lenox libraries.
1900 - Civil War hero Sgt. William H. Carney became the first African American to receive the Medal of Honor, 37 years after the Battle of Fort Wagner.
1901 - American forces captured Filipino rebel leader Emilio Aguinaldo.
1915 - During World War I, Italy joined the Allies as they declared war on Austria-Hungary.
1926 - The French captured the Moroccan Rif capital.
1934 - In Bienville Parish, LA, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were ambushed and killed by Texas Rangers. The robbers were riding in a stolen Ford Deluxe.
1949 - The Republic of West Germany was established.
1960 - Israel announced the capture of Nazi Adolf Eichmann in Argentina.
1981 - In Barcelona, Spain, gunmen seized control of the Central Bank and took 200 hostages.
1985 - Thomas Patrick Cavanagh was sentenced to life in prison for trying to sell Stealth bomber secrets to the Soviet Union.
1995 - The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City was demolished.
2003 - Congress sent President George W. Bush a $330 billion package of tax cuts - the third of his presidency.
2012 - Egypt held the Arab world's first competitive presidential vote. (Islamist Mohammed Morsi was ultimately named the winner following a runoff)

Saudi Press: U.S. Blew Up World Trade Center To Create 'War On Terror'
Breitbart - The article, written by Saudi legal expert Katib al-Shammari and translated by MEMRI, claims that American threats to expose documents that prove Saudi involvement in the attacks are part of a long-standing U.S. policy that he calls “victory by means of archives.”.... One example is choosing not to invade Iraq in the 1990s and keeping its leader, Saddam Hussein, alive to use as “a bargaining chip” against other Gulf States. Only once Shi’ism threatened to sweep the region did America act to get rid of Hussein “since they no longer saw him as an ace up their sleeve.” He claims that the 9/11 attacks were another such card, enabling the U.S. to blame whoever suited its needs at a particular time; first it blamed Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, then Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq, and now Saudi Arabia.... The intention of the attacks, writes al-Shammari in his conspiracy article, was to create “an obscure enemy – terrorism – which became what American presidents blamed for all their mistakes” and that would provide justification for any “dirty operation” in other countries.... The problem, asserts al-Shammari, is that the U.S. must always find a new impetus to have an adversary, for “the nature of the U.S. is that it cannot exist without an enemy.”

Russia proposes US-led coalition to strike Syrian terrorists with Moscow
RT - “We suggest to the US… starting on May 25, joint action of the Russian Air Forces and the US-led coalition forces to plan and conduct strikes against the Al-Nusra Front, which does not support the ceasefire, as well as against convoys of arms and fighters crossing the Syrian-Turkish border,” he [Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu] said....He suggested that the US and Russia should redouble their efforts to have moderate rebel groups pulled out from territories controlled by the terrorists, so that those rebels wouldn’t face Russian airstrikes. Shoigu warned that, starting from next Wednesday, Russia would feel free to use its warplanes to attack any group that failed to back the ceasefire.... He said that conducting joint missions would help eliminate the risk of inadvertently targeting civilians. The US has responded to the move without enthusiasm.

EgyptAir Flight 804: Black boxes for crashed airplane located
CBS News - Search crews located the data recorders for EgyptAir Flight 804 close to an area where human remains and debris from the crashed flight have been found, an Egyptian government source told CBS News on Saturday.... Also Saturday, the French air accident investigation agency said smoke was detected in multiple places on the flight moments before it plummeted into the Mediterranean, but the cause of the crash that killed all 66 on board remains unclear.... Search crews are scouring for further wreckage of the aircraft. Experts said answers will come only with an examination of the wreckage and the plane's black boxes.... The waters in the area are 8,000 to 10,000 feet deep, and the pings from the black boxes can be detected up to a depth of 20,000 feet.

Human Remains Found From EgyptAir Crash At Sea, Report Of Smoke In Cabin
Breitbart - “The Egyptian navy was able to retrieve more debris from the plane, some of the passengers’ belongings, human remains, and plane seats,” the Civil Aviation Ministry said in a statement....The navy was searching an area about 290 km (180 miles) north of Alexandria, just south of where the signal from the plane was lost early on Thursday. There was no sign of the bulk of the wreckage, or of a location signal from the “black box” flight recorders that are likely to provide the best clues to the cause of the crash.... Although early suspicion centred on Islamist militants who blew up another airliner over Egypt seven months ago, no group had claimed responsibility more than 36 hours after the disappearance of flight MS804, an Airbus A320. CNN reported on Friday that flight data, from an automatic system called the Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS), said smoke alerts were triggered aboard the EgyptAir jet shortly before it crashed.

Snowden calls for whistleblower shield after claims by new Pentagon source
The Guardian - Edward Snowden has called for a complete overhaul of US whistleblower protections after a new source from deep inside the Pentagon came forward with a startling account of how the system became a “trap” for those seeking to expose wrongdoing.The account of John Crane, a former senior Pentagon investigator, appears to undermine Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and other major establishment figures who argue that there were established routes for Snowden other than leaking to the media.Crane, a longtime assistant inspector general at the Pentagon, has accused his old office of retaliating against a major surveillance whistleblower, Thomas Drake, in an episode that helps explain Snowden’s 2013 National Security Agency disclosures. Not only did Pentagon officials provide Drake’s name to criminal investigators, Crane told the Guardian, they destroyed documents relevant to his defence.... Snowden continued: “The sad reality of today’s policies is that going to the inspector general with evidence of truly serious wrongdoing is often a mistake. Going to the press involves serious risks, but at least you’ve got a chance.”

Portland School Board Bans Literature Denying Climate Change
Activist Post - From the Portland Tribune: In a move spearheaded by environmentalists, the Portland Public Schools board unanimously approved a resolution aimed at eliminating doubt of climate change and its causes in schools. “It is unacceptable that we have textbooks in our schools that spread doubt about the human causes and urgency of the crisis,” said Lincoln High School student Gaby Lemieux in board testimony. “Climate education is not a niche or a specialization, it is the minimum requirement for my generation to be successful in our changing world.” The resolution passed Tuesday evening calls for the school district to get rid of textbooks or other materials that cast doubt on whether climate change is occurring and that the activity of human beings is responsible. The resolution also directs the superintendent and staff to develope an implementation plan for “curriculum and educational opportunities that address climate change and climate justice in all Portland Public Schools.”

Target Is At It Again: This Time They Are Suing A Man For Saving A Woman’s Life From a Knife-Wielding Killer
Mac Slavo - In 2013 Michael Turner saw Leon Walls attack and then stab a 16-year old girl. The attack was so violent that Allison Meadows would have been murdered right there at the Target checkout counter had two other men and Turner not stepped in with a baseball bat. As the surveillance video below shows, after Walls had begun stabbing Meadows, Turner tackled him and then chased him to the front of the store…. The mega-retailer is now suing Turner and the other two men who stepped in to help the victim of the attack, claiming that it was their actions that led to the stabbing of Meadows: While Meadows thanks Turner, Target blames him. Court documents say the company claims Turner chased Walls with a baseball bat into the entrance of the store, creating more danger to those inside. Target filed a counterclaim against Turner, adding him as a defendant to the case. The trial is expected to being on Monday. Meadows and his family will commute to Pennsylvania on Sunday to attend. Two other men are also being sued by Target, however Turner is the only one without an attorney. Instead, he will be representing himself.

Trump rallies gun owners with fiery anti-Clinton speech (Video)
Reuters - Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump assured gun owners on Friday he would protect their constitutional right to bear arms and eliminate gun-free zones if elected, accusing Democrat Hillary Clinton of wanting to weaken gun rights…. Clinton, who is close to clinching the Democratic Party's nomination for the Nov. 8 election, has vowed to take on the gun lobby and expand gun control measures to include comprehensive background checks for gun buyers, including at open-air gun shows and online…. Trump, who is trying to unite the Republican Party behind him after a brutal primary battle, accused Clinton, a former secretary of state to President Barack Obama, of wanting to end the 2nd Amendment, which says in part that the people's right to keep and bear arms "shall not be infringed."

How corporate America bought Hillary Clinton for $21M
NY Post - “Follow the money.” That telling phrase, which has come to summarize the Watergate scandal, has been a part of the lexicon since 1976. It’s shorthand for political corruption: At what point do “contributions” become bribes, “constituent services” turn into quid pro quos and “charities” become slush funds?… Mandatory financial disclosures released this month show that, in just the two years from April 2013 to March 2015, the former first lady, senator and secretary of state collected $21,667,000 in “speaking fees,” not to mention the cool $5 mil she corralled as an advance for her 2014 flop book, “Hard Choices.” Throw in the additional $26,630,000 her ex-president husband hoovered up in personal-appearance “honoraria,” and the nation can breathe a collective sigh of relief that the former first couple — who, according to Hillary, were “dead broke” when they left the White House in 2001 with some of the furniture in tow — can finally make ends meet.

VIDEO: Judge Jeanine to Hillary Clinton: How Can You Keep Us Safe
Breitbart - On Saturday’s “Justice” on Fox News Channel, host Judge Jeanine Pirro questioned Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s foreign policy, asking how she could protect the country when she refuses to call Islamic terrorists what they are and when she “can’t even keep top secret intelligence” on her Blackberry.

Video: Hillary heckled — at her own fundraiser!
American Mirror - Some people dislike Hillary Clinton so much they’ll contribute to her campaign just so they can confront her. Such was the case at a fundraising event in Park Ridge, Illinois on Thursday. Cell phone video has emerged from the event that was closed to the media showing at least one heckler starting in on Clinton almost immediately after she began speaking. The largely inaudible chants continued as Clinton tried to speak over them…. Patrons paid anywhere from $45 to $2,700 to attend the event, according to the listing on her website.

Pensions may be cut to 'virtually nothing' for 407,000 people
CNN Money - In a last-ditch effort, the Central States Pension Plan sought government approval to partially reduce the pensions of 115,000 retirees and the future benefits for 155,000 current workers. The proposed cuts were steep, as much as 60% for some, but it wasn't enough. Earlier this month, the Treasury Department rejected the plan because it found that it would not actually head off insolvency.... Normally, when a multi-employer fund like Central States runs out of money, a government insurance fund called the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) kicks in so that retirees still receive some kind of benefit.... But there's yet another problem. The PBGC itself is underfunded and isn't expected to be able to cover all the retirees in the Central States Pension Fund.

State Of The States: New Jersey's Problems Are Not "Mathematically Solvable"
Zero Hedge - The stunning admission from a status-quo-sustaining bank that is “very focused on the total indebtedness of US states," should be worrisome enough but as Cembalest explains the answer to a debt problem is not always piling up more debt; the issue is to address the root of the problem, which can be a delicate and at times politically incorrect topic.... When he starts to look at state debt and the economic reality, Cembalest has deft insight to recognize that while math is unemotional, he is about to wade into a deeply emotional argument involving trust and promises made to government employees.... The gist of the state debt problem can be summed up in one sentence and it applies to municipal as well as sovereign debt as well. When debt reaches a certain level, the can kicking is over and difficult decisions need to be made. For Cembalest this means “states would need to raise substantial funds from increased tax revenues, cuts in non-retirement spending or increases in public sector worker contributions.”

Target Sales Drop Amid Transgender Promotion, Consumer Boycott, $10 Billion Stock Crash
Breitbart - The company’s second-quarter sales, from April to June, may drop as much as 2 percent compared to the prior year, executives told reporters and Wall Street analysts.... The earnings prediction comes a month after the left-leaning company announced April 19 that it would allow men claiming to be women to use the women’s bathrooms and changing rooms at its stores. The decision has sparked a boycott petition effort that garnered over 1.2 million signers in only a week. Target executives deny the pro-family consumer boycott is making a significant difference.... This week, the company announced a reshuffle in the executive office.... Target’s stock has fallen 20 percent — from $84 per share to $67 per share — since it imposed the pro-transgender policy on its customer base of families.

“Our Water, Our Future”: Voters in Oregon Defeat Nestlé’s Attempt to Privatize Their Water
Truthout - The issue that brought conservatives and progressives together in this way was clear-cut: keeping Nestlé Waters North America from building a water bottling plant and extracting over 118 million gallons annually from a spring in a small, rural community 45 miles east of Portland.... Oregon voters in Hood River County passed a first-of-its-kind ballot measure that bans the production and transportation of large-scale commercial bottled water within the county. The measure succeeded by an overwhelming majority of voters -- 68.8 percent voted in favor -- and effectively ended Nestlé's attempts to operate within the community.... Nestlé, frustrated by the amount of time it was taking for the city of Cascade Locks to obtain the water from the state of Oregon, changed tactics. Instead of trading water, the city and state officials moved to get an agreement that would permanently trade water rights. The change would avoid a lengthy public interest review process. At this point, opponents of Nestlé's project felt they had no other choice but to put the issue to a vote.

Warnings of Food Safety Threats as Canada Green Lights “Frankenfish”
Natural Blaze - Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced their approval of the U.S.-based biotechnology company AquaBounty’s salmon—which will be shipped as eggs from Prince Edward Island to laboratories in Panama, where they will be grown to their adult full size and sent back to Canada for sale and consumption—on Thursday. The approval comes despite two ongoing court battles against the Canadian government and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which were filed by environmental groups including the Ecology Action Centre in Nova Scotia and the Center for Food Safety in Washington, D.C.

The FBI’s secret biometrics database they don’t want you to see
RT - The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) wants to prevent information about its creepy biometric database, which contains fingerprint, face, iris, and voice scans of millions of Americans, from getting out to the public. The Department of Justice has come up with a proposal to exempt the biometric database from public disclosure. It states that the Next Generation Identification System (NGI) should not be subject to the Privacy Act, which requires federal agencies to give people access to records that have been collected concerning them, “allowing them to verify and correct them if needed.”.... The database contains biometric information on people who have provided fingerprints to employers, or for licenses and background checks, as well as on convicted criminals and those that have been suspected of wrongdoing even for a short period of time, according to Underground Reporter.

She Found a Rubber Band on Her Door Handle. The Reason Why It Was There is Terrifying!
David Wolfe - A woman living in Texas named Kim Cernigliaro had a close call with burglars who were trying to enter her home. She was home alone when she heard someone pounding on her front door. Her instincts told her that something was wrong, so thankfully, she chose not to open the door. But when she peered through the stained glass in her door, she saw the silhouette of an unknown man standing outside. Kim waited about 30 minutes before making a move, to ensure that her unexpected visitor was long gone. When she finally opened her front door, she found a rubber band wrapped around her doorknob. According to Kim’s local Sheriff, this is becoming more commonly seen in burglaries. Burglars place a rubber band around the door knob, allowing them to barge into the house as soon as the home owner unlatches the door, without having to wait for the home owner to actually turn the knob…. Here are a few basic safety tips that can help you make your home less enticing for burglars to target: 1. Don’t Let Packages Accumulate… 2. Display Home Security Signs… 3. Make Sure Your Home is Well-Lit… 4. Hide Your Valuables… 5. Reinforce Your Doors…

Video: Launching a Homestead Project in Texas!
Activist Post - The Conscious Resistance Derrick Broze discusses the beginning of a new homesteading project being organized by activists from the Houston area and around Texas. The basic idea is to buy land in Texas by the end of 2016/early 2017 and form a community of individuals based on the principles of non-aggression, permaculture/sustainability, and mindfulness. The goal is to make the community a hub for education, creation, and networking. The community will focus on becoming independent from all corporate and state systems (power, internet, food, economy, defense) through counter-economic activity.

279 Pregnant Women in the USA with Zika CDC Reports
Natural Society - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated the way it reports pregnancies in carriers of Zika. The new results from this method have found that over 279 pregnant women are positive carriers for the Zika virus. At this point, however, only a handful of women have suffered from miscarriages or confirmed birth defects… The CDC’s report is somewhat confusing, as although it reports 279 pregnant women, this figure also includes women who have already given birth. The women who have already had their babies or suffered miscarriages are those who have reported adverse effects, while those still pregnant have not yet been included in these statistics. The number of adverse effects is likely to rise as more Zika-infected women give birth.

6 Ways To Detox Fluoride – A Known Neurotoxin – From Your Body
Natural Blaze - Sodium fluoride is classified as a neurotoxin – in the same category as arsenic, lead, and mercury, but it’s still prevalent in the United States’ water supply. Here are six ways to detox the substance from your body…. 1) Get Adequate Iodine - Iodine is an important element for the normal metabolism of cells, especially thyroid hormones. It pushes the fluoride from your body via urine…. 2) Consume More Boron - Boron is a natural element that helps flush fluoride from your body. Boron-rich foods include most nuts, dates, prunes, honey, broccoli, bananas, and avocado. 3) Eat Some Tamarind - This African fruit and spice is used extensively in Ayurvedic medicine. It can be used in a tincture or tea to cleanse the body of fluoride. 4) Increase Magnesium/Calcium Intake - It plays an important role, however, in the metabolism and synthesis of nutrients within your cells. It also inhibits the absorption of fluoride into your cells. Along with magnesium, calcium seems to help attract fluoride away from bones and teeth, allowing the body to eliminate it…. 5) General Liver Cleanse - The most important step to detoxify from excess fluoride may be to cleanse your liver…. [and] 6) Sit In A Sauna - Saunas are great for ridding your body of toxins, as they inspire the body to sweat them out.
* Related: Short Film Reveals the Lunacy of Water Fluoridation

Mad Angel: Former Foster Child Now Parent is Creating an Army of Victims to Fight CPS
Health Impact News - Angelia Borths had her children seized by Child Protective Services and placed into foster care once simply because her 6 year old daughter was “too short.” Though the headline looked like it could have been ripped from a satire or spoof website, it was all too real. Fortunately, Angelia, or “Mad Angel” as she is known to thousands of her followers online, was able to regain custody of her children after the case with the absurd allegations was dropped. As reported in that article, Angelia spent part of her own childhood in foster care. She has seen Child Protective Services and foster care from the perspective of a child within the system, as a parent whose children were legally and medically kidnapped, and as a fierce advocate for families who scours the news and researches deeply to find information to help families and expose the many faults in the Child Protective Services system. She frequently writes powerful and informative posts on Facebook, and is a founding member of the advocacy group “Mad Angels Army.” One of the purposes of the group, founded earlier in 2016, is “to gather and create an army of advocates and victims to become ONE, LARGE, LOUD, UNITED, POWERFUL voice that cannot be ignored.”

13 Peppermint Oil Uses to Reduce Pain, Give you Energy, Relieve Allergies, and More
EmaxHealth - Here are 13 peppermint oil uses: Peppermint oil can relieve sinus issues including allergy symptoms and cold symptoms. It acts as a natural expectorant which can provide relief for congestion, cough, and even asthma and bronchitis. It perks you up. Inhaling peppermint essential oil can give you a much needed boost of energy. This is a much healthier alternative to energy drinks or drinking a large amount of caffeine. Whenever possible, go for the natural option.Adding peppermint oil to your shampoo will cause your scalp to thank you. It can serve to wake you up in the morning and also to prevent dandruff. Peppermint oil is effective at reducing the itch from rashes or other skin irritations. Instead of opting for a benedryl why not first try some natural peppermint oil? You might be very surprised at the results. By helping to smooth over the muscles in the GI tract, peppermint oil can help symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Nobody wants to have to keep running in and out of the bathroom. For relief try cooking with peppermint oil next time you are in the kitchen. Indigestion and heartburn sufferers can also find relief by using this trick. Headache? Try peppermint oil first before popping an Advil. Put a little bit right on your forehead for instant relief.

Buttery No-Bake Raspberry Bars
Paleohacks - Creamy. Decadent. Delicious. These Raspberry Cashew Bars come together with just four ingredients, and they require zero baking! Ingredients: 2 cups cashew butter, 2 cups frozen or fresh raspberries, ¼ cup maple syrup [and] 2 tsp vanilla extract…

The Underlying Cause of Disease That Hardly Anyone Considers
Dr. Becker - The majority of dogs and cats in the U.S. are not a healthy weight, according to the latest research by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP). The organization revealed that 58 percent of cats and 54 percent of dogs were overweight or obese in 2015…. Excess weight in pets leads to consequences similar to those in people. Claims for arthritic pets rose nearly 350 percent from 2011-2012, and arthritis was still the most common obesity-related disease in dogs as of 2015. The extra weight puts stress on joints, which can leave your pet unable to get around. Pets may end up being euthanized for this reason, when maintaining a healthy weight could have prevented or reversed the problem. In cats, the most common obesity-related complication is bladder and urinary tract disease, according to pet insurance provider Nationwide. The company used their database of 550,000 pets to determine the top obesity-related conditions, as follows. Claims for such conditions rose 10 percent since 2014.
 

Friday - May 20, 2016  -  Today in History:

1775 - North Carolina became the first colony to declare its independence. This is the date that is on the George state flag even though the date of this event has been questioned.
1784 - The Peace of Versailles ended a war between France, England, and Holland.
1861 - North Carolina became the eleventh state to secede from the Union.
1861 - During the American Civil War, the capital of the Confederacy was moved from Montgomery, AL, to Richmond, VA.
1873 - Levi Strauss began marketing blue jeans with copper rivets.
1875 - The International Bureau of Weights and Measures was established.
1902 - The U.S. military occupation of Cuba ended.
1902 - Cuba gained its independence from Spain.
1926 - The U.S. Congress passed the Air Commerce Act. The act gave the Department of Commerce the right to license pilots and planes.
1927 - Charles Lindbergh took off from New York to cross the Atlantic for Paris aboard his airplane the "Spirit of St. Louis." The trip took 33 1/2 hours.
1932 - Amelia Earhart took off to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She became the first woman to achieve the feat.
1939 - The first regular air-passenger service across the Atlantic Ocean began with the take-off of the "Yankee Clipper" from Port Washington, New York.
1941 - Germany invaded Crete by air.
1969 - U.S. and South Vietnamese forces captured Apbia Mountain, which was referred to as Hamburger Hill.
1970 - 100,000 people marched in New York supporting U.S. policies in Vietnam.
1978 - Mavis Hutchinson, at age 53, became the first woman to run across America. It took Hutchinson 69 days to run the 3,000 miles.
1985 - The FBI arrested U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer John Walker. Walker had begun spying for the Soviet Union in 1968.
1990 - The Hubble Space Telescope sent back its first photographs.
1996 - The U.S. Supreme Court struck down a Colorado measure banning laws that would protect homosexuals from discrimination.

China says it's ready if US ‘stirs up any conflict’ in South China Sea
CNBC News - China's attempts to claim a nearly 1.4-million-square-mile swathe of open ocean are without precedent and probably without legal merit, but Beijing continues to assert its right to the economically critical zone — and increasingly puts its claims in military terms. Speaking to a small group of reporters in Beijing on Thursday, a high-ranking Chinese official made his warning clear: The United States should not provoke China in the South China Sea without expecting retaliation.

NATO finalizes military build-up to counter Russia
(AFP) - NATO foreign ministers were on Thursday finalising the alliance's biggest military build-up since the end of the Cold War to counter what they see as a more aggressive and unpredictable Russia. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said the two-day meeting would address "all the important issues" to prepare for a "landmark" summit in Poland in July. There, NATO leaders will formally endorse the revamp which puts more troops into eastern European member states as part of a "deter and dialogue" strategy, meant to reassure allies they will not be left in the lurch in any repeat of the Ukraine crisis.

'Terror more likely than tech failure': 5 things we know so far about missing EgyptAir plane
RT - An EgyptAir Airbus A320 with 66 on board went missing over the Mediterranean hours after it took off from Paris’s Charles de Gaulle Airport. There have been reports of debris and life vests being found. Here’s what is known about the disappeared MS804 so far....

China Furious After US Launches Trade War "Nuke" With 522% Duty
Zero Hedge - China is livid: as a result of record Chinese steel dumping, the US unleashed what is nothing short of a nuclear bomb in its rapidly escalating trade war with China, by imposing duties of 522% on cold-rolled steel used in automobiles and other manufacturing. In doing so it has effectively rendered Chinese exports to the US unsustainable and will force even more excess Chinese production to remain landlocked within China's borders, making the domestic glut that much worse.

92 Peruvian Kids Poisoned by Glyphosate, Ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup
Sputnik News - On Tuesday, nearly 100 people at an elementary school in Northern Peru were made violently ill when a plane fumigating nearby fields released weed-killer. Reports stated that 92 school children and 3 teachers were exposed to the dangerous herbicide glyphosate, the active ingredient in US biotech giant Monsanto’s best-selling product, Roundup. A health official in the municipality of Nepena said at a news conference that children in the school suffered a range of symptoms, including extreme vomiting, fainting, stomach pains, and headaches as a result of the exposure.

State Dept gets around to outlawing ISIS in Libya, Yemen, Saudi Arabia
RT - It took them long enough, but the US Department of State officially designated Islamic State branches in Libya, Yemen and Saudi Arabia as terrorist organizations. The designation means US sanctions and penalties for anyone involved with the groups. As of Thursday, the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) branch in Libya has been classified as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, the State Department announced. The US is also classifying IS branches in Libya, Yemen and Saudi Arabia as “Specially Designated Global Terrorists under Section 1(b) of Executive Order (E.O.) 13224.”

Republicans, Democrats Agree On A Bill To Bailout Puerto Rico
Zero Hedge - - It turns out that Puerto Rico's plan to default on its debt and beg congress for help is working out as planned. After a slight delay, House Republicans have reached an agreement with the Obama administration to provide a path to restructure Puerto Rico's $70 billion debt load. The bill would offer the island a legal out similar to bankruptcy and wouldn't commit any federal money according to the WSJ.

Insurer Sues US Government For $223 Million In Obamacare Related Back Payments
Zero Hedge - In 2014, insurers paid $362 million into the program, however they requested a whopping $2.87 billion in payments to help cover losses. Due to this, the federal Department of Health and Human Services promptly backed out of the agreement it had made with insurers, and decided to announce that insurers would only receive 12.6% of the money they claimed under the risk-corridor program in 2014. Perhaps the bill came due for that $4.4 billion destroyer the Navy decided it needed and the money went to pay for that instead. It turns out that at least one insurer isn't going accept that the the government isn't going to fulfill its end of the bargain.

California Governor Wants to Shield Corrupt LA County Social Workers by Making Child Death Files Secret
Health Impact News - Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration has quietly drafted a bill that would gut key portions of the state's landmark law requiring child protective services agencies to release records when a youth dies of abuse or neglect. A vote is expected within the next week. It is the second time in two years that California Department of Social Services Director Will Lightbourne has introduced the bill on an emergency basis through a “trailer bill,” introduced as part of the state’s May budgeting process. That approach bypasses the usual committee review and fast-tracks the proposal for a vote.

‘Gunpocalypse’: California Senate to Act on 10 Gun Control Bills
Breitbart - The bills include an outright ban on “the manufacture and sale of semiautomatic rifles that have detachable magazines,” background checks for ammunition purchasers, and a statewide ban on magazines that hold more than ten rounds of ammunition. According to the Los Angles Times, the massive body of gun control bills “were introduced after two terrorists killed 14 people attending a holiday event in San Bernardino.” In other words, after gun control proved impotent against determined attackers like Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik, the California Senate decided more gun control for law-abiding citizens was the solution.

Mexican Airline Offering Migrants Free Airfare to Texas Border
Breitbart - The Panamanian government confirmed to the Associated Press Wednesday that Panama City-based Copa Airlines and Mexico’s Global Air are now offering roughly 30 percent discounts for adult Cuban migrants hoping to cross into the United States with children enjoying complimentary seats. Since May 9, the airlines have reported that almost 2,500 have been shuttled to Ciudad Juarez for easy crossing into El Paso thereafter. An estimated 1,300 await flights booked in the weeks ahead under the promotion. educed airfare is only the latest in a chain of opportunities provided to Cubans arriving in El Paso. ...

Seattle Officers Stop Several East African Migrants with Suitcases of Cash Leaving US – And They’re All on Welfare
The Gateway Pundit - The people carrying the cash didn’t hide the fact from Customs. Just the opposite, they reported it. Anyone traveling out of the United States is required to declare any amount over $10,000 and fill out a one-page federal form. …Seattle and King County are home to tens of thousands of immigrants and refugees from East Africa, many of whom use the hawalas to send much-needed money back to loved ones in their homelands. Given the presence of active terrorist organizations in Somalia, investigators worry that some of the money shipped home by Somalis up in the hands of the Al Qaeda affiliate active there.

Trump Adviser Stephen Miller: Personal Attacks on Hillary Will Get More ‘Aggressive’ (Video)
Breitbart - Thursday on CNN’s “Newsroom,” presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump senior adviser’s Stephen Miller said the personal attacks on Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton are “going to be a lot more aggressive.”

Clintons took payments from Trans-Pacific Partnership backers last year
Washington Examiner - Former President Bill Clinton raked in millions of dollars from special interest groups in the weeks just before and after his wife announced her presidential campaign, including $325,000 from a group that pushed for the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Hillary Clinton came out against the trade deal in October under pressure from her rival, Bernie Sanders, and his progressive supporters. Sanders denounced the agreement early in his campaign, arguing the deal benefits major corporations at the expense of American jobs. But the National Association of Manufacturers, which paid Bill Clinton a hefty fee just one month before Hillary Clinton launched her candidacy in April, lobbied for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

‘Labeled for life’: Thousands of sexual assault victims punished by military
RT - Thousands of US service members have been discharged from the military after reporting a sexual assault or rape, according to a new report, which adds that they are labeled in a way that prevents them from getting jobs or receiving benefits. A 124-page report from Human Rights Watch claims that, while the military has adopted some reforms to protect current service members who report being assaulted, the military has done nothing to address the numerous past cases in which service members were “unfairly discharged.”
Additionally, those who are given “bad discharges” have little recourse when it comes to contesting their status.

Holocaust Survivor and Veteran Reunite After 71 Years (Video)
Natural Society - ABC News was on hand to capture an incredible moment in the lives of two brave men: the reunion of a World War II veteran who helped liberate Dachau (the first of the Nazi concentration camps opened in Germany) and a man who was imprisoned there. The now 90-year-old Marcel Levy was just 17 years old when he was liberated from Dachau by 94-year-old Sid Shafner’s Battalion, who was himself just 21. The face-to-face meeting on May 10 was captured on camera after Sid Shafner’s trip to Poland and Israel, where he met with Levy at an Israeli army base. The pair embraced one another with tears in their eyes as their families stood by their sides. They exchanged photographs and even showed photos of themselves at liberation. “Everything I have today, all of my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, is due to you,” Levy told Shafner during their reunion.

Small Business Owner Explains The Unintended Consequences Of Obamacare
Zero Hedge - Lawmakers are well aware of their policy error, and on Wednesday yet another small business owner testified in front of the Senate committee on small business and entrepreneurship to explain what he has experienced as a result of congress rushing to get Obamacare passed. Tom Kunkel, president and CEO of Maryland-based Full House Marketing and Print explained that he once hoped that Obamacare would have a favorable benefit to his business.

Caterpillar Retail Sales Fall For Record 41 Consecutive Months
Zero Hedge - For Caterpillar, the great recession was bad, for about 19 months. In May 2010, after declining sharply for just under two years, CAT posted it first positive global retail sales comps and never looked back... until December 2012 when comp sales once again turned negative and have been negative ever since. For the past 41 months!

Poll: Two-thirds of US would struggle to cover $1,000 crisis
(AP) - Two-thirds of Americans would have difficulty coming up with the money to cover a $1,000 emergency, according to an exclusive poll released Thursday, a signal that despite years of recovery from the Great Recession, Americans' financial conditions remain precarious as ever. These financial difficulties span all income levels, according to the poll conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Seventy-five percent of people in households making less than $50,000 a year would have difficulty coming up with $1,000 to cover an unexpected bill.

Is One-Fifth of the World’s Plant Life In Danger of Extinction
Natural Blaze - According to scientists, there are roughly 391,000 recorded species of vascular plants in the world, which are a large group that contains those plants with lignified tissues for “conducting water and minerals through the plant.” Shockingly, a report released last week says that more than 20 percent of those plants are threatened with extinction. That’s 1 in every 5 plants.

What to do in Case You Suspect Nursing Home Abuse?
Natural Blaze - Nursing home abuse is a type of abuse that affects hundreds of residents in these specialized facilities. Unfortunately, many of them experience this abuse on a daily basis. The most frequent type of abuse in nursing home residents is negligence. Latest statistics show that there is a continuous growth of the number of nursing home abuse cases. So, the question is what should people do in case they suspect that their loved ones are victims of nursing home abuse?

14 Natural Antibiotics Powerful & More Prominent Than Conventional Medicine!
Natural News Blogs - We are all living in a planet that’s becoming more and more dependent on chemicals. Antibiotics can have bad side effects when they’re overused. Due to over-consumption, treating infections with antibiotics today unfortunately, leads to more damage than good, to our immunity and digestive systems. People of ancient times were not much advanced in science so they used to treat diseases using natural herbs, food and plants.

3 Evidence-Based Natural Allergy Remedies
Green Med Info - Allergies can be extremely difficult to deal with, especially when sufferers deal with year-round symptoms. Luckily, there are safe, natural alternatives to the harsh pharmaceutical options.

MSG is Hiding in Your Food! 13 Ingredients to Watch Out For!
David Wolfe - In neurosurgeon Dr. Russell Blaylock’s book, Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills, he explains that MSG is an excitotoxin, which means that it overexcites your cells to the point of damage or death, and it can even cause brain damage to varying degrees, potentially triggering a number of conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and Lou Gehrig’s disease. The free glutamic acid found in MSG is the same neurotransmitter that the brain, nervous system, eyes, pancreas and other organs use to initiate certain processes in the body. Although the FDA has labeled MSG safe, they state, “Studies have shown that the body uses glutamate, an amino acid, as a nerve impulse transmitter in the brain and that there are glutamate-responsive tissues in other parts of the body as well. Abnormal functions of glutamate receptors have been linked with certain neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s and Chorea.”

Thursday - May 19, 2016  -  Today in History:

1608 - The Protestant states formed the Evangelical Union of Lutherans and Calvinists.
1643 - Delegates from four New England colonies met in Boston to form a confederation.
1847 - The first English-style railroad coach was placed in service on the Fall River Line in Massachusetts.
1856 - U.S. Senator Charles Sumner spoke out against slavery.
1864 - The Union and Confederate armies launched their last attacks against each other at Spotsylvania in Virginia.
1906 - The Federated Boys' Clubs, forerunner of the Boys' Clubs of America, were organized.
1911 - The first American criminal conviction that was based on fingerprint evidence occurred in New York City.
1943 - Winston Churchill told the U.S. Congress that his country was pledging their full support in the war against Japan.
1962 - Marilyn Monroe performed a sultry rendition of "Happy Birthday" for U.S. President John F. Kennedy. The event was a fund-raiser at New York's Madison Square Garden.
1964 - The U.S. State Department reported that diplomats had found about 40 microphones planted in the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.
1967 - The Soviet Union ratified a treaty with the United States and Britain that banned nuclear weapons from outer space.
1974 - Erno Rubik invented the puzzle what would later become known as the Rubik's Cube.1967 - U.S. planes bombed Hanoi for the first time.
1981 - The Empire State Building was designated a New York City Landmark.
1992 - U.S. Vice President Dan Quayle criticized the CBS sitcom "Murphy Brown" for having its title character decide to bear a child out of wedlock.
1992 - In Massapequa, NY, Mary Jo Buttafuoco was shot and seriously wounded by Amy Fisher. Fisher was her husband Joey's teen-age lover.
1992 - The 27th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution went into effect. The amendment prohibits Congress from giving itself midterm pay raises.
2003 - It was announced that Worldcom Inc. would pay investors $500 million to settle civil fraud charges over its $11 billion accounting scandal.
2003 - Hundreds of Albert Einstein's scientific papers, personal letters and humanist essays were make available on the Internet. Einstein had given the papers to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in his will.

EgyptAir flight from Paris to Cairo missing with 66 on board
Reuters.com - An EgyptAir flight carrying 66 passengers and crew on a flight from Paris to Cairo disappeared from radar over the Mediterranean, Egypt's national airline said. Officials said they believed the jet went down in the sea. Egyptian Prime Minister Sherif Ismail said a search was underway for the missing Airbus A320 and it was too early to rule out any explanation, including terrorism. Officials with the airline and the Egyptian civil aviation department told Reuters they believed the jet had crashed into the Mediterranean between Greece and Egypt.

‘Unsafe and Unprofessional’: Chinese Intercept US Jet Over South China Sea
Sputnik News - According to DoD spokeswoman Lieutenant Colonel Michelle Baldanza, a US reconnaissance aircraft was flying in a "routine patrol" in international airspace on May 17 when "two tactical aircraft from the People's Republic of China" intercepted the plane. In traditional rhetoric, the DoD labeled the intercept "unsafe and unprofessional," a commonplace code-phrase used when a US military plane or ship encounters a foreign military plane at a distance of less than 50 feet. The incident is currently under investigation by US Pacific Command.

Nato risks a nuclear war with Russia ‘within a year’, senior general warns
The Independent - Nato risks a nuclear war with Russia within a year if it does not increase its defence capabilities in the Baltic states, one of the alliance's most senior retired generals has said. General Sir Richard Shirreff, who served as Nato’s Deputy Supreme Allied Commander in Europe between 2011 and 2014, said that an attack on Estonia, Lithuania or Latvia – all Nato members – was a serious possibility and that the West should act now to avert “potential catastrophe”.

Spain's debt now worth more than value of the economy
CNBC - The bank said Wednesday that Spain's public debt stockpile stood at 1.09 trillion euros ($1.23 trillion) in the first quarter of the year. That represents 101 percent of the country's annual GDP — 1.08 trillion euros — in 2015. The government estimates the debt ratio will be 99.1 percent of GDP at the end of 2016. Spain's public debt has risen consistently since the beginning of the country's economic crisis in 2008. Spain emerged from a double-dip recession in late 2013, ending a five-year period that saw some 3.5 million jobs lost. It now is one of the European Union's strongest-growing economies.

Battle of the military budget: Congress, White House clash over NDAA
RT - The GOP majority in Congress is pushing a draft of the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act, which they say will fully fund the US military. The Pentagon is not happy with micro-management, however, and the White House is threatening to veto the bill. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) said the NDAA gives the troops a much-needed raise, authorizes “the necessary force, structure, equipment, and funding to close the readiness gap,” reforms the acquisitions process, and updates military laws to better fight sexual assault. Ryan also pointed out that the bill blocks the transfer of any suspected terrorists from the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba.... The bill, known as House Resolution 4909, provides $517.1 billion in discretionary spending for the Pentagon – a $3 billion increase from the 2016 levels, but $587 million below President Barack Obama’s budget request. It was approved by the House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday, and sent to the House floor for debate on Wednesday.

We Found a Preview of the 28 Redacted Pages — and It’s a 9/11 Game-Changer
The Anti-Media - On Tuesday, the New York Times revealed a document published by the National Archives that appears to offer a glimpse into potentially damning information contained in the so-called ‘missing’ 28 pages concerning the attacks on September 11, 2001. Those 28 pages are “an entire section within the official report of the Joint Inquiry into Intelligence Community Activities Before and After the Terrorist Attacks … Conducted by the House and Senate intelligence committees, its 838-page report was published in December 2002.”... Tuesday’s disclosure from the National Archives appears to show why those families might, indeed, have a justifiable reason to hold the Saudis at least partly responsible for damages — despite its contents only hinting at information potentially contained in the 28 pages.

Snowden on Destroyed Torture Report: ‘When CIA Destroys Something, It’s Never a Mistake’
Mikael Thalen - As reported Monday, an intelligence source speaking with Yahoo News revealed that the CIA inspector general’s office deleted both an “uploaded computer file with the report” as well as “a disk that also contained the document.” Snowden, who worked as a cybersecurity expert for the CIA prior to his time as an NSA contractor, insinuated that the document’s destruction was anything but accidental. The 6,700-page report includes thousands of secret documents, “including original CIA cables and memos, on the agency’s use of waterboarding, sleep deprivation and other aggressive interrogation methods” at “black site” prisons across the globe.

New York City businesses face fine up to $250,000 if they don't use gender correct pronouns like 'ze' and 'hir' to refer to transgenders
Daily Mail - A law in New York City will fine businesses and employers if they violate a person's human rights by not using their preferred 'gender pronoun.' Mayor Bill de Blasio's Commission on Human Rights appears to have updated the law on 'Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Expression' to include businesses, employees and landlords who fail to refer to transgender people as terms such as 'ze' and 'hir'. They will be in violation of the New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL), that forces employers and 'converted entities to use an individual's preferred name, pronoun and title (e.g., Ms./Mrs.) regardless of the individual's sex assigned at birth, anatomy, gender, medical history, appearance, or the sex indicated on the individual's identification,' according to the guidance information on the city's website.

New Law Introduced Into California Legislature Would Punish Companies That Boycott Israel
Mint Press - The legislator who introduced the bill claims “boycotts of countries often derive from ethnic, religious, racial, or nationality discrimination, which directly contradicts the values of California citizens.” A Republican California assemblyman introduced a bill into the state legislature on Monday that would forbid the state – whose campuses have been a focal point of BDS activity – from doing business with companies boycotting, sanctioning or divesting from Israel. Travis Allen, of Huntington Beach in southern California’s Orange County, introduced the bill – called the California- Israel Protection Act – to “require the State of California to divest from companies that boycott Israel.”... The bill would also penalize companies boycotting products made in the settlements, east Jerusalem or the Golan Heights, since it would prohibit California from investing in any company that is “engaging in actions that are politically motivated and are intended to penalize, inflict economic harm on, or otherwise limit commercial relations with the State of Israel or companies based in the State of Israel or in territories controlled by the State of Israel.”

Obama Spending Millions of Tax Dollars on Summer Jobs for Refugees
Breitbart - The President has unveiled a program he is calling the Summer Opportunity Project, insisting, “Access to a job in the summer and beyond can make all the difference to a young person–especially those who don’t have access to many resources and opportunities.” Obama is providing $21 million in tax dollars for the program to help American youth find work for the summer, but along with finding jobs for Americans, $2 million of the funds are being earmarked for about 400 “refugees” currently situated in New York. According to Syracuse.com, the money will be spent to aid the refugees to gain work experience by offering academic tutoring in English and math, as well as finding them part-time jobs.

22 Percent of Resettled Refugees in Minnesota Test Positive for Tuberculosis
Breitbart - One of every five refugees resettled in Minnesota by the federal government tested positive for latent tuberculosis in 2014, according to the state’s Department of Health.... 26 percent of all foreign born cases of tuberculosis in Minnesota were from people born in Somalia. Somalians almost exclusively enter the state through the refugee resettlement program. More than 70,000 refugees have been resettled in the United States annually for the past three decades by the federal government. It’s not just tuberculosis being brought in by these resettled refugees. Measles, whooping cough, diptheria, and other diseases that were on their way to eradication are also coming in across the borders of the United States.

Experts: TSA Gridlock Could Be A ‘Manufactured Crisis’
Steve Watson - An aviation expert has suggested that the ridiculous long lines at airport security checkpoints in the last few days could have been purposefully manufactured by the TSA in order to make a point and get increased government funding. Airports all over the country have experienced gridlock, with videos and images showing lines of commuters literally snaking and tailing back for miles. Two of the worst affected airports were Chicago O’Hare and Midway. Some travelers complained that it took two hours to clear the security line, blaming the fact that TSA was forcing everyone to take off their shoes and belts. Aviation expert Robert Mack told CBS Chicago that the lines were “sort of a perfect storm” and that the TSA knew this was going to happen. Mack theorized that an increase in travelers as we head toward Summer, combined with fewer TSA workers, and the agency asking for more funding has led directly to the problem. When asked if the TSA could have purposefully allowed the gridlock to happen, Mack said “It’s possible. Or they could just be completely inept.”
* Related: Shocking Images Of Record Long Lines At US Airports

Trump identifies 11 potential Supreme Court nominees
Reuters - All of Trump's 11 judges are listed as affiliated with the Federalist Society on the influential conservative legal group's website. The organization is known as a breeding ground for conservative legal thinkers. It is unusual for a presidential candidate to release names of potential Supreme Court or Cabinet nominees before winning an election. But Trump is working to assure conservatives in his own party that, if elected president on Nov. 8, he would not appoint a liberal or moderate to the court. Trump allies had encouraged him to announce the names of potential court nominees to allay fears among conservatives wary of a Trump presidency. Trump's list includes: Steven Colloton of Iowa, a judge on the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals; Raymond Gruender of Missouri, also a judge on the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals; and Thomas Hardiman of Pennsylvania, a judge on the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals. It also includes: Raymond Kethledge of Michigan, a judge on the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals; William Pryor of Alabama, a judge on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals; and Diane Sykes of Wisconsin, a judge on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Department of Defense to report on health of radiation-afflicted sailors aboard USS Ronald Reagan
(NaturalNews) When a massive tsunami struck the coast of Japan in March 2011, the US responded by sending 24 Navy ships, 189 aircraft and 24,000 service personnel to the island. The humanitarian mission, Operation Tomodachi, voyaged into the wreckage of the tsunami aftermath, as crews began searching for bodies.... During the mission, without any warning, a plume of radiation struck the aircraft carrier, bludgeoning the senses of those on board. "Next thing we know we've got this nasty, metallic taste in our mouth." Cooper says the crew was ordered below and believes that they "had just got slammed by a radioactive plume." The metal taste was reminiscent of testimony from those who lived downwind of the Three Mile Island nuclear reactor meltdown in 1979.... According to the aircraft carrier's deck log, the ship was struck by radioactive plumes that lasted up to five hours... . As the US Department of Defense prepared to report on this, how will the issue be resolved? Will the stories of these brave servicemen and women be brought to life?

Video: Sick sailors meet with Japan's former prime minister
(CBS 8) May 18, 2016 - The fallout from Japan's nuclear disaster has hit home as the former Japanese prime minister and U.S. Sailors file a lawsuit against Tokyo Electric Power Company.... Recently, former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi listened to 10 sailors talk about health issues since "Operation Tomodachi." The sailors said they're honored to have another advocate on their side.... More than 400 sailors and service members are charging Tokyo Electric Power Company, TEPCO, of not being truthful about the level of radiation in the atmosphere after the disaster....The Navy would not comment pending litigation, but a judge has ruled in favor of the sailors. TEPCO has filed an appeal with the 9th Circuit Court.

The Seeds of Revolt: American Families Owe Trillions of Dollars in Debt They Can’t Pay Off
Breitbart - Slate took a look at household debt recently, and found that it “remains higher than it was for almost all of postwar history,” despite a significant improvement since the end of the last recession.... The problem with this debt load is the extreme difficulty of paying it off, even for people with stable jobs. That average mortgage payment will be well over a thousand dollars, with taxes and other fees included. The car payments on an average $27,000 loan will be over $300 for most, depending on the terms. It’s harder to estimate average student loan payments, but a Brookings study in 2014 found that “seventy-five percent of households made payments of less than $300 each month and 50 percent of households made payments of less than $160.” Call it $150, then add $500 a month for minimal credit card, and you’ve got almost $2,000 a month going out the door for loan payments. That would leave most of the credit card balances untouched, while the mortgage and student loan balances would take decades to pay off.

Study finds high rate of repossessions in auto title loans
Breitbart - People who put their cars up as collateral for what are supposed to be short-term emergency loans are being hit with interest rates of 300 percent, a high rate of repossession and long repayment periods.... The CFPB’s study found that the typical auto title loan was about $700 with an annual percentage rate of 300 percent. Like payday loans, borrowers have a high likelihood of renewing the loan instead of paying it off. “Instead of repaying their loan with a single payment when it is due, most borrowers wind up mired in debt for most of the year,” said CFPB Director Richard Cordray in prepared remarks. Worse, one out of every five auto title loans made results in the borrower’s car being repossessed, according to the study.

Colorado Governor Signs Law Allowing Residents To Collect Rainwater On Their Property
True Activist - Colorado residents will now be able to collect rainwater on their property after a new bill was signed Thursday by Governor John Hickenlooper. Rainwater surface runoff in Colorado is protected by strict laws to prevent the flow of rainwater from being significantly reduced for people who hold senior water rights downstream. Colorado residents will be allowed to store up to 110 gallons of rainwater in two 55-gallon barrels. The bill takes effect in August 2016 unless a petition is filed for a voter referendum, meaning the proposal would be voted on by the public in the November elections. Colorado’s farmers have been divided over the proposed law with opponents claiming rainwater collection barrels would decrease the amount of surface runoff which provides water to downstream areas.

A hacker is reportedly selling the stolen emails and passwords of 117 million LinkedIn users
Business Insider - A hacker known as "Peace" is selling what is reportedly account information from 117 million LinkedIn users. The stolen data is said to include email addresses and passwords, which a malicious party could use to gain access to other websites and accounts for which people used the same password. LinkedIn says it has about 433 million members worldwide, so this data could represent 27% of its user base. The hacker says the credentials were obtained during a LinkedIn data breach in 2012 that saw 6.5 million encrypted passwords posted online, according to Motherboard. But the leak now appears to be much larger than was thought at the time. Peace is selling the data for about $2,200 (5 bitcoin) on the Dark Web, the part of the internet accessible only with a special browser that masks user identities.

Developer of Online Anonymity Tool Tor Flees US to Escape FBI ‘Harassment’
Sputnik News - The Federal Bureau of Investigations may be looking to break into Tor, the Internet browser that hides user’s locations, by trying to subpoena one of Tor’s primary software developers, and instead of complying, she has fled the country. The FBI wants the cryptographer, who goes by Isis Agora Lovecruft, to testify in a criminal hacking investigation, but privacy advocates — as well as Lovecruft herself — believe the Bureau will attempt to coerce her into helping them crack the system. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), the leading nonprofit organization defending electronic civil liberties, has also taken on the case.

In Search For Cures, Scientists Create Embryos That Are Both Animal And Human
npr - The researchers hope these embryos, known as chimeras, could eventually help save the lives of people with a wide range of diseases. One way would be to use chimera embryos to create better animal models to study how human diseases happen and how they progress. Perhaps the boldest hope is to create farm animals that have human organs that could be transplanted into terminally ill patients. But some scientists and bioethicists worry the creation of these interspecies embryos crosses the line. "You're getting into unsettling ground that I think is damaging to our sense of humanity," says Stuart Newman, a professor of cell biology and anatomy at the New York Medical College. The experiments are so sensitive that the National Institutes of Health has imposed a moratorium on funding them while officials explore the ethical issues they raise. Nevertheless, a small number of researchers are pursuing the work with private funding.

The 8 Dumbest Mistakes Even Smart Gardeners Make (No. 3 Could Ruin Your Entire Crop)
Off the Grid News - Growing food is a combination of science, art, diligence and good fortune — and it is a moving target. There are the perennial challenges to stay ahead of weeding and watering, and to protect the plants from the hungry jaws of insects and wildlife... Here are eight ways that even the best gardeners can slip up. 1. Leaving inadequate space between plants and between rows.... It is important to follow the instructions on the seed packet or in the catalog, and even get out a tape measure if necessary in order to prevent underestimating the distance between plants. 2. Losing control of succession planting. The idea behind this concept is to plant a little at a time, over a span of several weeks. This is to prevent drowning in those early summer vegetables... 3. Forgetting about soil health. Soil is a living entity. Without healthy soil, hopes for healthy garden plants are slim. 4. Recreational rototilling. Excess tilling can destroy organisms which keep the soil alive and vibrant, and allow the soil to become compacted and lifeless...

Big Pharma’s Dirty Little Secret: Vaccine-Induced Autoimmune Injury
Green Med Info - This month at the 10th Autoimmunity Congress in Leipzig, Germany a leading pharmaceutical researcher presented his international team’s findings... Sohail Ahmed, lead author of a ground breaking paper published last summer in Science Translational Medicine explained how the now-retracted Pandemrix vaccine was implicated in a narcolepsy epidemic of more than 1,300 children in several European countries and spates of cases linked to other vaccines for the 2009 swine flu pandemic that never materialized. It turns out, part of the influenza nucleoprotein in the swine flu vaccine looked (molecularly) just like a receptor for a neurotransmitter in the brain called orexin that regulates the sleep/wake cycle, explained, Ahmed former global head of clinical sciences at Novartis... “Adjuvants expand, potentiate, and increase immune responses,” explains [biochemist] Kanduc. “Such hyperactivation has a price: the loss of specificity. The hyper-stimulated immune system does not discriminate any more between foreign proteins and self-proteins…Adjuvants render the immune system blind. Human proteins that share peptide sequences will be attacked.”

Grape polyphenols help counter negative effects of high fat diet
(NaturalNews) Grape polyphenols may help protect the body from the effects of a diet high in fat, according to two studies conducted by researchers from the University of North Carolina Greensboro, and published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry. "These two studies suggest that grapes and grape polyphenols may help offset a number of the adverse effects of consuming a high fat diet and trigger improvements in intestinal or systemic health," lead researcher Michael McIntosh said. "This is an exciting area of health that merits further study." Many of the famous health benefits of red wine, such as reduced cardiovascular disease risk, are thought to stem from plant compounds known as polyphenols. Grape skins are particularly high in these compounds. In addition to having high antioxidant activity, polyphenols may also help block the production of a protein that plays a role in cardiovascular disease.

Infants fed rice have twice as high urinary arsenic concentrations than infants fed no rice
(NaturalNews) Rice cereal is one of the most widely consumed solid foods among infants, primarily because it has a mushy texture and is easy to digest. Nevertheless, parents may want to be careful about how much rice they feed their children. A recent study, published online by JAMA Pediatrics, found that infants who consume rice and rice products had higher urinary arsenic concentrations than infants who did not do so. Exposure to inorganic arsenic from white and brown rice is a growing problem among infants, and can impair a child's immune system and cognitive development.... When arsenic poisoning becomes acute, it can spur a host of symptoms, including diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, blood in the urine and even cramps. It affects organs throughout the body, including the skin, lungs, kidneys and liver.

Wednesday - May 18, 2016  -  Today in History:

1652 - In Rhode Island, a law was passed that made slavery illegal in North America. It was the first law of its kind.
1792 - Russian troops invaded Poland.
1798 - The first Secretary of the U.S. Navy was appointed. He was Benjamin Stoddert.
1896 - The U.S. Supreme court upheld the "separate but equal" policy in the Plessy vs. Ferguson decision. The ruling was overturned 58 years later with Brown vs. Board of Education.
1917 - The U.S. Congress passed the Selective Service act, which called up soldiers to fight in World War I.
1933 - The Tennessee Valley Authority was created.
1934 - The U.S. Congress approved an act, known as the "Lindberg Act," that called for the death penalty in interstate kidnapping cases.
1944 - Monte Cassino, Europe's oldest Monastic house, was finally captured by the Allies in Italy.
1951 - The United Nations moved its headquarters to New York City.
1974 - India became the sixth nation to explode an atomic bomb.
1980 - Mt. Saint Helens erupted in Washington state. 57 people were killed and 3 billion in damage was done.
1983 - The U.S. Senate revised immigration laws and gave millions of illegal aliens legal status under an amnesty program.
1994 - Israel's three decades of occupation in the Gaza Strip ended as Israeli troops completed their withdrawal and Palestinian authorities took over.
1998 - The U.S. federal government and 20 states filed a sweeping antitrust case against Microsoft Corp., saying the computer software company had a "choke hold" on competitors which denied consumer choices by controlling 90% of the software market.
1998 - U.S. federal officials arrested more than 130 people and seized $35 million. This was the end to an investigation of money laundering being done by a dozen Mexican banks and two drug-smuggling cartels.
2014 - Russian President Putin signed a bill to absorb Crimea into the Russian Federation.

Three bombings in Baghdad kill 70 in worst violence so far this year
Reuters - At least 72 people were killed and more than 140 wounded by three bombings in Baghdad on Tuesday, police and medical sources said, extending the deadliest spate of attacks in the Iraqi capital so far this year. Islamic State claimed one suicide bombing which killed 38 people and wounded over 70 in a marketplace in the northern, mainly Shi'ite Muslim district of al-Shaab. A car bomb in nearby Shi'ite Sadr City killed at least 28 dead and 57 wounded, and another car blew up in the mixed Shi'ite-Sunni neighborhood of al-Rasheed, south of the capital, killing six and wounding 21, the sources said.

‘No new military base in Palmyra’ – Russian Defense Ministry refutes AP report
RT - The Russian Defense Ministry has denied allegations reported by the AP that Russia is constructing an army base in the ancient city of Palmyra, which has recently been freed from Islamic State. Earlier in the day, the AP news agency came out with a report stating that the Russian military is building an army base in Palmyra within the zone listed by UNESCO as a world heritage site, and without permission from authorities. The agency cited an “American heritage organization” and a “top Syrian archaeologist” as its sources, as well as satellite images that appear to show some construction on the edge of the ancient site. Yet, as General Konashenkov states, the pictures show something else entirely. “The satellite pictures of this area posted by UNESCO, which were mentioned by AP, show the temporary camp of the International Demining Center of Russia’s Defense Forces, which were demining the archaeological monument of Palmyra, and now the broader area of Tadmor city.” The installation of this temporary camp until the area is cleared of explosives has been approved at the Ministry of Culture and other official departments of the Syrian State,” Konashenkov pointed out.

Revealed: Saudi Arabia owns $117 billion of U.S. debt
CNN Money - Saudi Arabia stockpiled $116.8 billion of U.S. Treasuries as of March, the Treasury Department announced on Monday, ending four decades of keeping the figure secret. That makes Saudi Arabia the 13th largest foreign holder of U.S. debt, though well behind the $1 trillion-plus owned by China and Japan each. The Saudi figure was first reported by Bloomberg News based on a Freedom of Information Act request. Unlike with most other major owners of U.S. debt, the Treasury Department kept Saudi Arabia's precise holdings secret since the 1970s. Saudi's holdings were lumped together with that of other oil exporting nations, including Venezuela and Iraq.... The new Treasury report also revealed that the Cayman Islands, a country of less than 60,000 people, owned $265 billion of U.S. Treasuries as of March. That's the third-highest sum in the world and a reflection of the nation's status as a major tax haven.

German Gov’t to Employ 100,000 Immigrants for One Euro an Hour
Breitbart - In Germany, the latest scheme by the government of Prime Minister Angela Merkel to deal with Europe’s migrant crisis envisions hiring of up to 100 thousand asylum-seekers in a new state program for the employment of immigrants.... The new plan is not without its critics, with human rights groups comparing the scheme to sweatshops whose products are regularly boycotted by first-world nations. Conservatives have also been quick to criticize the plan, such as Stefan von Borstel of Germany’s Die Welt newspaper, who claims that the plan is a ruse by the government to improve employment statistics.

Senate Passes Bill That Would Expose Saudi Arabia's Role In Sept. 11: Obama Veto Imminent
Zero Hedge - It will be up to Obama to veto the bill because moments ago the Senate unanimously passed said bill, bringing Congress closer to a showdown with the White House. The Senate’s passage of the bill, which will now be taken up in the House, is another sign of escalating tensions in a relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia that once received little scrutiny from lawmakers. As reported a month ago, the Obama administration has urgently lobbied against the bill, and the Saudi government has warned that if the legislation passes it might begin liquidating its USD reserves. Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi foreign minister, delivered the warning to lawmakers and administration officials while in Washington in March.

Senate set to approve $1.1 billion in Zika virus funding
Reuters - By a vote of 68-29, senators limited debate on the measure, paving the way for likely Senate approval this week. Two other funding approaches failed to get enough support to advance in the Senate. Meanwhile, the White House threatened to veto a $622.1 billion Zika bill poised to pass the House of Representatives later this week, saying it was "woefully inadequate." Unlike the Senate legislation, the House bill also requires that the $622.1 million be fully offset with spending cuts elsewhere. Many conservative Republicans in the House refuse to approve Zika funds that would add to federal budget deficits, while Democrats and some Senate Republicans favor treating the problem as an emergency that would not have to be financed with spending cuts.

Johnson & Johnson to stand behind talc's safety at upcoming trials: lawyer
Reuters - Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) will keep aruging in court that its talc-based powders are safe, an outside lawyer who has defended the company in lawsuits said, even after losing two multimillion-dollar verdicts to plaintiffs who alleged that J&J Baby Powder and Shower to Shower caused ovarian cancer. Gene Williams blamed those verdicts on confusion created by plaintiffs' lawyers at the trial. The Houston-based lawyer insisted in a recent interview that there "is no proven linkage between talc and ovarian cancer, and the vast majority of scientific and regulatory bodies, who have reviewed the same studies the plaintiffs point to, do not accept the premise." Two talc lawsuits are scheduled for trial this fall, one in Missouri and one in New Jersey. At least 1,400 cases have been filed over the issue, mostly in Missouri, where state court rules are seen as friendly to plaintiffs.

Police ask motorists to “volunteer” to submit to drug tests
MassPrivateI - Two years have passed since, police were forced to stop using 'voluntary' DNA checkpoints across the country.... Since January of this year, the Colorado State Police have been pilot-testing drug saliva kits for private corporations! Colorado troopers have been using five different untested drug saliva test kits on suspected drugged drivers. There are currently only a handful of manufacturers making saliva test kits and the state police are pilot-testing them all on motorists.... According to CBS Denver, state troopers have been field testing drug saliva kits on 'volunteer' motorists accused of drugged driving. "There are five different devices are being used by CSP. Each company has different criteria being used on their tests, according to CSP. One-hundred-twenty-five troopers have been trained on the devices and are using them when a DUID suspect volunteers, according to Maj. Steve Garcia." “The results will be used in discovery but the decision to arrest or charge was not influenced in any way based upon these devices,” Garcia said. In other words the prosecutor will present unverified drug results to a judge, but trust them police won't use that info. to recommend sentencing.

Disabled inmate who stole $5 in snacks ‘starved to death’ in Virginia prison
RT - Twenty-four-year-old Jamycheal Mitchell was arrested in Portsmouth, Virginia in April 2015 for stealing a bottle of soda, a candy bar and a snack cake worth $5.05. After he was taken to jail and ruled unfit to stand trial – Mitchell suffered from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, and was described in school records as mildly “mentally retarded” – he nevertheless remained in jail for four months instead of being transferred to a hospital. n August 2015, Mitchell was found dead in his cell, having lost 40-50 pounds. A medical examiner found that he was “nearly cachectic,” meaning he had lost so much weight that the process couldn’t be reversed nutritionally.

Trump scores an easy victory in Oregon
Washington Examiner - Donald Trump cruised to victory in Oregon on Tuesday, leaving just six more states to vote before Republicans convene for their national convention in July. Trump maintained a steady lead in Oregon long before his remaining Republican rivals, Ted Cruz and John Kasich, suspended their campaigns earlier this month.

Kentucky Freefall: Hillary Loses Quarter of a Million Votes from Her 2008 Primary Win
The Gateway Pundit - It’s another disastrous night for Hillary Clinton. Hillary won the Kentucky primary in 2008 with 459,511 votes. On Tuesday night Hillary pulled ahead of Bernie Sanders in Kentucky in the final minutes. With 99% of precincts reporting— Hillary has 209,757 votes to Bernie’s 207,278 votes.
* Related: Kentucky and Oregon Presidential Primary and Caucus Results

Bernie Sanders strikes back in Oregon
Washington Examiner - Bernie Sanders won the Oregon primary on Tuesday, securing the support of the Pacific Northwest state's liberal wing and aiding his quest to bring the fight against Hillary Clinton to the Democratic convention. Little polling was done in the state prior to primary, with most of it showing a slight Clinton lead. But the state's demographics and voting largely mirror Washington State, where Sanders won by more than 50 points.

Video: Hillary Offers $30 Billion in Taxpayer Dollars to Re-Educate Coal Miners She’s Going to Fire
The Gateway Pundit - Hillary Clinton generously offered to give unemployed coal miners taxpayer funded education classes after she ruins their communities and puts them out of work.

Rand Paul wins Kentucky primary
Washington Examiner - Kentucky Republicans nominated Sen. Rand Paul for a second term in their primary Tuesday. While Paul won the GOP nomination over the opposite of Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and most other party leaders in 2010, on Tuesday night he faced no serious opposition.

Trump willing to talk to North Korea's Kim, wants to renegotiate climate accord
Reuters - Donald Trump said on Tuesday he is willing to talk to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to try to stop Pyongyang's nuclear program, proposing a major shift in U.S. policy toward the isolated nation. In a wide-ranging interview with Reuters, Trump also called for a renegotiation of the Paris climate accord, said he disapproved of Russian President Vladimir Putin's actions in eastern Ukraine, and said he would seek to dismantle most of the U.S. Dodd-Frank financial regulations if he is elected president. The presumptive Republican nominee declined to share details of his plans to deal with North Korea, but said he was open to talking to its leader.... North Korea's mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump's remarks.... Trump's preparedness to talk directly with Kim contrasts with President Barack Obama's policy of relying on senior U.S. officials to talk to senior North Korean officials.

Trump Hires Libertarian For Campaign
Kit Daniels - Trump brought Fabrizio on board after consulting with his new convention manager Paul Manafort, who absorbed many of the duties previously handled by Corey Lewandowski, sources tell Infowars. Lewandowski, on the other hand, wanted to hire Ted Cruz’s former pollster Kelly Ann Conway. Fabrizio, who sources describe as a street fighter with a healthy obsession with winning, has years of experience as a political and corporate strategist who specializes in quantitative and qualitative opinion research. He also has experience in assessing government waste, such as his 2008 study showing the average Massachusetts voter believes the state wastes 41% of its funding. Fabrizio, like Trump, has also been targeted by the establishment media for interjecting libertarianism into the GOP.

Rand Paul Supports Donald Trump as Nominee: ‘I Stand by That Pledge’
Breitbart - Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) told Breitbart News he will honor his pledge to support the presumptive 2016 GOP presidential nominee, Donald Trump, in the general election against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton—the likely Democratic nominee—in November.... Several others, like Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Dr. Ben Carson and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, have followed through on their pledges to support Trump as the nominee. Others, like former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), have yet to do so. Now that Trump has won and he has lost, Bush has said he does not intend to back Trump over Clinton.

Sanders: 'Shots Were Fired Into My Campaign Office in Nevada'
Weekly Standard - Bernie Sanders revealed Tuesday that shots were fired into his Nevada campaign office and that an "apartment housing complex my campaign staff lived in was broken into and ransacked." The Democratic presidential candidate did not explicitly blame his rival, Hillary Clinton, for the actions. Sanders made the statement in response to "criticisms made against my campaign organization."

Burlington College Feels the Bern! Will Close Thanks to Crushing Debt Acquired by Mrs. Bernie Sanders
The Gateway Pundit - One of the reasons Bernie Sanders is doing well with Millennials is because he’s promising free college for everyone. In an ultimate twist of irony, his wife Jane Sanders was president of Burlington College in Vermont and racked up such large debts for the small school that she led it to ruin.... Heat Street reported: Less than a year after leading Burlington College into massive debt, Ms. Sanders resigned, taking with her a $200,000 severance package. By 2014, because of its shaky finances and running deficits, Burlington College found itself placed on probation for two years by the regional accreditation agency. A Burlington College news release issued this morning called these financial hurdles “insurmountable at this time.”

House drops military draft requirement for women
Reuters - The House of Representatives stripped a requirement that women register for the military draft from a sweeping annual defense policy bill on Tuesday, but supporters of the provision said they would keep pushing for its passage. Democrats accused the committee's Republican leaders of using an underhanded ploy to undercut the House Armed Services Committee, which had approved the amendment, and avoid what could be a difficult vote for some party members. "They don't want to subject their members to a vote on equality for women," Representative Steny Hoyer, the No. 2 House Democrat, told reporters. Republican Representative Mac Thornberry, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said the amendment was removed because it violated House budget rules due to the cost of registering women. He said it was replaced with an amendment calling for a broad review of the Selective Service. The House Rules Committee set up removal of the amendment from the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, during a meeting late on Monday. It was taken out of the bill via a procedural vote on Tuesday afternoon.

U.S. extends overtime pay to 4.2 million salaried workers
Reuters - The Obama administration on Tuesday unveiled the final version of a long-awaited and controversial rule to extend overtime pay to 4.2 million U.S. workers, which marks one of the administration’s most significant moves to address stagnant wages. The rule, which has drawn intense criticism from business groups and Republicans, doubles the maximum annual income a salaried worker can earn and still be automatically eligible for overtime pay from $23,660 to $47,476 and requires that threshold to be updated every three years. It takes effect Dec. 1.... The rule will likely touch nearly every sector of the U.S. economy but is expected to have the greatest impact on nonprofit groups, retail companies, hotels and restaurants, which have many management workers whose salaries are below the new threshold. Business groups, which lobbied heavily against the changes, say companies will be forced to cut wages and hours and may slow hiring.

Corporate CEOs earn 335 times more money than employees – report
RT - The head honchos of America’s 500 largest companies earn 335 times more money than their employees, a new union report found, which also highlighted how corporations are offshoring jobs and hiding their money overseas to avoid taxes. Intended to shine a light into the wide gap between corporate management and their employees, the report from the AFL-CIO federation of labor unions said that the average pay for workers in 2015 was under $37,000. By contrast, CEOs of S&P 500 Index companies earned an average of $12.4 million. Notably, the gap between CEOs and employees is actually down from the previous year, when those at the top of the ladder earned 373 times more than their workers.

Texas Sees Most Oil Rig Losses as Iran Breaks Production Records
Breitbart - Houston-based Baker Hughes International’s (NYSE: BHI) Weekly Rig Count offered fresh perspective on the decline of North American oil and natural gas exploration. Nationally, 10 rigs were sent to their yards for stacking amid a continued global supply glut this week, seven of which were operating in Texas. As of now, only 406 oil and gas rigs are in use in the United States, down 482 from the same time last year. Texas holds 45 percent of all American rigs, 181 total as of this week. A year ago, maintained 373. Only one natural gas rig went into the field this week in the country.... As domestic producers continue to flounder, a reinvigorated Iran is already shattering daily output rates – well ahead of western market analysts’ expectations of an infrastructure rebuilding period after the Obama Nuclear Deal began to take effect. Iranian crude exports to Europe and Asia set new records in April, yielding 2.35 million barrels per day, up 660,000 daily compared to March.

Texas Begins Construction Of Gold Depository
Zero Hedge - The original sponsor of the bill, State Representative Giovanni Capriglione appears pleased with the progress being made: “I am optimistic that the depository will be up and running at the end of this year or the beginning of next year,” Capriglione said, "at the depository, Texans will be able to open accounts similar to checking or savings accounts at traditional banks - and monitor them online."... For one, many state politicians hope that the State of Texas will be able to relocate its own gold holdings into Texas from New York where it currently sits. The state spends a million dollars per year on its storage. Moreover, existence of the depository opens up the possibilities for users creating a new type of currency in which purchases are made electronically with the backing of the gold in the depository. In other words, one could potentially use the depository's infrastructure to make purchases using gold, and to have gold either directly deposited into another's account, or converted to US dollars and deposited in a conventional bank. Arguably, this is just an electronic version of gold-backed money.

If Your Cat Does This Longer Than 3 Weeks, Please Don't Ignore It
Dr. Becker - The primary symptom in cats is a cough that can develop suddenly or gradually and lasts for more than two or three weeks. If your kitty has an occasional, infrequent cough, it’s typically nothing to worry about. But a chronic cough should be evaluated by your veterinarian. Other signs to watch for are wheezing, shortness of breath, respiratory distress, and retching at the end of a coughing episode that clears mucus from the throat. The most common age for a chronic cough to develop in cats is from two to eight years. Oriental breeds, including Siamese and Burmese, seem predisposed. Often, cats with chronic coughing also have a history of flu-like symptoms, seasonal allergic coughing, and triggers such as smoke, temperature changes, aerosol sprays, dusty litter, and sleeping on their owners’ beds. Goals of treatment are to identify and resolve the underlying cause of your cat’s cough, along with controlling the cough itself.... Under NO circumstances should you ever administer human medications to your cat. Even very small amounts of over-the-counter drugs such as Robitussin, aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen can be extremely toxic to kitties.
 

Tuesday - May 17, 2016  -  Today in History:

1926 - The U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires was damaged by bombs that were believed set by sympathizers of Sacco and Vanzetti.
1932 - The U.S. Congress changed the name "Porto Rico" to "Puerto Rico."
1939 - The first fashion to be shown on television was broadcast in New York from the Ritz-Carleton Hotel.
1940 - Germany occupied Brussels, Belgium and began the invasion of France.
1946 - U.S. President Truman seized control of the nation's railroads, delaying a threatened strike by engineers and trainmen.
1954 - The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled for school integration in Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka. The ruling declared that racially segregated schools were inherently unequal.
1973 - The U.S. Senate Watergate Committee began its hearings.
1987 - An Iraqi warplane attacked the U.S. Navy frigate Stark in the Persian Gulf, killing 37 American sailors. Iraq and the U.S. called the attack a mistake.
1996 - U.S. President Clinton signed a measure requiring neighborhood notification when sex offenders move in. Megan's Law was named for 7-year-old Megan Kanka, who was raped and killed in 1994.
2000 - Thomas E. Blanton Jr. and David Luker surrendered to police in Birmingham, AL. The two former Ku Klux Klan members were arrested on charges from the bombing of a church in 1963 that killed four young black girls.
2000 - Austria, the U.S. and six other countries agreed on the broad outline of a plan that would compensate Nazi-Era forced labor.
2006 - The U.S. aircraft carrier Oriskany was sunk about 24 miles off Pensacola Beach. It was the first vessel sunk under a Navy program to dispose of old warships by turning them into diving attractions. It was the largest man-made reef at the time of the sinking.
2007 - Trains crossed the border dividing North and South Korea for the first time since 1953.

World powers up for arming Libyan govt to counter ISIS
RT - This decision is stated in an official communique of talks in Vienna, signed by all five permanent UN Security Council members (the US, Russia, France, UK and China), as well as representatives of over 15 other countries participating in the talks. It comes after Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj called for lifting arms embargo to support the national army earlier on Monday.... Fayez al-Sarraj said his government is preparing to submit a weapons wish list. “We have a major challenge ahead of us [fighting extremists],” he said, urging the international community to assist his government in combating terrorism. The war-torn North African nation is currently under a UN embargo imposed to keep lethal weapons away from the hands of terrorists, as well as alternate forces that seek to overthrow the UN-backed government.

Former MI6 Head: Europe Faces “Populist Uprising” Over Migrant Crisis
Paul Joseph Watson - “If Europe cannot act together to persuade a significant majority of its citizens that it can gain control of its migratory crisis then the EU will find itself at the mercy of a populist uprising, which is already stirring,” Dearlove told BBC’s World on the Move. Noting that the number of migrants entering Europe could run into the millions, Dearlove added that next month’s vote on the UK leaving the European Union was “the first roll of the dice in a bigger geopolitical game”.... Top security experts in Germany told Chancellor Angela Merkel last October that the middle class was becoming “radicalized” as a result of her open borders migrant policy and that domestic disorder could ensue as a result. French security forces are also preparing for mass civil unrest and radicalized immigrants taking over entire neighborhoods, according to intelligence sources. Last year, Swiss army chief André Blattmann warned that the risk of social unrest in Europe was intensifying and that citizens should arm themselves. Danish Professor Helmuth Nyborg also cautioned last month that “civil war” was the most likely outcome of current EU immigration policies.

UK Establishment Stunned As Over 300 CEOs Back Brexit
Zero Hedge - As The Telegraph reports, the letter, signed by some of Europe's most senior business executives, claims Brussels "red tape stifles growth" and a Brexit would "create more jobs" exclaiming that "it is business - not government - which generates wealth.".... In an attempt to redress the balance after the Bank of England and the International Monetary Fund last week warned that a Brexit would damage Britain’s economy, the letter in the Telegraph is signed by 306 business leaders in a personal capacity (and also signed by hundreds of people linked to small and medium-sized businesses). In total the backers of the letter are from businesses employing hundreds of thousands of members of staff.... Signatories of the letter include Peter Goldstein, a founder of Superdrug, Steve Dowdle, the former vice president Europe of technology firm Sony, David Sismey, a MD of Goldman Sachs and Sir Patrick Sheehy, the former chairman of British American Tobacco.The polls remain very close...

Chinese bank ICBC to buy London gold vault
MarketWatch - ICBC Standard Bank PLC said on Monday it is buying Barclays PLC's precious-metals vault, in the latest move by the Chinese bank to increase its role in the market's infrastructure. The move makes parent ICBC, the world's biggest bank, the first Chinese lender to own a vault in London and extends its influence in precious metals from pricing to storage. With China the largest consumer of many metals, the country's banks have increasingly bid to own or help run the infrastructure in these markets. The vault, one of the largest in Europe, stores gold, silver, platinum and palladium. "This is an exciting acquisition for the Bank," said Mark Buncombe, head of commodities at ICBC. "This enables us to better execute on our strategy to become one of the largest Chinese banks in the precious metals market."

Alberta wildfire near Enbridge crude oil tank farm: officials
Yahoo News - A massive wildfire burning around the oil sands hub of Fort McMurray, Alberta is about 1 km (1,094 yards) away from Enbridge Inc's Cheecham crude oil tank farm, but is under control for now, emergency officials said on Monday. The blaze near the tank farm was stable because the wind was cooperating as Enbridge's industrial firefighters tackled the blaze, the officials said at a news conference.... On Monday, the blaze continued to burn uncontrolled, covering 285,000 hectares (704,000 acres), officials said. They noted firefighting efforts will be challenging over the next couple of days with hot, dry conditions and lightning fires expected.

Senate report on CIA torture is one step closer to disappearing
Yahoo News - The CIA inspector general’s office — the spy agency’s internal watchdog — has acknowledged it “mistakenly” destroyed its only copy of a mammoth Senate torture report at the same time lawyers for the Justice Department were assuring a federal judge that copies of the document were being preserved.... In what one intelligence community source described as a series of errors straight “out of the Keystone Cops,” CIA inspector general officials deleted an uploaded computer file with the report and then accidentally destroyed a disk that also contained the document, filled with thousands of secret files about the CIA’s use of “enhanced” interrogation methods.... the full three-volume report, which formed the basis for the executive summary, has never been released. In light of a U.S. Court of Appeals ruling last week that the document is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act, there are new questions about whether it will ever be made public, or even be preserved.

First Portion of Massive Edward Snowden NSA Trove Debuts Online
Sputnik News - A long-time partner of NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, The Intercept has released the first batch of SIDtoday files, greatly expanding public access to the details of the intelligence agency’s post-9/11 activities....The publication plans to release the US National Security Agency’s internal SIDtoday newsletters in installments. Obtained by Snowden, the letters span a decade."The SIDtoday documents run a wide gamut: from serious, detailed reports on top secret NSA surveillance programs to breezy, trivial meanderings of analysts’ trips and vacations, with much in between. Many are self-serving and boastful, designed to justify budgets or impress supervisors," [Glenn] Greenwald writes.... The first batch contains 166 articles and spans a period from March 31, 2003 to December 21, 2003.

Defense Bill Coming This Week: A Boost for War and Tyranny
Ron Paul - The National Defense Authorization bill should be a Congressional mechanism to bind the president to spend national defense money in the way Congress wishes. It is the nuts and bolts of the defense budget and as such is an important oversight tool preventing the imperial executive from treating the military as his own private army. Unfortunately that is no longer the case these days.... Once again it is a terrible piece of legislation that does great harm to the United States under the guise of protecting the United States. Unless some last minute changes take place, this latest NDAA will force young women for the first time to register to be drafted into the US military.... Along with extending draft registration to women, the latest NDAA expands the neocons’ new “Cold War” with Russia, adding $3.4 billion to put US troops and heavy weapons on Russia’s border because as the bill claims, “Russia presents the greatest threat to our national security.” This NDAA also includes the military slush fund of nearly $60 billion for the president to spend on wars of his choosing without the need to get Congress involved. Despite all the cries that we need to “rebuild the military," this year’s Defense Authorization bill has a higher base expenditure than last year. There have been no cuts in the military. On the contrary: the budget keeps growing.

Obama at War Longer than any President in History
AllGov - President Obama came into office seven years ago pledging to end the wars of his predecessor, George W. Bush. On May 6, with eight months left before he vacates the White House, Mr. Obama passed a somber, little-noticed milestone: He has now been at war longer than Mr. Bush, or any other American president. If the United States remains in combat in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria until the end of Mr. Obama’s term — a near-certainty given the president’s recent announcement that he will send 250 additional Special Operations forces to Syria — he will leave behind an improbable legacy as the only president in American history to serve two complete terms with the nation at war.

U.S Navy Finally Takes Control Of Its Overpriced $4 Billion Warship
Activist Post - ... the Navy is somewhat celebrating the arrival of their latest toy, the Zumwalt, a 610-foot warship that is the “largest and most technologically sophisticated destroyer” ever produced. But, once again, the Devil is in the details. The Zumwalt arrives into the hands of the Navy many years late and carrying a price tag of $4.4 billion. Sorry, I should say “expected to be” $4.4 billion, as indicated by the report. Given the track record for this creation thus far we would be wise to cautiously finalize the price tag. Emphasis added: The original concept for the land-attack destroyer was floated more than 15 years ago then underwent several permutations. The final design called for a destroyer with a stealthy shape and advanced gun system that can fire rocket-propelled projectiles with pinpoint accuracy. But the growing cost forced the Navy to reduce what was originally envisioned as a 32-ship program to just three ships. The loss of economies of scale drove up the cost of the individual ships. The slow-going and rising costs were little surprise after the General Accounting Office warned that the Navy was trying to incorporate too many new technologies into the ship.

Ninth Circuit: Right to Bear Arms Includes Right to Acquire Arms
Breitbart - The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled Monday that the right to bear arms has historically included the right to acquire them, and remanded the case of Teixeira v. County of Alameda to the lower court. Teixeira revolves around Alameda County zoning rules for incorporated areas that not only require a gun store owner to obtain requisite local, state, and federal permits for the business, but also make sure “the proposed location of the business is not within five hundred feet of a ‘[r]esidentially zoned district... Teixeira challenged Alameda County’s decision in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California and lost. He then appealed the case to the 9th Circuit Court, where the ruling has remanded the case to the lower court.

Packing Heat: Missouri Lawmakers Expand Gun Rights, OK “Concealed Carry Without Permit”
Mac Slavo - The heavily Republican legislature just passed a bill in both the Senate and House allowing people to carry concealed without needing a permit, and without requiring training. Moreover, it reinforced the state’s Castle Doctrine and Stand Your Ground statutes.... As of now, it is unclear if Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon will sign the bill, or veto it and force a legislative fight. But a message has been signaled, loud and clear.

NYC to begin spraying for Zika over Brooklyn, Bronx and Staten Island
WPIX-TV - New York's Department of Health is launching an all-out assault against mosquitoes amid growing concern about the Zika Virus. While assuring residents that the virus is not spreading in the city, it says local mosquitoes are spreading other diseases like the West Nile Virus. With mosquito season upon us, the city is going to begin a three day aerial bombardment of marsh and other non-residential areas at some two dozen sites in the Bronx, Queens, Staten Island and Brooklyn. Officials say they will use "environmentally friendly" larvicide to kill the infant mosquito larvae. With projected hot and damp weather the mosquito population is expected to have huge growth this season.

Trump opens up double-digit lead over Clinton in Utah
Washington Examiner - The latest Dan Jones & Associates survey of registered voters shows Trump leading Clinton 43-30 percent in the Beehive State, marking a 5-point increase since voters were last surveyed in early April. Twenty-six percent of respondents in the same survey remain undecided. Trump, who suffered a landslide loss to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in Utah's Republican primary back in March, has also opened up an edge over Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. The 74-year-old socialist, who's challenging Clinton for the Democratic nomination, held a 15-point lead over Trump last month, but now trails the de facto GOP nominee by 5 percentage points.

CNN Calls Out NY Times Cranks on Trump Hit Piece on Live TV (Video)
The Gateway Pundit - On Sunday The New York Times published a front page hit piece [Link to NY Times story] on Donald Trump’s private behavior with women he dated. On Monday Rowanne Brewer, told FOX and Friends the NY Times’ journalists did not accurately portray her experience with Donald Trump. Rowanne said, “They spun it.” This morning CNN anchors Kate Bolduan and John Berman called out New York Times journalists for their shoddy and dishonest reporting. The NY Times journalists, Michael Barbaro and Megan Twohey, appeared on At This Hour to respond to accusations from a woman featured in the article.

Nancy Pelosi: I “Guarantee” Trump Will Not be President
Paul Joseph Watson - California Democrat says New York billionaire a “here today, gone tomorrow” candidate. Pelosi made it clear that she was firmly backing Hillary by constantly using the words, “our next president, whoever she may be.” The former Speaker of the House then claimed that if comparisons were made between what Trump says about Mexicans, Muslims and women and Republican members of the House, their rhetoric is the same. Pelosi asserted that Trump’s rise in popularity was because Republicans have spread fear about “the empowerment of women, the empowerment of minorities,” agreeing with Swisher that this tapped into “white male anger”.

Hillary Clinton Says Husband to Lead Economic Revitalization If She Is Elected
The Epoch Times - On Monday afternoon, when pressed for specifics, Hillary said her husband would not be part of her cabinet.... At a Kentucky rally on May 14, Hillary was more specific, tapping her husband to be “in charge of economic revitalization.”.... The announcement that her husband would take an active part in a Clinton administration is based on his resume as president between 1993 and 2000, pointing to his successes in job growth.... Despite his successes, critics have pointed to weaknesses in his legacy, especially in the area of trade. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was signed into law early in his administration... The Clinton administration also pulled back on regulations for banks and Wall Street, which critics have argued was one of the reasons for the economic collapse and bailout in 2008.

Montana Disabled Vet Convicted of EPA Violations; Forced From Home Because of Gun Safe
The New American - Joseph Robertson is a 77-year-old disabled veteran who is being forbidden by the federal government from building ground water ponds on the property in Jefferson County, Montana, that his family has owned and worked for over 40 years. ...the EPA is charging Robertson with two counts of depositing dredge materials in the waters of the United States and one count of depredation of Forest Service property associated with Johnson’s unpatented mining claim.... Robertson’s second trial resulted in his conviction on charges of violating EPA regulations. ...the guilty verdict forced Robertson out of his home and into a trailer because his wife keeps a gun safe in their home and, as a convicted felon, he is not allowed to have access to firearms! Robertson faces a sentence of 15 years in prison and $750,000 in fines, which he insists would cause him to lose his property. Sentencing in the case of Joseph Robertson is scheduled for July 20, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. at the federal courthouse in Missoula, Montana. Americans must demand that state lawmakers step into the breach and protect their citizens from being denied their most fundamental rights.

Thousands Line Coronado Streets for Funeral of Fallen Navy SEAL
Breitbart - Thousands of people lined the streets of California’s Coronado Island on Friday and stood silently as the hearse carrying the body of fallen Navy SEAL Charles H. Keating IV passed by in funeral procession. Keating was a Petty Officer First Class who was shot and killed during a May 3 battle with ISIS.... The U.S. Navy says Keating will be “posthumously promoted to Chief Petty Officer.”

"We Should Be Concerned" - Stock Buybacks Plunge Most Since 2009
Zero Hedge - Recall, that as Goldman pointed out a month ago, "buybacks will remain the key source of equity inflow in 2016".... U.S. companies from Apple Inc. to IBM Corp. just put on the brakes. Bloomberg cites research by Birinyi Associates according to which announced repurchases dropped 38 percent to $244 billion in the last four months, the biggest decline since 2009..... At stake is the primary source of buoyancy for the second-longest bull market in history, at a time when individuals and money managers are bailing out and valuations sit near 14-year highs. Traders are worried: "If the only meaningful source of demand in the market is companies buying their own shares back, then what happens if that goes away?” said Brad McMillan, chief investment officer of Commonwealth Financial Network in Waltham, Massachusetts, which oversees $100 billion. “We should be concerned.”

Navy Allowed to Kill or Injure Nearly 12 Million Whales, Dolphins, Other Marine Mammals in Pacific
Truthout - Death and Destruction have become American Hallmarks. In the guise of protecting us from a hoax “theorist threat” the US government has killed and dislocated millions of peoples in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Lebanon, Pakistan, Somalia. Now in the guise of protecting us from an undefined threat, the US Navy is conducting exercises estimated to kill/injure 12 million whales, porpoises, sea lions, seals, and sea otters.

New Mini-Turbine is Capable of Powering an Entire Town
Natural Blaze - The scientists from GE Global Research are now performing tests on a turbine that is approximately the size of a desk. But more interesting, is this mini-turbine has the capabilities of powering a small town of up to 10,000 homes.... While typical turbines are generally driven by steam, resulting in a much larger scale, this specific turbine is actually driven by what the researchers call supercritical carbon dioxide. This is highly pressurized, not to mention extremely hot.... The new turbine that GE Global Researchers are working on, is projecting to be over 5% more efficient than that of the traditional steam turbines, in the attempts of converting heat into electricity. What is even more promising, the team’s GE prototype is only 10 megawatts. However, the team is aiming to scale the prototype up to a grand total of 33 megawatts.

Monday - May 16, 2016  -  Today in History:

1866 - The U.S. Congress authorized the first 5-cent piece to be minted.
1868 - U.S. President Andrew Johnson was acquitted during the Senate impeachment, by one vote.
1888 - The capitol of Texas was dedicated in Austin.
1910 - The U.S. Bureau of Mines was authorized by the U.S. Congress.
1920 - Joan of Arc was canonized in Rome.
1929 - The first Academy Awards were held in Hollywood.
1948 - The body of CBS News correspondent George Polk was found in Solonika Bay in Greece. It had been a week after he'd disappeared.
1960 - A Big Four summit in Paris collapsed due to the American U-2 spy plane incident.
1987 - The Bobro 400 set sail from New York Harbor with 3,200 tons of garbage. The barge travelled 6,000 miles in search of a place to dump its load. It returned to New York Harbor after 8 weeks with the same load.
1988 - A report released by Surgeon General C. Everett Koop declared that nicotine was addictive in similar was as heroin and cocaine.
1988 - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that police do not have to have a search warrant to search discarded garbage.
1991 - Queen Elizabeth II became the first British monarch to address the U.S. Congress.
1992 - The Endeavour space shuttle landed safely after its maiden voyage.
2000 - U.S. First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton was nominated to run for U.S. Senator in New York. She was the first U.S. first lady to run for public office.
2003 - Adam Rich was placed on three years probation after he pled no contest to misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence and being under the influence of a controlled substance. He was also ordered to take part ina 60-day treatment program and pay about $1,200 in fines.

Israeli Leader: Iran Mocks WWII Holocaust, Prepares Another
(AP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lashed out at Iran Sunday for staging a Holocaust-themed cartoon contest that mocked the Nazi genocide of 6 million Jews during World War II and said the Islamic Republic was busy planning for another one. Iran has long backed armed groups committed to Israel’s destruction and its leaders have called for it to be wiped off the map. Israel fears that Iran’s nuclear program is designed to threaten its very existence. But Netanyahu said it was more than Iran’s belligerent policies that Israel opposed, but its values.... State Department spokesman Mark Toner, traveling with Secretary of State John Kerry in Saudi Arabia, said the United States was concerned the contest could “be used as a platform for Holocaust denial and revisionism and egregiously anti-Semitic speech, as it has in the past.”

WikiLeaks Exposes Newly “Selected” Brazilian President as Puppet for US Intelligence
Activist Post - The transparency organization WikiLeaks has exposed acting President Michel Temer, who ascended to the Brazilian presidency after a soft coup deposed President Rousseff, as having been an intelligence informant for the United States.... Renowned journalist Glenn Greenwald got to the root of the matter, when writing that Temer “will faithfully serve the interests of Brazil’s richest: he’s planning to appoint Goldman Sachs and IMF [International Monetary Fund] officials to run the economy and otherwise install a totally unrepresentative, neoliberal team.” Make no mistake that there is a massive covert effort by the U.S. to maintain their hegemonic position in global affairs — undertaken by any means necessary — and aimed squarely at the BRICS. The events in Brazil are unquestionably yet another orchestrated coup organized by Washington.

Al-Qaeda Terrorist Awarded $88k in ‘moral damages’ from Belgium Government
Infowars - Trabelsi, who reportedly met multiple times with Osama bin Laden back in 2001, was convicted of plotting to attack multiple US targets in Europe. After having his charges dropped in a case surrounding a 2001 terror plot against the US embassy in Paris, in which he planned to carry out a suicide bomb attack, Trabelsi was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in jail by a Belgian court in 2003. Connected to a terror plot against the Kleine Brogel Air Base in Belgium, Trabelsi was accused of “acts of criminal conspiracy, destruction by explosion, possession of combat weapons and belonging to a private militia,” reports RT. After being extradited to the US in 2013, Trabelsi complained he was exposed to “a risk of treatment contrary to Article 3 of the Convention” and that “the enforcement of the decision to extradite him had infringed his right of individual petition.” “The ECHR ordered to pay the jihadist no less than €90,000 (about US$100,000),” RT states. “His family, which lives in Belgium, had already received €11,000.”

Rothschild Bank Now Under Criminal Investigation Over Missing $4 Billion in Global Corruption Probe
Activist Post - Only two months ago, we reported on the Swiss branch of the Edmond de Rothschild Group announcing that they were the target of a French criminal probe “regarding a business relationship managed by a former employee.” Now, the Luxembourg unit of Rothschild banking empire is being investigated by the Luxembourg state prosecutors office — alleged to have sent hundreds of millions of dollars to an account at a bank in Luxembourg that originated from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). The fund, 1MBD, was established by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak in 2009 as a government investment fund. There have been widespread accusations of corruption surrounding Razak after $1 billion dollars in deposits into his personal bank accounts were revealed. The deposits totaled hundreds of millions of dollars more than had previously been exposed by probes into state fund 1MDB, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Germany to spend €93.6bn on refugees until 2020 – report
RT - The German government will allocate nearly €94 billion for incoming refugees over the next five years. This includes housing, integration, German language courses and social welfare benefits, and dealing with the underlying causes of the refugee influx. Germany’s Der Spiegel cites a Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF) statement, which estimates that the number of asylum seekers entering the country will be around 600,000 in 2016, some 400,000 in 2017 and about 300,000 each consecutive year. In 2016, the BMF plans to spend around €16.1 billion on migrants; by 2020 annual expenditure is expected to be somewhere in the region of €20.4 billion.

President orders military exercises as Venezuela braces for state of emergency
Deutsche Welle - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has ordered military exercises to counter what he called "foreign threats." The move comes a day after he declared a state of emergency.... Speaking in the capital's Ibarra Square after a march Saturday by supporters of his Socialist Party, Maduro said his opponents were "orchestrating foreign military intervention in Venezuela."The president added that undefined exercises by the army and militia groups would "prepare for any scenario.”....Opposition leaders accused Maduro of using the emergency decree to destabilize the country and block them from organizing a referendum on removing him from office. It has launched the process by collecting 1.8 million signatures in favor of a recall vote. Supporters of opposition groups demonstrated simultaneously on Saturday.

Obama Rule Forces Hospitals to Trans Surgeries, Abortions
Breitbart - The Obama administration is capping off a week of forcing Americans to accept gender ideology as normal with a final rule on Obamacare’s nondiscrimination policies in healthcare. The rule will require physicians, hospitals, insurers, and other healthcare entities that receive federal funds — such as Medicare and Medicaid — to include gender transition treatments and even abortion among their services for the alleged sake of “equity.” The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued the final rule on Obamacare’s (Affordable Care Act’s) Section 1557 Friday... As bad as the ACA is, it’s laughable to suggest that when Congress referred to ‘sex’ in Section 1557 it was referring to anything other than biological sex,” says Breitbart News Legal Editor and religious liberty lawyer with First Liberty Institute Ken Klukowski, adding: This is Orwellian. But beyond that, it is an unconstitutional assault on the First Amendment that the Obama administration is forcing their rejection of biological fact onto people whose faith teaches that ‘man’ and ‘woman’ refer to what they have meant for thousands of years, and that God purposefully created them that way.

States vow to defy Obama directive on transgender bathrooms
(AP) - Politicians in Texas, Arkansas and elsewhere vowed defiance after the Obama administration told public schools across the U.S. on Friday to let transgender students use the bathrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity...The directive from the U.S. Justice and Education Departments represents an escalation in the fast-moving dispute over what is becoming the civil rights issue of the day. One by one, conservative political leaders thundered against it and President Barack Obama.... The guidance issued on Friday is not legally binding, since the question of whether federal civil rights law protects transgender people has not been definitively answered by the courts and may ultimately be decided by the Supreme Court. But schools that refuse to comply could be hit with civil rights lawsuits from the government and could face a cutoff of federal aid to education.

Thousands of Cuban Migrants Arriving in West Texas
Breitbart - The Catholic Church-affiliated Diocesan Migrant and Refugee Services based in El Paso announced its intentions to aid roughly 3,500 migrants from the Communist island nation beginning this week, according to the Associated Press. The immigration services charity expects two plane loads carrying 150 Cubans per day will travel from Panama to Juarez, Mexico for eventual crossing into western Texas. An estimated 300 have already arrived in the first three days of the program. Arriving migrants to the U.S. can expect temporary housing for up to four people per unit, provided by local churches plus access assistance with the Refugee Cash Assistance Program. The Refugee Resettlement Program coordinated by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission offers welfare benefits to those residing in the United States for five years or less — Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Medicaid benefits are made immediately available.

Rutland ,Vermont prepares for Syrian refugees with welcome, wariness
Boston Globe - Mayor Christopher Louras has unveiled a plan, developed in near-secrecy, to resettle 100 Syrian refugees who fled the onslaught of the Islamic State and are exiled in sprawling Jordanian camps. If approved by the State Department and others, the resettlement would begin in October and gradually send Rutland more Syrian refugees than are currently living anywhere else in New England.

Cash-Strapped Texas School District Dumps 7 Confederate-Tied Campus Names
Breitbart - Controversy erupted at the cash-strapped Houston Independent School District Thursday when the board of trustees voted to change the names of seven of its schools originally named for Confederate war figures. At issue is how trustees handled the process, which left many Houstonians feeling disenfranchised and worried about the astronomical costs associated with the name changes. Some may sue. This comes at a time Houston ISD has a $107 million budgetary shortfall and trustees estimated that name changes (for a total of eight schools) will incur roughly $2 million dollars of additional taxpayer debt..... Lanier watchdog group said taxpayer costs to rebrand just one school, Sidney Lanier Middle School, came in at around $500,000.

DNC Boss: Clinton Not Under Investigation by FBI in Email Scandal
Infowars - The head of the Democratic National Committee, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, told Fox News on Friday Hillary Clinton is not under investigation by the FBI for storing over 2,000 classified emails on a private server. “It’s important to underscore that Secretary Clinton isn’t even a target of this inquiry, investigation, whatever ‘I’ word you want to use,” Wasserman-Schultz said.... This contradicts what FBI boss James Comey said last week. He said the former secretary of state is part of a criminal investigation.

Chaos at NV Democratic Convention; State Party Chair Flees Building as Sanders Supporters Demand Recount (Video)
RealClear Politics - Nevada's Democratic caucus erupted into chaos Saturday night. Bernie Sanders supporters demanded 64 rejected pro-Sanders delegates listed in a "minority report" prepared by their campaign be allowed to participate in selecting delegates for the national convention. DNC leaders refused to reconsider their decision not to allow this, adjourned, and fled the building amid a chorus of boos; leaving hotel security and local police officers to handle the angry Sanders supporters.

Baltimore's election results decertified, state begins precinct-level review of irregularities
The Baltimore Sun - Linda H. Lamone, the administrator of the State Board of Elections, said officials became concerned when city officials found 80 provisional ballots that had not been analyzed, and an unusually high discrepancy between the number of voters who checked in at polling places and the number of ballots cast. The number of ballots cast at the polls was higher than the number of check-ins at the polls, she said.... The Baltimore primary included races for mayor and various congressional seats..... Many of the results were very close.... If the election results are incorrect, it could change the outcome of several races.

Trump: Bezos using 'Washington Post' to protect Amazon monopoly
USA Today - Soon-to-be Republican nominee for president, Donald Trump, says Jeff Bezos, the Amazon CEO who owns The Washington Post, is using the paper to attack him and the other political enemies who would force the massive online retailer to pay more in taxes. Donald Trump told Sean Hannity in an interview Thursday that Bezos is using the Post "like a toy" and "for power so that the politicians in Washington don't tax Amazon like they should be taxed." In his effort to keep Trump out of the White House and protect his monopoly, the Amazon founder has assigned more than 20 Washington Post reporters to look at every aspect of his life, Trump said. #BoycottAmazon.

Stone: Women ‘Physically Abused by Bill, Psychologically Abused by Hillary’ (Audio)
Breitbart - Veteran political strategist Roger Stone joined Breitbart News Saturday on SiriusXM with guest host Matthew Boyle, Breitbart’s Washington political editor, and discussed Hillary Clinton’s reported bullying and silencing of women who were allegedly assaulted by her husband, former President Bill Clinton. “Wait until you see the film version of the Clintons’ War on Women,” Stone told Boyle. “Wait until you see the women themselves tell the story about how they were physically abused by Bill and then psychologically abused by Hillary.” “The only difference between Bill Cosby and Bill Clinton is Cosby drugged his victims, Bill preferred to physically overpower them. That was his M.O.,” Stone charged.... Stone said CNN and other mainstream media outlets have been censoring this news about the Clintons and their treatment of women, alleging, “They literally pull the cord on your microphone.”

Largest Texas Oil Driller to Date Files for Bankruptcy
Breitbart - The largest energy producer to date has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection amid a continued supply glut and uncertainty among international competitors. Houston-based LINN Energy (NASDAQ: LINE), founded in 2003 and completing its IPO in 2006, announced a deal Wednesday that would allow $8.3 billion of its debt to be restructured and receive $2.2 billion in new financing, according to a company statement. At the time of the announcement, roughly 66% of its creditors were on board with the plan. The company claims $11.6 billion in assets. Should the federal court approve, LINN Energy will be able to access the new $2.2 billion loan through its cash collateral to better facilitate regular company operations without the hassle of additional bankruptcy financing.

Nordstrom’s Plunging Sales Confirm A Troubling New Trend Among Wealthy Shoppers
Business Insider - Comparable sales for Nordstrom’s full-price businesses fell 5.4%, including a 7.7% drop at its US department stores and a lower-than-expected 3% increase in online sales — both marking the worst results since 2009, according to analysts.... The declines confirm a terrifying new reality for high-end retailers: Wealthy shoppers are reining in spending and, along with the rest of American consumers, refusing to pay full price for anything. While sales are plunging in Nordstrom’s full-price business, comparable sales for the company’s off-price brands, including Nordstrom Rack — which sells steeply discounting clothes and accessories — grew 4.6%. Morgan Stanley analysts said the “surprising” bifurcation between Nordstrom’s low-end and high-end businesses should be a warning sign for all luxury retailers.

Wendy's To Replace Workers With Self-Service Kiosks Due To Minimum Wage Increases
Town Hall - Wendy’s (WEN) said that self-service ordering kiosks will be made available across its 6,000-plus restaurants in the second half of the year as minimum wage hikes and a tight labor market push up wages. It will be up to franchisees whether to deploy the labor-saving technology, but Wendy’s President Todd Penegor did note that some franchise locations have been raising prices to offset wage hikes. McDonald’s (MCD) has been testing self-service kiosks. But Wendy’s, which has been vocal about embracing labor-saving technology, is launching the biggest potential expansion.

Target Boycott Reaches Boiling Point: Market Value Down $4 Billion in 30 Days
Business Insider - More than 1.2 million people have signed a pledge to boycott the retailer after it announced last month that it would welcome transgender customers to use any bathroom or fitting room that matches their gender identity. Critics have been holding protests and demonstrations at stores across the country, and they are showing no signs of dying down. The boycotters' goal is to force Target to reverse its policy, or at least make the retailer suffer for it by spending their money elsewhere.... "The boycott is not going to last very long," Chiagouris [a professor of marketing at Pace University’s Lubin School of Business in New York] told Business Insider. "There is a big difference between signing a petition compared to not taking advantage of a big sale at target. People will always take advantage of the sale."

Shell oil line spills 88,200 gallons into the Gulf of Mexico
NY Daily News - About 88,200 gallons of oil have leaked from a Shell flow line into the Gulf of Mexico about 90 miles off the coast of Louisiana, the U.S. Coast Guard said. Chief Petty Officer Bobby Nash said the leak has been secured and cleanup crews will be dispatched. The leak was reported Thursday. Shell spokeswoman Kimberly Windon, in a statement late Thursday, said a helicopter saw an oil sheen near the Glider subsea tieback system at Shell's Brutus platform shortly before 8 a.m.... Officials were investigating the cause of the leak, but Windon said the likely cause is a release of oil from the subsea infrastructure. Officials said the oil apparently leaked from a line connecting four wells in the Green Canyon area of the Gulf to the platform and has left a miles-long sheen.

28 Signs That The West Coast Is Being Absolutely Fried With Nuclear Radiation From Fukushima (MAP)
Michael T. Synder - Every single day, 300 tons of radioactive water from Fukushima enters the Pacific Ocean. That means that the total amount of radioactive material released from Fukushima is constantly increasing, and it is steadily building up in our food chain. The following are 28 signs that the west coast of North America is being absolutely fried with nuclear radiation from Fukushima.... 1. Polar bears, seals and walruses along the Alaska coastline are suffering from fur loss and open sores... 2. There is an epidemic of sea lion deaths along the California coastline... 3. Along the Pacific coast of Canada and the Alaska coastline, the population of sockeye salmon is at a historic low. Many are blaming Fukushima. 4. Something is causing fish all along the west coast of Canada to bleed from their gills, bellies and eyeballs. A vast field of radioactive debris from Fukushima that is approximately the size of California has crossed the Pacific Ocean and is starting to collide with the west coast. 6. It is being projected that the radioactivity of coastal waters off the U.S. west coast could double over the next five to six years....

Demonstrators Demand Shut Down of Florida Nuclear Plant After Radiation Leaks
CBS Miami - Dozens of protesters demonstrated outside of a Florida Power & Light facility concerning leaks at the nuclear power plant at Turkey Point. It took place Saturday morning at 4200 W. Flagler Street and comes after the company announced that customers will shell out an estimated $50 million this year alone for the cleanup of hypersaline water coming from the plant. Environmental advocates are worried that the leaking wastewater containing radioactive isotopes is a threat to drinking water from the Biscayne aquifer. They want the Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station shut down. “When our bay goes acidified, when our fish start dying, which they already are, and when are habitat goes away because of this wonderful Turkey Point plant that we have, which is a reactor that came online in 1972, an outdated reactor, it’s time to retire,” said protester Albert Gomez.

Flint Water Crisis Affecting Michigan Dogs and Cats, Too
Dogington Post - Flint returned to the Detroit water system last October after elevated lead levels were discovered in children. Now, elevated lead levels are being discovered in area pets, too. A team from Michigan State’s college of veterinary medicine has been screening dogs for elevated lead levels. Of 300 dogs screened, 4 showed serious lead intoxication with a number more showing high lead levels. Three additional dogs tested positive for lead intoxication through tests performed by other organizations. The symptoms of high lead and lead intoxication in dogs is similar to that of humans – bone abnormalities, gastrointestinal issues, and neurological signs such as behavior changes and seizures. Like the people of Flint, dogs, cats, and other pets should be given bottled or filtered water, not water from the tap.

12 Beautiful Outdoor Plants That Are Toxic To Most Pets
Joe Battaglia - Animals are curious by nature and many like to sniff and nibble on everything they come across. Some plants have been reported as having systemic effects on animals and/or intense effects on the gastrointestinal tract. When you see symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, difficult breathing, abnormal urine, salivation, weakness, and any other abnormal condition, or if you suspect your pet has come into contact with a poisonous plant, take the animal to a veterinarian immediately. The sooner the animal receives care by a specialist, the more possible that the poisonous substance will be identified and treated, to improve your pet's chances for a speedy recovery. Here are 12 common outdoor plants [and why] you'll want to steer your furry friends away from.... Milkweed... Azalea... Certain types of Lilies... Tomato plant... Daffodil... Tulip bulbs... Buttercup... Gladiola... Morning Glory... Poppy... Chive... [and] Hydrangea...
 

Friday - May 13, 2016  -  Today in History:

1787 - Captain Arthur Phillip left Britain for Australia. He successfully landed eleven ships full of convicts on January 18, 1788, at Botany Bay. The group moved north eight days later and settled at Port Jackson.
1846 - The U.S. declared that war existed with Mexico.
1861 - Britain declared its neutrality in the American Civil War.
1864 - The Battle of Resaca commenced as Union General Sherman fought towards Atlanta during the American Civil War.
1865 - The last land engagement of the American Civil War was fought at the Battle of Palmito Ranch in far south Texas, more than a month after Gen. Lee's surrender at Appomattox, VA.
1918 - The first airmail postage stamps were issued with airplanes on them. The denominations were 6, 16, and 24 cents.
1927 - "Black Friday" occurred in Germany.
1940 - Winston Churchill made his first speech as the prime minister of Britain.
1949 - The first gas turbine to pump natural gas was installed in Wilmar, AR.
1954 - U.S. President Eisenhower signed into law the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Act.
1958 - U.S. Vice President Nixon's limousine was battered by rocks thrown by anti-U.S. demonstrators in Caracas, Venezuela.
1968 - Peace talks between the U.S. and North Vietnam began in Paris.
1998 - India did a second round of nuclear tests. The first round had been done 2 days earlier. Within hours the U.S. and Japan imposed tough economic sanctions. India claimed that the tests were necessary to maintain India's national security.
1999 - In Moscow, the impeachment of Russian President Boris Yeltsin began.
2003 - The U.S. government unveiled a newly designed version of the $20 bill. It was the first to be colorized in an effort to stop counterfeiters.

AMERIGEDDON, coming to theaters nationwide May 13, 2016
AMERIGEDDON has been described as “the movie the establishment doesn’t want you to see.” Showing what happens when a not-so-future U.S. government conspires with the United Nations to stage an attack on the energy grid, AMERIGEDDON depicts a country ruled by martial law in which citizens are stripped of their constitutional rights and their guns. A group of patriots fight back and rescue the country from slipping into irreversible chaos. AMERIGEDDON’s release in an election year is not coincidental. The film illustrates a dystopian future all patriots must guard against and is a call to action to preserve the Second Amendment and stop executive rule by fiat. Director Mike Norris, son of Chuck Norris, asks for like-minded Americans to support the film.... For more information, visit the film’s Facebook page.
* Related Video: AMERIGEDDON Official Trailer

American tanks in Putin's backyard: US and British soldiers join the Georgian army on two weeks of military drills - angering Russia
Daily Mail - Washington dispatching an entire mechanised company including eight Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and eight M1A2 Abrams main battle tanks | 11 May 2016 | The Georgian army has begun two weeks of military exercises with the United States and Britain - despite Russia's anger as American tanks rolled into its backyard. Hundreds of soldiers gathered at the military base of Vaziani - once used by Russia, just outside the capital Tbilisi - for the opening ceremony of the exercise, dubbed 'Noble Partner 2016'. As the sky filled with paratroopers while some 650 American, 150 British and 500 Georgian soldiers watched on in front of a fleet of tanks, Moscow's anger was almost palpable.

Turkish forces ‘preparing to clear’ Syrian territory across border from Kilis
RT - Erdogan made the announcement on Thursday, alluding to “difficulties in Kilis,” a town that straddles the southern border with a volatile zone in Syria currently controlled by Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL). He said that Turkish forces are “making necessary preparations” to take action. The terrorist group has been using the area to launch rockets at the Turks, with Erdogan complaining that the allies aren’t helping, and that Ankara is ready to act alone. Possibly hinting at the United States, which has a large base on Turkish soil, the president said: “the allies, especially those with powerful weapons in the region, are not able to provide the support we desire,” as reported by Turkish media.

Some US states fall short on tax transparency, says Cameron
The Guardian - David Cameron has cast doubt on whether the United States could be truly considered part of a coalition committed to the fight against corruption, saying some US states fall far short on tax transparency and are less open than the UK’s crown dependencies. The prime minister made his remarks at the close of a corruption summit in London that brought together more than 40 countries, including the US, in an attempt to fight corruption, restore stolen assets and toughen laws to fight evasion. Pressed on whether the US could be described as part of his new “coalition of the committed”, Cameron said there were challenges in the US and that some UK crown dependencies were “now ahead of US states in terms of what they are prepared to do”. He added: “The state of Delaware, for instance, has a lot of companies registered and not much transparency. We have to work with all these countries to persuade them that if we all raise the bar it will be more effective. I am committed to doing that and the United States certainly should be as well.”

Brazil’s Democracy to Suffer Grievous Blow as Unelectable, Corrupt Neoliberal is Installed
Intercept - The Brazilian Senate will vote later today [Thursday] to agree to a trial on the lower House’s impeachment charges, which will automatically result in Dilma’s [President Dilma Rousseff) suspension from the presidency pending the end of the trial. Her successor will be Vice President Michel Temer of the PMDB party. In this particular case, the person to be installed is awash in corruption: accused by informants of involvement in an illegal ethanol-purchasing scheme, he was just found guilty of, and fined for, election spending violations and faces an 8-year-ban on running for any office. He’s deeply unpopular: only 2% would support him for President and almost 60% want him impeached (the same number that favors Dilma’s impeachment). But he will faithfully serve the interests of Brazil’s richest: he’s planning to appoint Goldman, Sachs and IMF officials to run the economy.

Malaysia officials confirm Flight 370 debris found off Africa coast
CS Monitor - Malaysia's government said Thursday that two more pieces of debris, discovered in South Africa and Rodrigues Island off Mauritius, are "almost certainly" from Flight 370, bringing the total number of pieces believed to have come from the missing Malaysian jet to five. Though the discovery of the debris has bolstered authorities' assertion that the plane went down somewhere in the Indian Ocean, none of the parts thus far has yielded any clues into exactly where and why the aircraft crashed. Those elusive answers lie with the flight data recorders, or black boxes, which may never be found, said Geoff Dell, a specialist in accident investigation at Central Queensland University in Australia. "It shows they're looking in the right ocean — that's about it," Dell said.

Dutch doctors euthanize sex abuse victim because of ‘incurable’ mental suffering
LifeSite - The sexual abuse that lay at the root of the problem seems to have occurred between the ages of five and fifteen. During her late teen years doctors declared her psychological damage “incurable,” but following a second opinion the girl was given psychological therapy, which doctors characterized as “temporarily partially successful.” After the woman’s symptoms returned, doctors approved her euthanasia by lethal injection, paradoxically claiming that she was competent to decide because there was “no major depression or other mood disorder which affected her thinking.”... The Dutch decriminalization has been expanded since 2002 to include the mentally ill and those suffering from dementia. Children as young as 12 years old can request euthanasia with the support of their parents, and the Dutch Pediatric Association is publicly advocating the elimination of any minimum age to request it.

9/11 judge and prosecutors should step down over 'destroyed evidence', defense demands
The Guardian - An explosive allegation about destroyed evidence threatens to unravel the already shaky military tribunal for the alleged architect of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Attorneys for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed are calling on the judge and the entire prosecution team in Mohammed's military commission at Guantánamo Bay to step down from the long-running case over what a member of the defense team called "at least the appearance of collusion" that led to the government apparently secretly destroying information relevant to the premier post-9/11 tribunal. The defense team further argues that the destruction of evidence ought to spell the end of Mohammed's military trial entirely, a development that would leave the Obama administration and its successor to come up with an entirely new plan for what to do with the top terror suspect in US custody.

Saudi officials were 'supporting' 9/11 hijackers, commission member says
The Guardian - The comments by John F Lehman, an investment banker in New York who was Navy secretary in the Reagan administration, signal the first serious public split among the 10 commissioners since they issued a 2004 final report that was largely read as an exoneration of Saudi Arabia, which was home to 15 of the 19 hijackers on 9/11. “There was an awful lot of participation by Saudi individuals in supporting the hijackers, and some of those people worked in the Saudi government,” Lehman said in an interview, suggesting that the commission may have made a mistake by not stating that explicitly in its final report. “Our report should never have been read as an exoneration of Saudi Arabia.”

Declassified “Skull and Bones” Records from George W. Bush White House Set for Public Release
Activist Post - One of the most infamous secret societies in America, Yale University’s Skull and Bones Society, may be a little less secret come July, as the national archives is scheduled to publicly release 1,650 pages of records from the President George W. Bush-era. The National Archives, which oversees White House records held at the George W. Bush Presidential Library in Dallas, Texas, reportedly received a request on April 15 for materials specific to George W. Bush’s presidency under the Freedom of Information Act. The request specifically sought the public release of records containing 8,072 pages, 3,159 assets (such as presidential memoranda – cards, letters, etc.), and one video clip, according to the National Archives.

Judge rules in favor of House GOP in Obamacare lawsuit
Washington Times - A federal judge dealt President Obama and his health care law a major blow Thursday, ruling in favor of House Republicans who said the administration was unlawfully paying insurers without permission from Congress. The order by U.S. District Court Judge Rosemary Collyer, presiding in Washington, says the administration should stop doling out the Affordable Care Act’s “cost-sharing” payments to insurers until Capitol Hill appropriates the money. However, she stayed that order pending a likely appeal by the administration. During argument, secretaries for the Treasury and Health and Human Services departments said they hadn’t done anything wrong, citing a permanent appropriation that also covers Obamacare’s exchange subsidies.

Persian Gulf Sheikhs Gave Bill & Hillary $100 Million (Video)
Daily Caller - As a presidential candidate, the amount of foreign cash the Clintons have amassed from the Persian Gulf states is “simply unprecedented,” says national security analyst Patrick Poole. “These regimes are buying access. You’ve got the Saudis. You’ve got the Kuwaitis, Oman, Qatar and the UAE. There are massive conflicts of interest. It’s beyond comprehension,” Poole told TheDCNF in an interview. Overall, the Clinton Foundation has received upwards of $85 million in donations from five Persian Gulf states and their monarchs, according to the foundation’s website. Activist groups have charged the five states — Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) — committed numerous human rights abuses.

Mass casualty exercise planned for May 18 in Roseville, Calif.
County of Placer - Low-flying helicopters, scores of first responders, various emergency vehicles, sirens and other loud noises, and dozens of people made up to look like accident victims can be expected in Roseville, California, May 18, as firefighters and law enforcement officers from throughout Placer County will team up to practice and ensure preparedness for a mass casualty incident [or false flag]. Anyone in the area of PFE Road and Hilltop Circle in Roseville between the hours of 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. can expect to see a significant amount of activity that could appear very realistic, including a simulated train accident, a simulated hazardous materials spill, many accident 'victims' made up to appear injured, and helicopters transporting people to hospitals. People are encouraged to avoid this area, if at all possible, due to the large volume of emergency vehicles responding to this area for the exercise.

Wisconsin Public School to Spend Nearly $500k on ‘Black Lives Matter’
Adan Salazar - A line item indicating $471,073 to be spent on a pilot partnership program with “Black Lives Matter” appears on the Milwaukee Public Schools 2016-2017 Superintendent’s Proposed Budget. According to the proposed budget, the BLM program will indoctrinate students with a “cultural studies curriculum,” encourage “culturally responsive teaching practices” and teach pupils about “trauma-informed care” and “issues surrounding race and trauma faced in communities and schools.” The Wisconsin Conservatory of Lifelong Learning in Central Milwaukee appears to be the school set to implement the program. The community will have a chance to protest the spending, as noted in Wednesday’s Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: “a public hearing on the proposed Fiscal Year 2017 budgets will be held by the Milwaukee Board of School Directors” on Tuesday of next week.

Report: Teacher Forced Kids to Stick Heads in Bucket of Urine, Parents Claim
Breitbart - Parents in King William, VA are upset after finding out their children were “exposed to bodily fluids,” NBC 12 reports. Shawn Martin said his second grader came home from Cool Spring Primary School complaining about a bad day at school where his teacher forced him and the other male students in his class to stick their heads in a bucket of urine.... His son told him that one of the students urinated in a toy bucket at school, and the teacher made the male students smell the urine to tell the teacher who they thought was the culprit.... King Williams reportedly sent home notes to parents that warned parents their children may have been “exposed to bodily fluids. According to parents, the teacher has 26 years of teaching experience. School officials say the teacher is still on the job. he school released this statement: This is a personnel matter. Appropriate action has been taken to ensure that such conduct does not repeat itself. We will have no further comment.”

Trump, Ryan Issue Joint Statement: ‘Great Opportunity to Unify’
Breitbart - “The United States cannot afford another four years of the Obama White House, which is what Hillary Clinton represents,” the statement begins. “That is why it’s critical that Republicans unite around our shared principles, advance a conservative agenda, and do all we can to win this fall.” With that focus, we had a great conversation this morning. While we were honest about our few differences, we recognize that there are also many important areas of common ground. We will be having additional discussions, but remain confident there’s a great opportunity to unify our party and win this fall, and we are totally committed to working together to achieve that goal. We are extremely proud of the fact that many millions of new voters have entered the primary system, far more than ever before in the Republican Party’s history. This was our first meeting, but it was a very positive step toward unification. Following his meeting with Ryan and Priebus, Trump will meet with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

Hillary Can't Answer Why Obamacare Costs Are Soaring
Zero Hedge - Hillary Clinton's strategy to get in front of voters and answer one-on-one type questions is not working out very well.First, Clinton couldn't explain to an unemployed West Virginian why she was promising to put a lot of coal miners out of work. Now, Hillary can't explain why Obamacare fees are higher than promised, and are set to explode even higher next year. During a recent town hall event, a small business owner explained to the Democratic front-runner that her health insurance has gone up so significantly for her family that the thought of providing benefits to her employees is secondary at this point. To which Hillary responded, "There's a lot of things I'm looking at to try to figure out how to deal with exactly the problem you're talking about. There are some good ideas out there but we have to subject them to the real world test, will this really help a small business owner or a family be able to afford it. What could have possibly raised your costs four hundred dollars, and that's what I don't understand."

Ted Cruz Files Senate Re-Election Papers in Texas
Breitbart - Former 2016 presidential candidate Ted Cruz filed papers on Wednesday to run for re-election to the U.S. Senate from Texas in 2018. A letter from Cruz’s campaign assistant treasurer to the Federal Election Commission reads: Effective May 4, 2016, Senator Ted Cruz is no longer a candidate for President of the United States. As of that date, his 2018 campaign for the United States Senate and his campaign committee Ted Cruz for Senate have been reactivated.

Texas Secession Looms As "Independence Resolution" Nears Vote
Zero Hedge - On Wednesday, the Platform Committee of the Texas Republican Party voted to put a Texas independence resolution up for a vote at this week's GOP convention, according to a press release from the pro-secession Texas Nationalist Movement. The resolution calls for allowing voters to decide whether the Lone Star State should become an independent nation. The Texas Nationalist Movement, once considered a quixotic fringe group, has added hundreds of members in the years since the election of Barack Obama. According to the Houston Chronicle's Dylan Baddour, at least 10 county GOP chapters are coming to the convention supporting independence resolutions. But this will be the first time in the state's 171-year history that they will actually vote on one. It's very unlikely to win. Then again, that's what people said about Donald Trump.

Unemployment Claims Spike Again As We Get More Scientific Evidence The Middle Class Is Shrinking
Economic Collapse - As the U.S. economy slows down, we would expect to start to see evidence of this in the employment numbers, and that is precisely what has begun to happen. During the week before last, initial claims for unemployment benefits jumped by 17,000, which was the largest increase that we had seen in over a year. Well, last week we witnessed an even bigger spike.... The following comes directly from the Department of Labor… In the week ending May 7, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 294,000, an increase of 20,000 from the previous week’s unrevised level of 274,000. This is the highest level for initial claims since February 28, 2015 when it was 310,000. The 4-week moving average was 268,250, an increase of 10,250 from the previous week’s unrevised average of 258,000.

Target Stocks Crash Down Another $2 Billion… CEO Defends Pro-Trans Policy
Breitbart - The CEO of retail giant Target is zig-zaging between the many customers who are angered by his decision to open single-sex bathrooms to the other sex, the gender-identity progressives who pushed for the disastrous transgender policy, and the Wall Street stock-pickers who have chopped roughly $4.5 billion off the company’s value.... To mollify the public angered by his removal of single-sex restrooms and changing rooms, the company will add family bathrooms to all of its stores, [CEO Brian Cornell said].... But Cornell did not offer to return single-sex changing rooms, which is likely the most unnerving element in the company’s new open-door, pro-transgender agenda.

Bayer is reportedly looking to buy Monsanto - and Monsanto's stock is surging
Business Insider - The chemical and pharmaceutical giant Bayer AG is considering making a bid for the agrochemical Monsanto, Bloomberg's Aaron Kirchfeld, Ruth David and Dinesh Nair report. The combined company would become the largest supplier of farm chemicals and seeds, according to the report. Monsanto's stock was up about 17% in premarket trading, after surging as much as 20%. Monsanto, which has a market cap of about $40 billion, is the maker of the pesticide Roundup.

28% of US bees wiped out this winter, suggesting bigger environmental issues
The Guardian - More than a quarter of American honeybee colonies were wiped out over the winter, with deadly infestations of mites and harmful land management practices heaping mounting pressure upon the crucial pollinators and the businesses that keep them. Preliminary figures commissioned by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) show that 28% of bee colonies in the United States were lost over the 2015-16 winter. More than half of surveyed beekeepers said they suffered unsustainable losses during the winter.... There were an estimated 5m bee colonies in the US in 1940, but only half of them now remain.... Environmental groups have called for a range of common pesticides to be phased out to help bee populations recover.... “The longer we wait, the worse the situation becomes. If we do not suspend neonicotinoid pesticides immediately, we risk losing our beekeepers and harming important ecosystem functions upon which our food supply depends.”

Homeopathic vet exposes dog deaths related to Pfizer drug... Now his website is under attack
(NaturalNews) Dr. Falconer, a conventional vet turned holistic, has been reporting on the "damaging side-effects" of Apoquel, an anti-inflammatory drug made by Zoetis, a subsidiary of Pfizer. Released in 2014, the drug promises to alleviate itching in dogs within 4 hours, and "effectively" control the problem within 24 hours, with "minimal side-effects."... Though it may quickly relieve itching (temporarily), Apoquel is not all it's cracked up to be. In fact, it's been linked to difficulty breathing, nose bleeds, weight gain, fever, papilloma lesions in the mouth, decreased appetite, abdominal pain and vomiting. Pet owners also report that the drug stops working after a while.

Common sweetener xylitol can kill your dog, FDA warns
MarketWatch - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a stronger warning that a common sweetener in chewing gum, mints and other products could kill or severely poison dogs. The warning comes on the heels of a surge in deaths and severe illnesses from dogs accidentally ingesting the sweetener, xylitol, according to pet poison-control centers. The increase in pet xylitol poisonings was reported last November in The Wall Street Journal. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a stronger warning that a common sweetener in chewing gum, mints and other products could kill or severely poison dogs. The warning comes on the heels of a surge in deaths and severe illnesses from dogs accidentally ingesting the sweetener, xylitol, according to pet poison-control centers. The increase in pet xylitol poisonings was reported last November in The Wall Street Journal.... Ingesting just a few pieces of gum can poison even a large dog, experts say, with effects including low blood sugar, seizures, coma, liver damage and possibly death. The FDA also called attention to the inclusion of xylitol in some nut butters. Owners often give peanut butter to their pets as a treat to get them to take medication.
 

Thursday - May 12, 2016  -  Today in History:

1780 - Charleston, South Carolina fell to British forces.
1926 - The airship Norge became the first vessel to fly over the North Pole.
1940 - The Nazi conquest of France began with the German army crossing Muese River.
1942 - The Soviet Army launched its first major offensive of World War II and took Kharkov in the eastern Ukraine from the German army.
1943 - The Axis forces in North Africa surrendered during World War II.
1949 - The Soviet Union announced an end to the Berlin Blockade.
1975 - U.S. merchant ship Mayaguez was seized by Cambodian forces in international waters.
1978 - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that they would no longer exclusively name hurricanes after women.
1984 - South African prisoner Nelson Mandela saw his wife for the first time in 22 years.
1999 - Russian President Boris Yeltsin dismissed Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov and named Interior Minister Sergei Stepashin as his successor.
2002 - Former U.S. President Carter arrived in Cuba for a visit with Fidel Castro. It was the first time a U.S. head of state, in or out of office, had gone to the island since Castro's 1959 revolution.
2003 - In Texas, fifty-nine Democratic lawmakers went into hiding over a dispute with Republican's over a congressional redistricting plan.
2015 - It was announced that Verizon would be acquiring AOL.

Moscow voices alarm as NATO Romanian missile defense base goes live
RT - As a new Romanian interceptor missile base prepares to go live Thursday, Moscow has slammed NATO’s expanding defense shield, calling it a threat to security, and a violation of a key international treaty. "The creation of a European and global missile defense shield has an adverse effect on strategic stability," Mikhail Ulyanov, head of the Russian foreign ministry's department for proliferation and arms control issues, said on Wednesday. NATO will formally declare its missile defense base in the remote location of Deveselu, Romania, operational on Thursday, bringing to fruition a plan to construct a shield in eastern Europe that was first announced by George W. Bush as far back as 2007. The Russian official said that not only was the missile defense aimed at neutralizing Russia’s offensive capability – an accusation the Pentagon has repeatedly rejected – but that Deveselu’s MK 41 launching systems it uses could be re-equipped with offensive cruise missiles.

Iran’s Press TV Fails to Fix False Report Claiming Saudi King Gave $80 Million to Netanyahu’s Election Campaign
Breitbart - The report, titled, “Leaked: Saudi King financed Netanyahu’s 2015 election bid,” cites fabricated quotes purportedly from Israeli opposition leader Isaac Herzog alleging that the Saudi financing was documented in the “Panama Papers.” Contacted by Breitbart Jerusalem on Monday night, Herzog’s office denied the report, saying the quotes were entirely fabricated.... It was not immediately clear where Press TV got the quotes from although they may have originated with The Middle East Observer website. No link to an original source was provided by Press TV. The name Mohamed Eyad Kayali does not appear in the searchable database of the so-called Panama Papers.
* Related: Panama Papers Data Leak : King of Saudi Arabia sponsored Netanyahu's campaign

Central banks buying up gold to diversify away from US dollar
RT - The demand for gold has renewed worldwide with the price for the precious metal climbing to nearly $1300 per ounce for the first time in 15 months. The rally has been led by the world's central banks loading up on gold to diversify from the US dollar. Russia has been the most active buyer in the bullion market. The country has purchased 46 tons of the yellow metal this year, while China comes second with 35 tons. The demand by the central banks increased 28 percent from January through March compared to the same period a year ago... The major driver for gold purchasing by central banks is seen by the economists as trend towards diversification away from the US dollar, with some economies seeking protection against currency volatility.

Inflation In Venezuela Reaches Nearly 400%
Government Slaves - Venezuela’s year-on-year inflation rate has reached 397.4 percent, according to unofficial data obtained by Venezuelan media from the Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV).... Venezuela’s economic crisis — which economists have blamed on policies implemented by the Chavista administration in power — has led to, among other things, food and medicine shortages resulting in rioting and looting. The country’s central bank has not yet released inflation figures for 2016. The last official data available corresponds to the first quarter of 2015. The International Monetary Fund (FMI) predicts that Venezuela’s economy will fall 8 percent in 2017 after shrinking 5.7 percent in 2015. The FMI’s predictions suggest that inflation in the country will reach 720 percent in 2016.

Raw Venezuela: Looter Burned Alive, While “Streets Filled With People Killing Animals For Food”
Mac Slavo - The situation in Venezuela is reaching all out chaos, as crippling socialist policies have resulted in a devastating power and food shortage, as well as looming political instability.... According to the PanAm Post: Ramón Muchacho, Mayor of Chacao in Caracas, said the streets of the capital of Venezuela are filled with people killing animals for food. Through Twitter, Muchacho reported that in Venezuela, it is a “painful reality” that people “hunt cats, dogs and pigeons” to ease their hunger. People are also reportedly gathering vegetables from the ground and trash to eat as well. The crisis in Venezuela is worsening everyday due in part to shortages reaching 70 percent […] six Venezuelan military officials were arrested for stealing goats to ease their hunger, as there was no food at the Fort Manaure military base.

Video: Cops Brutalize Triple Amputee, Remove his Prosthetic Limbs, then Leave Him Stranded
Counter Current News - A triple amputee was left brutalized and humiliated after a police search on a train platform left him laying on the ground, struggling to re-attach his prosthetics.... “I explained them several times it was prosthetic…They insisted on searching me. I felt completely humiliated,” the victim, François Bayga said. Bayga, leads an active life despite his physical disabilities.... The incident was filmed at the Paris Gare de Lyon railway station. Bayga told France 24 that he found himself witnessing a “police search of exceptional brutality.”... A petition has been started on Change.org calling for the immediate suspension of the officers involved and has already been signed by over 60,000 people.

Talks over US aid to Israel stall over missile shield, defense industry preferences
RT - Negotiations between the US and Israel over a new military aid package have hit a snag: While Israel demands dedicated missile defense funding, Washington insists US defense contractors should benefit more from the deal, according to leaks from officials. The current aid package amounts to $30 billion, and is set to expire in 2018. Israel is asking for almost $10 billion more from the new arrangement. Washington is offering a smaller increase, while insisting that the greater share of the aid – and eventually all of it – be spent on purchases from US defense contractors rather than domestically, Reuters reported, citing several US and Israeli officials speaking on condition of anonymity.

Ex-Pentagon Chief: Next President Must Swallow Pride, Work Out Differences With Putin
Sputnik News - Tensions between Moscow and Washington have been at an all-time post-Cold War high. The US is currently engaged in joint military drills with Georgia, mere miles from Russia’s border, while the US Navy has sailed aggressively close to Russian waters in the Baltic Sea. To avoid future conflict, former secretary of defense Hagel stated that the next US President must swallow their pride and meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss de-escalation. "Now that might be distasteful, but we know enough about President Putin to know he deals leader to leader," Hagel said at the Atlantic Council.... On NATO’s plans to boost its presence in the Baltic, Hagel warned that this could lead to unintended consequences.

FBI monitoring almost 800 ISIS-related cases in US
ABC News - Of the nearly 1,000 FBI cases across the country looking at people who may have been radicalized online, about 80 percent of them are tied to ISIS, FBI Director James Comey said today. "[ISIS'] ability to motivate troubled souls, to inspire them, remains a persistent presence in the United States," Comey said. "We have north of 1,000 cases where we’re trying to evaluate where somebody is on the spectrum from consuming [ISIS propaganda] to acting, and that number continues to tick up slowly."

‘We’re not afraid’: Second Standoff Looms As Bundy Women Rally to Protect Cattle
Adan Salazar - A second standoff could be in the works if the government gives in to environmental activists’ demands to confiscate livestock owned by Nevada cattle rancher Cliven Bundy, the man’s wife asserts. Speaking to The Guardian regarding calls from various wildlife groups asking the BLM to seize the embattled family’s cattle, Angie Bundy predicts the fallout of such actions would result in a bigger protest than the historic standoff that occurred in April 2014. “We’re not afraid,” Angie says. “If you have a bunch of women and children standing out there and protesting, it’ll probably get more people out.”... On Monday, a group of nine environmental organizations petitioned BLM Director Neil Kornze for prompt removal of the Bundy livestock claiming their grazing habits endangered the Mojave desert tortoise’s habitat.

Never-ending ‘gun show’: US gov’t sent $2bn in military gear to cops since ’06
RT - Thousands of military weapons and trucks, as well as hundreds of aircraft, worth roughly $2.2 billion have been sent by the Pentagon to police departments around the United States over the last 10 years, a new report has found. Even small police departments are being armed with surplus military gear from the Department of Defense’s 1033 program, shows the report, compiled by the transparency advocacy group Open the Books. Since 2006, more than 83,000 M16 and M14 rifles worth $31 million have been transferred into the hands of local police. Law enforcement officers received another 8,198 pistols and nearly 1,400 shotguns as well. Meanwhile, more than 7,000 military trucks and hundreds of mine-resistant armored vehicles (MRAP) have been given to police, along with over 400 helicopters and 56 airplanes.

Police Accused of Disguising License Plate Reading Vehicle as Google Car
Mikael Thalen - Police in Pennsylvania were accused Wednesday of disguising a license plate reading vehicle as a Google Street View car. Noticed at around 10 am EST by security and cryptography researcher Matt Blaze, the white SUV was seen with a large Google Maps sticker on one of its rear windows.... The photo, which quickly gained several hundred retweets, also shows two cameras on top of the vehicle believed to be LPRs or “License Plate Readers.” Speaking with Gizmodo writer Matt Novak, Pennsylvania State Trooper Adam Reed confirmed the equipment to be LPRs although he and the department denied owning the SUV.

The Obama Administration Just Gave Warmonger Henry Kissinger the Distinguished Public Service Award
Melissa Dykes - Via The Nation: Carter himself deserves an award for understatement, calling the man who is responsible, directly or indirectly, for the deaths of millions of people in Southeast Asia, East Timor, Bangladesh, and southern Africa, among other places—”unique in the annals of American diplomacy.” Kissinger, Carter said, “demonstrated how serious thinking and perspective can deliver solutions to seemingly intractable problems.” As to allegations of war crimes, “the fact is,” said Kissinger, he and Richard Nixon “were engaged in good causes.” ... Of course the White House should be honoring Kissinger, since it runs its endless war by Kissinger’s rules. The right to bomb neutral countries the United States isn’t at war with in the name of national security is now unquestionably accepted across the foreign policy spectrum, as is the right of the White House to engage in extrajudicial assassination at will (Kissinger’s illegal Cambodia bombing set a precedent, but he also lent critical legitimacy by supporting Reagan’s bombing of Libya, George H.W. Bush’s invasion of Panama and Gulf War I, and George W. Bush’s Gulf War II).

NC To Allow Students To Carry Pepper Spray To Defend Transgender Bathroom Attacks
The Associated Press - A North Carolina school system has adopted a policy allowing high school students to carry pepper spray this fall, a policy one board member said may be useful for students who encounter transgender classmates in the bathroom. The Salisbury Post reports the policy was adopted by the Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education during a work session on Monday. Board member Chuck Hughes said using the sprays was purely defensive, and he referenced the North Carolina law that limits LGBT rights, saying such sprays could help female students if they go to the bathroom and don't know who's coming in after them. The defensive spray clause won't affect students until it's published in the upcoming student handbook.

Man sues for 5 million dollars over glyphosate contaminated oatmeal
(NaturalHealth365) The presence of the toxic chemical glyphosate in a breakfast staple has become the subject of a $5 million lawsuit brought by a consumer against Quaker Oats. The contamination flies in the face of the company’s claim that its products are 100 percent natural, according to the lawsuit.... The lawsuit against the breakfast food giant alleges that the carcinogenic chemical glyphosate is being used on oats meant for human consumption, even being sprayed on them during harvest. That sort of widespread contamination is beginning to garner some attention.

Shock: 50% of Bernie Voters Pick Trump Over Hillary
Kit Daniels - Sanders won W.V. with around 124,000 votes compared to Clinton’s 86,000, meaning that approximately 72% of the votes Clinton received in the primary (half of Sanders) represent the Democrats who would vote Trump. “Trump’s chances against Clinton may be better than anyone thought,” Fox News admitted.... Bernie voters are already disgusted with how the Democratic Party is rigging the nomination for Clinton even though Sanders continues to win states this late in the race. Despite their different ideologies – Sanders a socialist and a Trump a Reaganesque nationalist – both candidates are populists who are viewed as outsiders, unlike the Wall St.-financed Clinton.

12,000+ Sign Petition to Remove Speaker Paul Ryan from GOP Convention Chair
Breitbart - The petition, titled, “Remove Paul Ryan as the RNC Chairperson at the convention,” launched on May 7 and now has 12,266 signatures. It’s been shared more than 17,000 times.... Ryan is set to meet with presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump on Thursday in Washington, D.C. The meeting was scheduled after Ryan said last week that he wasn’t ready to support Trump as the presumptive nominee during an appearance on CNN after Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich suspended their campaigns after the Indiana primary. The petition reads: Since Paul Ryan has reneged on his pledge to support the GOP Nominee (Donald Trump,) he should be removed as the chairperson of the Republican National Convention, in which delegates of the United States Republican Party will choose the party’s nominees for President of the United States and Vice President of the United States in the 2016 national election will be held July 18–21, 2016.

11 Signs That The U.S. Economy Is Rapidly Deteriorating Even As The Stock Market Soars
Economic Collapse - Just like in the spring of 2008, all of the signs are pointing to an avalanche of bad economic news in the months ahead. The following are 11 signs that the U.S. economy is rapidly deteriorating… #1 Total business sales have been declining for nearly two years, and they are now about 15 percent lower than they were in late 2014. #2 The inventory to sales ratio is now back to near where it was during the depths of the last recession. This means that there is lots and lots of unsold stuff just sitting around out there, and that is a sign of a very unhealthy economy. #3 Corporate earnings have declined for four consecutive quarters. This never happens outside of a recession. #4 Profits for companies listed on the S&P 500 were down 7.1 percent during the first quarter of 2016 when compared to the same time period a year ago. #5 In April, commercial bankruptcies were up 32 percent on a year over year basis, and Chapter 11 filings were up 67 percent on a year over year basis. This is exactly the kind of spike that we witnessed during the initial stages of the last major financial crisis as well....

Critics Worry Armed Security Makes Nuclear Plants More Dangerous
Breitbart - The concern is that the weapons being used are so powerful that their ammunition could breach doors or walls that have been put in place as final safeguards. According to the Orange County Register, security personnel assigned to nuclear facilities benefit from a Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) allowance to “possess high-powered weaponry that would otherwise be banned” by state or local laws. Following 9/11, the added firepower was considered a must, but critics now worry a mistake by security personnel could turn a benefit into a curse.... Nuclear facility security managers like Marty Speer–who began managing San Onofre after 9/11–voice concern not over the weaponry itself, but the degree of training that security personnel receive regarding the weaponry.

Canadian Airlines Are Breaking The Rules To Fly Pets And Their Families To Safety (Photos)
ViralNova - Companies like WestJet, Suncor Energy, and Canadian North are running evacuation flights from Fort McMurray to southern parts of Canada. While normally there'd be a limit on the number of pets allowed on flights -- and restrictions on how they're transported -- the flight crews are forgoing the rules. Dogs, cats, turtles...they've been flying in coach along with everyone else in an effort to evacuate as many pets as possible on each flight. Some are able to bring their own pets aboard, while other animals are unaccompanied, hoping to be reunited with their families when they touch down.

AMERIGEDDON, coming to theaters nationwide May 13, 2016
AMERIGEDDON has been described as “the movie the establishment doesn’t want you to see.” Showing what happens when a not-so-future U.S. government conspires with the United Nations to stage an attack on the energy grid, AMERIGEDDON depicts a country ruled by martial law in which citizens are stripped of their constitutional rights and their guns. A group of patriots fight back and rescue the country from slipping into irreversible chaos. AMERIGEDDON’s release in an election year is not coincidental. The film illustrates a dystopian future all patriots must guard against and is a call to action to preserve the Second Amendment and stop executive rule by fiat. Director Mike Norris, son of Chuck Norris, asks for like-minded Americans to support the film.... For more information, visit the film’s Facebook page.
* Related Video: AMERIGEDDON Official Trailer

Wednesday - May 11, 2016  -  Today in History:

1792 - The Columbia River was discovered by Captain Robert Gray.
1812 - British prime Minster Spencer Perceval was shot by a bankrupt banker in the lobby of the House of Commons.
1816 - The American Bible Society was formed in New York City.
1858 - Minnesota was admitted as the 32nd U.S. state.
1860 - Giuseppe Garibaldi landed at Marsala, Sicily.
1889 - Major Joseph Washington Wham takes charge of $28,000 in gold and silver to pay troops at various points in the Arizona Territory. The money was stolen in a train robbery.
1910 - Glacier National Park in Montana was established.
1927 - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was founded.
1934 - A severe two-day dust storm stripped the topsoil from the great plains of the U.S. and created a "Dust Bowl." The storm was one of many.
1944 - A major offensive was launched by the allied forces in central Italy.
1947 - The creation of the tubeless tire was announced by the B.F. Goodrich Company.
1949 - Siam changed its name to Thailand.
1960 - Israeli soldiers captured Adolf Eichmann in Buenos Aires.
1995 - The Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty was extended indefinitely. The treaty limited the spread of nuclear material for military purposes.
1998 - India conducted its first underground nuclear tests, three of them, in 24 years. The tests were in violation of a global ban on nuclear testing.
1998 - A French mint produced the first coins of Europe's single currency. The coin is known as the euro.
2001 - U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft announced his decision to approve a 30-day delay of the execution of convicted Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh. McVeigh had been scheduled to be executed on May 16, 2001. The delay was because the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had failed to disclose thousands of documents to McVeigh's defense team. (Oklahoma)

Iran will sue US over decision to give terror victims $2 billion from frozen funds
RT - In April, the US Supreme Court ruled that American victims of terror attacks in Beirut and Saudi Arabia were eligible to receive damages from Iranian central bank assets that had been frozen, upholding a 2012 law passed by Congress permitting the payments. During his speech, Rouhani said Iran would “take this case to the International Court [of Justice] in the near future and will not spare any effort towards the restoration of the nation’s rights through legal, political and banking channels,” ... “The Supreme Court is the Supreme Court of the United States, not the Supreme Court of the world. We’re not under its jurisdiction, nor is our money. It is a theft. Huge theft,” said Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif ... The decision was also criticized by 120 member states of the UN’s Non-Aligned Movement, which said it violated US legal commitments to foreign nations’ sovereign immunity in domestic courts.... The latest move from Iran also comes after another US court ruled it must pay some $10 billion to families of victims who died in the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. Tehran has denied playing any role in the attack, though the judge issued a default judgment because the country chose not to defend itself in court.

After Secret Meetings With Saudi Arabia, Israel Publicly Repairs Relationship With Turkey
Brandon Turbeville - In an effort to “mend ties,” the Undersecretary of Turkish Foreign Ministers, Feridun Sinirlioglu, held a secret meeting with the Israeli spy chief in Sweden in early April. As Al Masdar News comments, The relations between Turkey and Israel have deteriorated after Israeli soldiers raided the Turkish flotilla (Mavi Marmara) while heading to lift Gaza blockade in May 2010. However, both countries began gradually restoring diplomatic and economic ties. In January 2009, Erdogan harshly criticized Israel’s conduct in Gaza at the World Economic Forum conference in Davos. Nonetheless, many analysts, including Ashton Meyer, believe the Davos argument was nothing but a farce manipulated by Erdogan to present himself as the new defender of Palestinian cause. “Having failed in dealing issues with Europe, Armenia, Russia, Syria, Iraq and Iran, Erdogan began improving ties with Israel”, Meyer said. Meyer also wrote: “when I compare how the Turkish people welcomed Erdogan after returning from Davos conference in Istanbul airport with the blood-covered faces of Gaza children, I just can’t tell who is the most unfortunate.”

China scrambles fighter jets, warships after US destroyer sails near disputed reef
RT - Guided missile destroyer, the USS William P. Lawrence, traveled within 12 nautical miles of the Chinese-occupied Fiery Cross Reef to “challenge excessive maritime claims,” said US Defense Department spokesman Bill Urban. "These excessive maritime claims are inconsistent with international law as reflected in the Law of the Sea Convention in that they purport to restrict the navigation rights that the United States and all states are entitled to exercise," Urban said... Under UN maritime law, all ships - including military vessels - are afforded the right of “innocent passage” through territorial waters so long as that ship travels without any threat against the sovereignty, peace or security of the coastal state. However, the US is not a signatory to the UN convention.... The new development is just the latest in a long-running dispute regarding the South China Sea, which both the US and China accuse each other of militarizing. In response, the US has increased its naval patrols and exercises in the area.

With her job on the line, Brazil's Rousseff has cleared out her office
Reuters - Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has packed up personal photos and stripped the shelves in her third-floor office in the Planalto presidential palace - a sign she may be resigned to losing her job in a Senate vote on Wednesday. In what could be one of her final meetings as president, Rousseff received the secretary general of the Organization of American States on Tuesday, as guards tried to stop photographers from documenting signs of an impending move. Though government lawyers have asked the Supreme Court to stop the Senate vote, an aide said privately the leftist Rousseff expects to receive official notice on Thursday of her suspension on charges of violating budget laws.

Czech Republic Receives Bomb Threats as it Continues to Resist Illegal Migrant Tidal Wave
Kurt Nimmo - According the Czech officials, an anonymous phone call said ten bombs were planted at the central rail station in Prague and other locations across the country. Additional evacuations have taken place in the cities of Plzen, Pardubice, Mlada Boleslav and Jicin.... Czech president Milos Zeman is an outspoken critic of the European Union’s plan to flood the continent with illegal migrants from the Middle East and North Africa.... “I am profoundly convinced that we are facing an organized invasion and not a spontaneous movement of refugees,” he said during a Christmas message. He also said Muslim migrants would impose sharia law. “A large majority of the illegal migrants are young men in good health and single. I wonder why these men are not taking up arms to go fight for the freedom of their countries against the Islamic State,” he added.

Japan Banks May Soon Pay Borrowers To Take Out Loans
Zero Hedge - Japanese banks may soon pay borrowers to accept loans if they can raise funds at even cheaper rates. Negative interest-rate lending is increasingly becoming a reality since the Bank of Japan started levying charges on idle cash. Lenders can now borrow for three months in the Tokyo interbank market at a record-low 6 basis-point annualized rate, versus 17 basis points since the BOJ move in January. They may eventually be able to be paid to borrow and then profit by paying less to lend, according to Credit Suisse Group AG, JPMorgan Chase & Co. and SMBC Nikko Securities Inc.

Italian court rules food theft 'not a crime' if hungry
BBC News - Judges overturned a theft conviction against Roman Ostriakov after he stole cheese and sausages worth €4.07 (£3; $4.50) from a supermarket. Mr Ostriakov, a homeless man of Ukrainian background, had taken the food "in the face of the immediate and essential need for nourishment", the court of cassation decided. Therefore it was not a crime, it said. A fellow customer informed the store's security in 2011, when Mr Ostriakov attempted to leave a Genoa supermarket with two pieces of cheese and a packet of sausages in his pocket but paid only for breadsticks. In 2015, Mr Ostriakov was convicted of theft and sentenced to six months in jail and a €100 fine. For the judges, the "right to survival prevails over property", said an op-ed in La Stampa newspaper. In times of economic hardship, the court of cassation's judgement "reminds everyone that in a civilised country not even the worst of men should starve".

Canada wildfire curbs oil supply keeping prices stable
RT - Massive wildfires in Canada's oil-rich Alberta Province have resulted in an estimated 1.6 million barrels per day (bpd) crude supply shortfall, pushing global disruptions to 2.5 million bpd since January. Although 90 percent of buildings in the evacuated oil sands town of Fort McMurray have survived, producers expect shutdowns for several weeks. Facilities and pipelines close to the fire need to be inspected before workers can return. Consultancy Energy Aspects has estimated production of 1.6 million bpd will be lost.... The disruption in Canada has added to the global production shortfall.

Mexico Won’t Take Cuban Migrants, Tells Panama to Dump Them on U.S. Border
Kit Daniels - Mexico is allowing Panama to dump nearly 4,000 Cuban migrants on the U.S. border, revealing the hypocrisy of Mexican officials as they attack Trump’s immigration policies. The Cubans have been stranded in Panama after Nicaragua closed its border last year, preventing them from traveling north to the U.S., so the Panama government asked Mexican officials if they can simply fly the Cubans just south of the U.S./Mexico border. “The airlift’s announcement was followed with word Monday that Panama would close its southern border with Colombia to Cubans without visas,” AFP reported, underscoring how both Panama and Nicaragua protect their borders better than the U.S.

Cliven Bundy suing Obama, Nevada officials
The Hill - Cliven Bundy, the Nevada rancher who led an armed standoff over grazing fees on federal lands, is suing President Obama and Nevada officials in hopes of getting charges against him dismissed. Bundy’s lawyer will file the complaint Tuesday against Obama; Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.); his son, former Clark County Commission Chairman Rory Reid and U.S. District Court Judge Gloria Navarro. It alleges that they violated several of his constitutional rights and also asks the court to dismiss his indictment and release him from solitary confinement. His legal team will discuss the action Tuesday, following a detention hearing in Las Vegas.

Top Hillary Clinton Aide Walks Out In Middle Of FBI Interview
Zero Hedge - ... Hillary's former State Department Chief of Staff, Cheryl Mills, who according to the WaPo walked out of an interview with federal investigators when an FBI official began to discuss a topic considered off-limits. The off-limits questions reportedly concerned the way in which emails were given to the State Department to be distributed to the public. According to the Post, Mills worried that the questions would violate the attorney-client privilege, and investigators had previously agreed not to broach the subject.... Investigators consider Mills to be a cooperative witness but the episode demonstrates the tension surrounding the criminal probe into possible mishandling of classified information involving the leading Democratic presidential candidate. In the coming weeks, prosecutors and FBI agents hope to be able to interview Clinton herself as they work to bring the case to a close.Cheryl Mills, Clinton's former State Department chief of staff, and her lawyer both returned to the interview room a short time later, according to the newspaper, citing several unidentified people.

Hillary Rakes in Nearly $75,000 From Justice Department Employees
Free Beacon - Hillary Clinton has received nearly $75,000 in political contributions from employees at the Department of Justice, the agency that would decide whether or not to act if the FBI recommended charges against Clinton or her aides following its investigation into her private email server.... David Bossie, president of the watchdog group Citizens United, told the Washington Free Beacon he is not surprised by the donations, and renewed his call for Attorney General Loretta Lynch to appoint a special counsel to handle Clinton’s case. “I’m not surprised in the least to see more evidence that shows the politicization of the Justice Department,” Bossie said in a statement to the Free Beacon. “How can Democrat political appointees fairly investigate someone who is about to become their nominee for president? That’s why last July I called on Attorney General Lynch to appoint an impartial special counsel to investigate the private Clinton email server.”

Massive Cover-up – BLM leases Hammond ranch land to Russia through Clinton Foundation donors for uranium
ETF News - Russia gradually gained control of Uranium One, a major mining company, in three separate transactions from 2009 to 2013, while Hillary Clinton served as Secretary of State. Canadian records reveal that the company’s chairman used his own family foundation to make four donations to the Clinton Foundation during that time, resulting in a sum contribution of $2.35 million. Secretary Clinton approved the deal for Russia soon after her family’s slush fund received the donations. Now, Vladimir Putin controls 20 percent of all uranium production capacity in the U.S. These contributions were not made known to the public by the Clintons, even though Hillary Clinton made a deal with President Obama to disclose all the donors. Other individuals associated with the company made donations too. Furthermore, after Russia declared that it was taking over Uranium One, Bill Clinton received $500,000 for a Moscow speech from a Russian investment bank, which promoted Uranium One stock.

To the Governor’s Desk: Sweeping Vermont Privacy Bill Passes; Would Hinder Several Federal Surveillance Programs
Tenth Amendment Center - If ultimately signed into law, it would not only limit warrantless surveillance and help ensure electronic privacy in Vermont, but would also hinder several federal surveillance programs that rely on cooperation and data from state and local law enforcement. As passed, the legislation would ban the warrantless use of stingray devices to track the location of phones and sweep up electronic communications, restrict the use of drones for surveillance by police, and generally prohibit law enforcement officers from obtaining electronic data from service providers without a warrant or a judicially issued subpoena.

Lawsuit accuses Flint mayor of trying to redirect water crisis donors to campaign fund
Reuters - A former administrator in Flint, Michigan, charged in a federal lawsuit on Monday that she was fired for seeking a probe into allegations the mayor tried to redirect donations to her personal campaign fund from a charity meant to help families hurt by the city's water crisis. The wrongful termination lawsuit filed in federal court in Detroit said former City Administrator Natasha Henderson was fired in violation of whistle-blower and free-speech protections under Michigan law and the U.S. Constitution.... Henderson's lawsuit alleged that Mayor Karen Weaver ordered her assistant and a volunteer to redirect donors from a local fund set up to help families affected by the water crisis to her political action committee instead.

Donald Trump Within 100 Delegates of Winning GOP Nomination… Doubles Cruz Delegate Count
The Gateway Pundit - Donald Trump won West Virginia tonight with over 70% of the vote. Donald Trump also won Nebraska, a winner take all state with 36 delegates. Trump will end the night with 1138 delegates. By the end of the night Donald Trump will be within 100 delegates of winning the Republican nomination of 1237 delegates. Donald Trump now has more than twice as many delegates as second place finisher Senator Ted Cruz who ended his campaign with 564 delegates.
* Related: Presidential Primary Results

Sanders beats Clinton in West Virginia
Politico - With one-third of precincts reporting, Sanders led Clinton 50 percent to 39.2 percent.... With Sanders' projected victory, he will win a majority of the 29 pledged delegates at stake Tuesday in West Virginia, which — like all states in the Democratic primary — doles out delegates in proportion to the popular vote. The two major polls conducted in the state put Sanders ahead by 6 percentage points.

Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski will oversee the vice-presidential search
Washington Post - Corey Lewandowski, Donald Trump’s traveling confidant and campaign manager, will be in charge of the team that will survey and vet potential vice-presidential candidates for the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, two top Republicans said. The two Republicans familiar with Lewandowski's responsibilities spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss their private conversations with the Trump campaign, which is planning to ramp up the vice-presidential search in the coming weeks. Lewandowski formally took charge of the hunt for a running mate last week and has since been described inside and outside of the campaign as the point person for all related questions and meetings, the Republicans said.

Cruz Considers Reviving Campaign If He Wins Nebraska Primary
Kit Daniels - “The reason we suspended our campaign was that with the Indiana loss, I felt there was no path to victory," he told Glenn Beck. "If that changes, we will certainly respond accordingly." He also avoided answering whether he would support Trump. "This is a choice every voter is going to have to make,” Cruz said. “I would note, it's not a choice we as voters have to make today.”

Republicans For Hillary: Major Cruz Donors Shift to Clinton
Kit Daniels - One of the donors, Renaissance Technologies, spent over $13 million on Cruz’s campaign and is now pouring millions into Clinton’s coffers. “Her campaign is signaling to Republican donors that… Hillary ‘represents your values better than Trump,’” progressive outlet Common Dreams reported. “This is a striking admission — one that comes in the midst of an ongoing contest with an opponent, Vt. Sen. Bernie Sanders, who has questioned Clinton's commitment to progressive causes and has criticized her for caving under the temptations of corporate cash.”... Over 60 Wall Street donors who previously supported Jeb Bush are also funding Clinton, according to the Daily Beast, and Ted Cruz also received funding from many of the same donors. In other words, there’s no practical difference between establishment Republicans and Democrats.

Obama to Hiroshima: No Offense to World War Two Vets, Says Rhodes
Breitbart - President Barack Obama’s visit to Hiroshima should not be seen as an affront to the civilians and troops — in that order — who fought the Second World War, according to White House Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications & Speechwriting Ben Rhodes. Obama will be the first sitting U.S. president to visit Hiroshima later this month, a gesture other presidents have avoided because doing so might suggest an apology for the nuclear bombs that ended the war. Former president Jimmy Carter visited after he was no longer in office. Obama is not expected to offer a formal apology, but the visit will certainly be seen as such.

America's infrastructure $1.44 trillion short through 2025: report
Reuters - The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) estimated that through 2025, the United States has funded only about 56 percent of its needed infrastructure spending. The nation needs to spend $3.32 trillion to keep its ports, highways, bridges, trains, water and electric facilities up to date but has funded only $1.88 trillion of that, ASCE said. The shortfall rises to $5.18 trillion through 2040 without new funding commitments.... Examples of major U.S. infrastructure failures abound, from Flint, Michigan's drinking water crisis to travel delays at New York's LaGuardia Airport and the deadly 2007 I-35W Mississippi River bridge collapse in Minneapolis. Crumbling infrastructure "has a cascading impact on our nation's economy, impacting business productivity, gross domestic product, employment, personal income, and international competitiveness," said the ASCE report.

North Dakota contaminated with radioactive materials from fracking – study
Truthout - Some rivers and streams in North Dakota now carry levels of radioactive and toxic materials higher than federal drinking water standards as a result of wastewater spills, the scientists found after testing near spills. Many cities and towns draw their drinking water from rivers and streams, though federal law generally requires drinking water to be treated before it reaches peoples' homes, and the scientists did not test tap water as part of their research. High levels of lead -- the same heavy metal that infamously contaminated water in Flint, Michigan -- as well as the radioactive element radium, were discovered near spill sites. One substance, selenium, was found in the state's waters at levels as high as 35 times the federal thresholds set to protect fish, mussels, and other wildlife, including those that people eat.

Electric, hybrid and other eco-friendly cars fill the air with as many toxins as dirty diesels say scientists
Daily Mail - Electric, hybrid and other eco-friendly cars fill the air with as many toxins as dirty diesel vehicles, scientists have found. The greener alternative produce more tiny particles from tyre and brake wear because batteries and other parts needed to propel them make them heavier. It happens because when eco-cars accelerate or slow down the tires and brakes wear faster, in turn producing more particulates. More particles are also whipped up from the road surface because of the extra weight.... Scientists found that electric and eco-friendly cars weighed around 24 per cent more than conventional vehicles, a discovery that linked to anecdotal complaints from greener car owners that their tires wear out faster.,,, Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Department of Transport said eco-vehicles still had huge benefits in cutting CO2 emissions.

Vaccines and pesticides cause chronic illnesses in pets, too
(NaturalNews) ... vaccinating your pet annually poses more risks than it does benefits, because like humans, vaccines cause chronic illness in pets, too. Itchy, allergic dogs are the number one reason pets visit the vet, says Will Falconer, DVM, a homeopathic veterinarian providing care in Central Texas.... The most common health problem Dr. Falconer sees in pets is allergies, which he says are caused by "immune confusion," a man-made disease.... Dr. Falconer blames immune confusion on vaccines. "Immune systems are put into a state of confusion by vaccines whose sole purpose is to hype that very system." Rather than be effectively immunized against real world viruses, vaccines result in chronic illness... Such illnesses can usually "be tracked back to one or two causes," says Dr. Falconer: vaccines administered a month earlier, or "certain chemicals, most often the pesticide based heartworm 'preventatives.'" Trifexis, a chewable pill given to treat heartworms, fleas and other worms, is by far one of the most dangerous chemicals for pets, he says. Made by Elanco, a division of Eli Lilly and Co., Trifexis has been linked to death and illness in dogs, as it consists of two pesticides, one sourced in the U.S. and the other in China.

Tuesday - May 10, 2016  -  Today in History:

1773 - The English Parliament passed the Tea Act, which taxed all tea in the U.S. colonies.
1775 - Ethan Allen and Colonel Benedict Arnold led an attack on the British Fort Ticonderoga and captured it from the British.
1840 - Mormon leader Joseph Smith moved his band of followers to Illinois to escape the hostilities they had experienced in Missouri.
1865 - Confederate President Jefferson Davis was captured by Union troops near Irvinville, GA.
1869 - Central Pacific and Union Pacific Rail Roads meet in Promontory, UT. A golden spike was driven in at the celebration of the first transcontinental railroad in the U.S.
1908 - The first Mother's Day observance took place during a church service in Grafton, West Virginia.
1924 - J. Edgar Hoover was appointed head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
1933 - The Nazis staged massive public book burnings in Germany.
1940 - Germany invaded Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.
1941 - England's House of Commons was destroyed by a German air raid.
1942 - U.S. forces in the Philippines began to surrender to the Japanese.
1943 - U.S. troops invaded Attu in the Aleutian Islands to expel the Japanese.
1968 - Preliminary Vietnam peace talks began in Paris.
1999 - China broke off talks on human rights with the U.S. in response to NATO's accidental bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Yugoslavia.
2002 - Robert Hanssen was sentenced to life in prison with no chance for parole. Hanssen, an FBI agent, had sold U.S. secrets to Moscow for $1.4 million in cash and diamonds.
2011 - It was announced that Microsoft had closed a deal to purchase the internet phone service Skype for $8.5 billion.
2013 - In New York, NY, crane operators hoisted the final pieces of the spire atop One World Trade Center (formerly called the Freedom Tower).

Full List Of 214,000 Offshore Shell Companies Linked To "Panama Papers" Released Online
Zero Hedge - Whether it was funded by Soros, the CIA, the Rothschilds or even Putin is unclear, but moments ago the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists - the group responsible for preparing and organizing the Panama Papers leak - published a searchable database laying out 214,000 offshore entities created in 21 jurisdictions, from Nevada to Hong Kong and the British Virgin Islands.... Readers can search the full database below...

Cameron's 'Project Fear' Goes Full M.A.D. - Vote No To Brexit Or Face World War 3
Zero Hedge - Just as the government did in the lead up to The Scottish Referendum in 2014, it appears David Cameron is already escalating the so-called Project Fear. In a stunning statement of sheer fearmongery, clearly reflecting the establishment's panic at the rise of Brexit votes in the polls, The Telegraph reports UK PM David Cameron warned that Britain will pay a high cost if "we turn our back" on the EU, invoking Sir Winston Churchill and highlighting the battles of Trafalgar, Blenheim, Waterloo and the two World Wars as evidence that Britain cannot pretend to be "immune from the consequences." As The Daily Mirror reports, David Cameron has pleaded for Britain to stay in the EU to help prevent the Continent being ripped apart by another conflict....

China Dumps Chemicals In Ocean To Drive Fishermen Away From Disputed Island
Activist Post - Chinese vessels have been reportedly dumping chemicals in the surrounding waters of Pag-asa Island and harming the marine life in an effort to kill the island’s economy. As the number of civilians leaving because of a lack of fish increases, the Chinese get closer to taking over the land. A Facebook page has been dedicated to documenting the evidence, which consists most recently of photos of dead fish that have washed ashore from the chemical dumping. Pag-asa Island is an island in the West Philippine Sea occupied by Filipinos. It’s part of the Kalayaan municipality of Palawan, Philippines, but bigger countries like China, Taiwan, and Vietnam have been attempting to claim the area for economic reasons. As part of the Spratly Islands, the Pag-asa Island is the only one occupied by civilian Filipinos and they depend almost entirely on fishing. China Dumps Chemicals In Ocean To Drive Fishermen Away From Disputed Island. According to the Facebook page, it’s speculated that once the island is deserted by its inhabitants, China will establish a military base.

Greece to Receive Over $6.5Bln in Second Tranche of Credit
Sputnik News - Greece will receive much more than 5.7 billion euro ($6.5 billion) in the second tranche of its bailout within the framework of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), a Finance Ministry source said Monday. Earlier in the day, Greek lawmakers voted in a controversial reform bill that cuts future pension payments, increases value-added tax, and introduces internet, television, coffee and e-cigarette taxes.

95% of Greek ‘bailout’ money went to European Banks
Hang The Bankers - A recent German study just confirmed what 11 million Greeks already knew. That they are a people fully conquered by criminal mega banks and the corrupt politicians and technocrats in their employ.... Some 95 percent of the 220 billion euros disbursed to Greece since the start of the financial crisis as loans from the bailout mechanism has been directed toward saving the European banks. That means about 210 billion euros was eventually channeled to the eurozone credit sector while just 5 percent ended up in state coffers, according to a study by the European School of Management and Technology (ESMT) in Berlin.

The Bank Of Japan Begins Selling ¥1.3 Trillion In Stocks Acquired Over The Years
Zero Hedge - In a stark reminder, that what central banks buy they eventually have to sell, Japan's Nikkei writes that the Bank of Japan has begun selling equities it bought from commercial banks in the previous decade to ease anxiety over the financial sector. But before some interpret the move as a risk to Japan's stock "market" as the biggest equity backstopper now becomes a seller, concurrent with the BOJ's liquidations Kuroda will offset these divestments with extra purchases of exchange-traded funds, in effect netting out selling with even more stock buying.

Poland Refuses To Accept Any Refugees "As They Pose A Threat To Security", Will Not Comply With European "Blackmail"
Zero Hedge - Seemingly unfazed by the recent European Commission proposal to punish countries which refuse to comply with "fair" refugee allocation quotas with fines as high as €250,000 per asylum seeker, the head of Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party and former PM Jaroslaw Kaczynski said that no refugees will be accepted in Poland "as they pose a threat to security" adding that Poland will oppose any law forcing EU members to pay €250,000 per refused refugee.

Emails From Hillary Clinton’s IT Director at State Department Appear to Be Missing
ABC News - The State Department said today it can’t find Bryan Pagliano’s emails from the time he served as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s senior information technology staffer during her tenure there. Pagliano would have been required to turn over any official communications from his work account before he left the government. State Department officials say he had an official email account, but that they can't find any of those records he would have turned over and continue to search for them.

Revealed: Four Clinton Foundation Trustees Charged or Convicted of Financial Crimes
Breitbart - This newest, startling revelation is just one more of many in Peter Schweizer’s bombshell book Clinton Cash: The Untold Story of How and Why Foreign Governments and Businesses Helped Make Bill and Hillary Rich, the book that has sent the Hillary Clinton campaign and the media scrambling. The book shows that there are many problems with the Clinton charity. In fact, the Clinton Foundation is so unlike a real charity that even charity watchdog group Charity Navigatorrefuses to rate the Clinton Foundation because of its “atypical business model. One of those problems is the fact that the Clintons put big donors and close pals on the board for reasons that are hard to fathom. In fact, at least four of these “board members” have either been charged or convicted of serious financial irregularities, crimes including bribery and fraud.

Cashing in: Illegal immigrants get $1,261 more welfare than American families, $5,692 vs. $4,431
Washington Examiner - The Center for Immigration Studies, in an analysis of federal cost figures, found that all immigrant-headed households — legal and illegal — receive an average of $6,241 in welfare, 41 percent more than native households. As with Americans receiving benefits such as food stamps and cash, much of the welfare to immigrants supplements their low wage jobs. The total cost is over $103 billion in welfare benefits to households headed by immigrants. A majority, 51 percent, of immigrant households receive some type of welfare compared to 30 percent of native households, said the analysis of Census data. Immigrants receiving the most in the study of 2012 figures come from Mexico and Central America. Their average annual taxpayer funded welfare collection is $8,251, 86 percent higher than the benefits used by native households, said the report.... The new report follows another that found President Obama seeking $17,613 for every new illegal minor, more than Social Security retirees get. Richwine noted that illegal immigrants are barred from directly receiving welfare, but instead get it via their [U.S.-born] children.

Colorado town says “no” to HUD, refuses federal funds
Tenth Amendment Center - While the federal government always views its threats to cut off the flow of stolen money to the states as a kind of untrumpable trump card, a Colorado town has created a template for how to handle the federal government’s attempts at bribery and extortion. Castle Rock, a community of 55,000 people in central Colorado, recently decided to refuse funds from the federal government’s Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). At issue for the town was a new set of regulations, 377 pages in all, which gives the unelected HUD bureaucrats broad powers over grant recipient communities, including the power to reverse electoral decisions by local voters, change local zoning laws and force said communities to join regions against the its wishes.

Crony Capitalism in a Police State: Congress Moves to Privatize Airport Gestapo Checks
Kurt Nimmo - As complaints rise over long screening lines at airports, the new boss at Delta, Ed Bastian, says his company has negotiated a Clear discount for members of its SkyMiles frequent flier program. Clear is a biometric and identification service. It offers “pre-screening” at airport security checkpoints. A regular annual Clear membership costs $179. It allows travelers to avoid increasingly long lines. Delta also offers the TSA “staffing at no cost … to help them clear the queues.”.... The TSA, like all government operations, is ponderously slow and expensive, and more so after it decided to begin closer examination of carry-on luggage following revelations of security gaps. This has resulted in historically long lines at airports. Congress is considering allowing the Department of Homeland Security to move some of its funds into the private sector and let companies perform background checks on passengers.

NYC Subway Undergoing Study to Prepare for Chemical Attack - DHS
Sputnik News - Harmless gasses are being released throughout New York City’s subway system this week to test airflow movements in the event of a chemical attack, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate said in a statement on Monday. HS noted that the mixture of gasses and particles are non-toxic and odorless,, and will be monitored by particle tracers throughout the subway system. "This is a scientific experiment to gather data about how airborne material travels or spreads throughout the subway system," the statement said. "This includes knowing where it settles, and if any gets re-aerosolized by passing trains." The goal is to gather data on the hypothetical behavior of airborne contaminants in the event they were released into the subway system, the DHS explained.... The tests began on Monday and will continue through May 13.

Ryan Would Give Up Convention Chairman Role If Trump Asks
Bloomberg - House Speaker Paul Ryan said Monday he’ll step down as chairman of the Republican National Convention if Donald Trump asks him to do so. Ryan’s offer comes amid continued resistance by Ryan and other conservatives in the Republican Party to throwing their support behind the party’s presumptive 2016 presidential nominee. It also increases the uncertainty over whether Ryan is pursuing a short-term negotiating ploy or gearing up for a longer-term standoff. Trump said Sunday on NBC’s "Meet the Press" that he wouldn’t rule out the possibility of blocking Ryan from serving as the convention chairman when Republicans meet in Cleveland in July. He said he’d wait to see if Ryan does end up endorsing him.

Roger Stone: Ryan & Priebus Planning to “Extort” Trump at RNC
Paul Joseph Watson - Donald Trump campaign confidante Roger Stone warns that Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and RNC chairman Reince Priebus are planning to “extort” Trump at the RNC after Ryan refused to endorse the presumptive Republican nominee.... Stone says the two are scheming to “thwart Trump control of the Republican National Committee,” and has vowed to “expose their outrageous plan.” During an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper last week, Ryan said he was “not ready” to back Trump. Ryan and Trump are set to meet privately in Washington DC on Thursday.

Chris Christie to Lead Trump’s Transition Team
Breitbart - New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will serve as presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump’s transition team chairman. “Mr. Trump is the presumptive Presidential nominee for the Republican Party and continues to take critical steps to gear up for the general election against potential Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, or whoever,” Trump’s campaign announced in a press release on Monday. Trump said, “Governor Christie is an extremely knowledgeable and loyal person with the tools and resources to put together an unparalleled transition team, one that will be prepared to take over the White House when we win in November. I am grateful to Governor Christie for his contributions to this movement.”

Leaving a Dog in a Car Could Soon Be a Felony in Michigan
Dogington Post - If a pair of Senate bills proposed this week are passed, Michigan residents will soon face felony charges for leaving dogs in cars under conditions, like heat or cold, that could potentially endanger the health and life of the animal. The proposed bill recommends that a person cannot “leave or confine an animal in an unattended motor vehicle under conditions that endanger the health or well-being of the animal, including, but not limited to, heat, cold, lack of adequate ventilation, lack of food or water, or other circumstances that could reasonably be expected to cause suffering, disability, or death of the animal.” A first-time offender would face up to a $350 fine and up to 45 days in jail, a second violation would be punishable by up to a $500 fine and up to 90 days in jail. If the act causes serious harm to an animal, the offender could face up to a year in prison and up to a $1,000 fine. And, if it results in the death of an animal the punishment could be up to a $5,000 fine or 5 years imprisonment. While 16 other states have similar laws in place, most offenses are only classified as misdemeanors.

Even Vets Are Changing Their Feeding Advice for Cats Over 7
Dr. Becker - For many years, veterinarians recommended reduced protein diets for older cats. This is because after a lifetime of eating commercial pet food containing poor quality protein that is difficult to digest, a cat's kidney and liver function is compromised. As crazy as it sounds, reduced-protein senior cat formulas came into being because of the terrible quality of cat foods on the market. The chronic stress created by a diet that is hard to digest and assimilate causes premature aging and dysfunction in the organs of digestion and detoxification.... Protein quality is extremely variable. There are highly assimilable and digestible proteins (proteins your pet's body can easily absorb and make use of), and there are proteins that are wholly indigestible. For example beaks, feet, hides, tails and snouts are 100 percent protein, but all 100 percent is indigestible.... The nutrition that generates the least amount of metabolic stress for most cats, regardless of age, is whole, raw, unprocessed, organic, non-GMO, and in its natural form.
 

Monday - May 9, 2016  -  Today in History:

1754 - The first newspaper cartoon in America showed a divided snake "Join or die" in "The Pennsylvania Gazette."
1901 - In Australia, the Duke of Cornwall and York declared the First Commonwealth Parliament open.
1936 - The first sheet of postage stamps of more than one variety went on sale in New York City.
1941 - The German submarine U-110 was captured at sea by Britain's Royal navy.
1945 - U.S. officials announced that the midnight entertainment curfew was being lifted immediately.
1955 - West Germany joined NATO.
1960 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved for sale an oral birth-control pill for the first time.
1974 - The House Judiciary Committee began formal hearings on the Nixon impeachment.
1994 - Nelson Mandela was chosen to be South Africa's first black president.
1996 - In video testimony to a courtroom in Little Rock, AR, U.S. President Clinton insisted that he had nothing to do with a $300,000 loan in the criminal case against his former Whitewater partners.
2002 - In Bethlehem, West Bank, a deal was reached that would end the 38-day standoff at the Church of the Nativity. Thirteen suspected militants were to be deported to several different countries. The standoff had begun on April 2, 2002.
2002 - In Bahrain, people were allowed to vote for representatives for the first time in nearly 30 years. Women were allowed to vote for the first time in the country's history.

U.S. military in Yemen supporting UAE, Saudi Arabia in fight against al Qaeda
Washington Times - A small U.S. military team has been on the ground in Yemen for several weeks, carrying out intelligence and support operations for the Arab coalition fighting al Qaeda’s terror cell in the country…. It is the first acknowledged U.S. troop deployment into Yemen since Washington pulled all American forces in the country when violence broke out between the Yemeni government and Shi’ite Houthi rebels last March…. Capt. Davis made clear the American intelligence team’s work in Yemen and ongoing U.S. military support operations in the country did not fall under the Pentagon’s rubric of train, advise and assist operations going on in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. He also differentiated between the ongoing U.S. mission on the ground in Yemen and U.S.-led counterterrorism operations against al Qaeda’s cell in the country, dubbed al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. Under that mission, U.S. drones and warplanes have carried out 4 strikes against al Qaeda targets in Yemen over the last two weeks, with 10 confirmed kills, Capt. Davis said.

Offshore finance: more than $12tn siphoned out of emerging countries
The Guardian - More than $12tn (£8tn) has been siphoned out of Russia, China and other emerging economies into the secretive world of offshore finance, new research has revealed, as David Cameron prepares to host world leaders for an anti-corruption summit…. The figures, which came from compiling and cross-checking data from global institutions including the International Monetary Fund and the United Nations, follow the Panama Papers revelations of global, systemic tax avoidance…. Henry, [Columbia University professor James S Henry for the Tax Justice Network ] a former chief economist at consultancy McKinsey, told the Guardian his research underlined the fact that tax-dodging was not the only motivation for using tax havens – criminals and kleptocrats also made prolific use of their services to keep their wealth secret and their money safe. He said the list of users of offshore jurisdictions was like the cantina scene in Star Wars, where a motley group of unsavoury intergalactic characters is assembled. Henry said: “It’s like the Star Wars scene: you have the tax dodgers in one corner, the arms dealers in another, the kleptocrats over here. There’s also those using tax havens for money laundering, or fraud.”

Panama Papers Data Leak : King of Saudi Arabia sponsored Netanyahu's campaign
almasdarnews.com - Isaac Herzog, member of the Knesset and Chairman of the Israeli Labor party, revealed that Saudi king Salman bin Abdulaziz financed the election campaign of Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. “In March 2015, King Salman has deposited eighty million dollars to support Netanyahu’s campaign via a Syrian-Spanish person named Mohamed Eyad Kayali. The money was deposited to a company’s account in British Virgin Islands owned by Teddy Sagi, an Israeli billionaire and businessman, who has allocated the money to fund the campaign Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu”, Herzog cited a leaked Panama Paper.

Huge Panama Papers search database goes public Monday
CNN News - On Monday, people everywhere will be able to see for themselves which politicians, celebrities and business executives allegedly kept secret shell companies that were exposed in the Panama Papers. A Google-like searchable database is expected to go live at 2 p.m. ET, detailing ties between 368,000 people and 300,000 offshore entities. It's being released by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. "You'll see companies and their official owners. This is information that's never been available," said Marina Walker Guevara, ICIJ's deputy director. "We think that information about who owns the company should be public and transparent." ICIJ said the search tool will let you type in a name of a person or company, then see how it's connected to other people and companies.

China April exports, imports decline more than expected
Reuters - China's exports and imports fell more than expected in April, underlining weak demand at home and abroad and cooling hopes of a recovery in the world's second-largest economy. Exports fell 1.8 percent from a year earlier, the General Administration of Customs said on Sunday... April imports dropped 10.9 percent from a year earlier, falling for the 18th consecutive month, suggesting domestic demand remains weak despite a pickup in infrastructure spending and record credit growth in the first quarter. China's exports to the United States – the country’s top export market – fell 9.3 percent in April from a year earlier... China's cabinet has vowed to take steps to boost exports, including encouraging banks to boost lending, expanding export credit insurance and raise tax rebates for some firms.

Canada wildfire advance 'slows' as evacuations finish
BBC News - A huge wildfire ravaging the Canadian province of Alberta has grown more slowly than feared, officials say. Firefighters have held key areas and the blaze now covers about 621 sq miles (1,610 sq km) - less than the 700 sq miles estimated on Saturday. But it could be months before the fire is fully brought under control. More than 100,000 residents of Fort McMurray have fled the blaze…. The fire is expected to be the most expensive natural disaster in Canadian history, with insurance costs alone already running into billions of dollars…. Fort McMurray is in the heart of Canada's oil sands country, and the region has the world's third-largest reserves of oil. Workers at major oil companies have also been evacuated. As much as a quarter of the country's oil production has been halted by the fire, raising concerns about the effect on the Canadian economy.

Canadian Court orders dad to start treating his 11-year-old daughter as a boy
LifeSite - Faced with two estranged parents in utter disagreement about their daughter’s wish to be a boy, a British Columbia Supreme Court judge has appointed the child a legal guardian to protect her interests. The father not only wants his daughter to cease taking hormone blockers but also to cease all contact with transgender activists or transgender-friendly therapists. Though the case is about whether the 11-year-old can give informed consent to such serious medical treatment, which is intended to delay the onset of female puberty, the judge appears to have already conceded the point by referring to the girl by her preferred, male, initials, J.K., and accepting her male self-identification…. Her father, referred to as N.K., has persisted in referring to his daughter by her female name at birth, or P.K., in court documents, despite an earlier court order that he refer to her with male pronouns, name, and initials.

Army shrinks to smallest level since before World War II
Army Times - The Army’s latest headcount shows that nearly 2,600 soldiers departed active service in March without being replaced, an action that plunges manning to its lowest level since before World War II. During the past year the size of the active force has been reduced by 16,548 soldiers, the rough equivalent of three brigades. Endstrength for March was 479,172 soldiers, which is 154 fewer troopers than were on active duty when the Army halted the post-Cold War drawdown in 1999 with 479,424 soldiers, the smallest force since 1940, when the active component numbered 269,023 soldiers. Barring unexpected delays, the Army is well-positioned to achieve, or exceed, its budgeted end-strength of 475,000 soldiers by Sept. 30, the end of fiscal 2016. Without congressional or Defense Department intervention, the drawdown will continue for two more years, with endstrength hitting 460,000 soldiers in 2017, and 450,000 in 2018.

Kerry slams Trump's wall, tells grads to prepare for 'borderless world'
Washington Examiner - Secretary of State John Kerry took a shot at Donald Trump during his Friday commencement speech at Northeastern University, by saying no wall is big enough to keep dangerous terrorists out of the United States. "Many of you were in elementary school when you learned the toughest lesson of all on 9/11," he said. "There are no walls big enough to stop people from anywhere, tens of thousands of miles away, who are determined to take their own lives while they target others." "So I think that everything that we've lived and learn tells us that we will never come out on top if we accept advice from sound-bite salesmen and carnival barkers who pretend the most powerful country on Earth can remain great by looking inward," Kerry added. "And hiding behind walls at a time that technology has made that impossible to do and unwise to even attempt." Kerry didn't mention Trump by name, but Trump has repeatedly called for a wall on the southern U.S. border, and many Democrats, and some Republicans, have taken to calling him a carnival barker. Kerry also seemed to dismiss the importance of national borders, and said technology has reshaped the world into one that the U.S.

Judge says public has no right to record police on cellphones
Sustainable Pulse - The Morning Call - Across the country, videos of police arresting and even shooting people have sparked lawsuits, protests and even riots. But if a federal judge's opinion stands, bystanders could be handcuffed in their ability to hold officers accountable by recording them. U.S. District Judge Mark Kearney in Philadelphia says citizens have no constitutional right to record officers unless they explain they are recording for the purpose of criticizing police, which then would be protected by the First Amendment. That doesn't mean it's illegal to record, but his opinion could open the door to that possibility. "We find there is no First Amendment right under our governing law to observe and record police officers absent some other expressive conduct," Kearney wrote in an opinion in February in two cases involving Philadelphia police.

US House Committee Launches Investigation into EPA Glyphosate Cover Up
The EPA ‘mistakenly’ published a draft report online on April 29 by the Cancer Assessment Review Committee (CARC). The report stated that glyphosate is ‘not likely to be carcinogenic to humans’, which is in direct contradiction to the World Health Organization cancer agency IARC’s much more comprehensive report, which stated in 2015 that glyphosate is a ”probable human carcinogen”. An EPA assessment on the herbicide atrazine was also posted on the agency’s website on April 29 but subsequently taken down.... In a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy on Wednesday, committee chairman Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, announced his committee is launching an investigation into the matter. “…EPA’s removal of this report and the subsequent backtracking on its finality raises questions about the agency’s motivation in providing a fair assessment of glyphosate — an assessment based on the scientific analysis conducted by CARC,” Smith said in the letter. “Furthermore, EPA’s apparent mishandling of this report may shed light on larger systemic problems occurring at the agency.”

Harvard Brings Back the Blacklist for Final Club, Fraternity, Sorority Students
FIRE - In a stunning attack on freedom of association, Harvard University announced today [Friday] that members of independent, single-sex, off-campus organizations will be blacklisted from Rhodes and Marshall scholarships and banned from leadership of on-campus organizations or athletic teams. Harvard President Drew Gilpin Faust stated that next year, members of fraternities, sororities, and “final clubs” will begin to be denied these opportunities in an effort to foster “inclusion” and “address deeply rooted gender attitudes.”…. “Outrageously, Harvard has decided that 2016 is the right time to revive the blacklist,” said Robert Shibley, executive director of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), which defends freedom of association on campus. “This year’s undesirables are members of off-campus clubs that don’t match Harvard’s political preferences. In the 1950s, perhaps Communists would have been excluded. I had hoped that universities were past the point of asking people, ‘Are you now, or have you ever been, a member of a group we don’t like?’ Sadly, they are not.”

Ivy League economist ethnically profiled, interrogated for doing math on American Airlines flight
Washington Post - …this quick-thinking traveler had Seen Something, and so she had Said Something. That Something she’d seen had been her seatmate’s cryptic notes, scrawled in a script she didn’t recognize. Maybe it was code, or some foreign lettering, possibly the details of a plot to destroy the dozens of innocent lives aboard American Airlines Flight 3950. She may have felt it her duty to alert the authorities just to be safe. The curly-haired man was, the agent informed him politely, suspected of terrorism. The curly-haired man laughed. He laughed because those scribbles weren’t Arabic, or another foreign language, or even some special secret terrorist code. They were math…. Had the crew or security members perhaps quickly googled this good-natured, bespectacled passenger before waylaying everyone for several hours, they might have learned that he - Guido Menzio - is a young but decorated Ivy League economist.

A college student started a free lawn service for people who are elderly or disabled.
Breitbart - An Alabama A&M student started a free lawn service for the elderly and to teach younger kids about community service. Rodney Smith, Jr., now runs “Raising Men Lawn Care Service” with “about 20 young men ages 7-17.” They cut lawns for the elderly, disabled, and single mothers. It all started when he witnessed an elderly man mowing his lawn. “It looked like he was struggling,” he said. “I was watching him and it just hit me. I could do something about it.” Smith asked if they knew anyone who needed their lawn mowed. Friends gave him names and he wanted to mow 40 lawns by winter. He found a lawnmower on Craigslist and received it for free when he told the owner why he needed it.... “One lady had bone cancer and couldn’t afford to pay someone to cut her grass. So many people have fallen on hard times and it feels good to be able to help them,” he said.

Donald Trump Won’t Rule Out Replacing Paul Ryan as Chairman of Republican Convention
The Gateway Pundit - Donald J. Trump said he would not rule out an effort to remove Representative Paul D. Ryan as chairman of the Republican National Convention if he did not endorse Mr. Trump’s candidacy. Mr. Trump stopped short of calling for Mr. Ryan, the speaker of the House, to step down from his convention role. But in an interview that aired Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Mr. Trump said there could be consequences in the event that Mr. Ryan continued withholding his support.

Sarah Palin Officially Endorses Paul Nehlen Over Speaker Paul Ryan
The Gateway Pundit - Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin announced on Sunday she will work to defeat Paul Ryan in his Republican primary. This came after Ryan would not endorse the Republican nominee Donald Trump for president. On Thursday Republican Speaker Paul Ryan told Jake Tapper on CNN he was “not ready” to endorse Donald Trump yet.

Trump Hits Clinton On Gun Rights: ‘She Wants To Take The Bullets Away’
Daily Caller - Donald Trump started his pivot toward the general election Saturday by attacking Hillary Clinton on gun rights, claiming that the Democratic front-runner wants to “take your guns away.” “Hillary Clinton wants to abolish the Second Amendment, she wants to abolish it,” Trump said at an rally in Lynden, Wash. “Hillary Clinton wants to take your guns away, she wants to abolish the Second Amendment, she wants to take the bullets away, she wants to take it. We’re going to protect the Second Amendment,” he added. The presumptive Republican nominee focused his attention on Clinton during the weekend. At a Friday rally, Trump said Hillary was an enabler of her husband’s affairs.

‘Weekly Standard’ Editor Bill Kristol Meeting Mitt Romney to Float Third Party Run
Breitbart - As the #NeverTrump forces continue to cast about for ways to knock Donald Trump from his frontrunner status in the race for the White House, the editor of the Weekly Standard magazine has admitted to meeting in D.C. with Mitt Romney in order to convince him to run a third party campaign against Trump. Despite repeatedly saying he isn’t interested in running for president, Mitt Romney nonetheless met last week with William Kristol. The meeting was called at the editor’s behest for a talk about an independent run for the White House this year.

Hillary forces target Bush donors
Politico - Hillary Clinton’s supporters in recent days have been making a furious round of calls to top Bush family donors to try to convince them that she represents their values better than Donald Trump, multiple sources in both parties told POLITICO…. Top targets for the Clinton team include people like Woody Johnson, Jeb Bush’s former finance chair and the owner of the New York Jets. In recent days, Bush’s brother and father, former presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, have said they plan to skip Trump’s nominating convention. One person close to Clinton said supporters of the former secretary of state drew up a list of Wall Street donors who supported Jeb Bush and other unsuccessful Republican candidates months ago but wanted to wait until Trump locked down the nomination before beginning to make the calls.

Far Left Protesters Block Highway To Trump Washington Rally
The Gateway Pundit - The leftist mob shut down the highway at the Northwest Washington Fair and Event Center. The protesters shut down 539. The protesters chained themselves together to block Trump to the rally.

Video: Making America Great Again [Donald Trump Parody]
Donald Trump continues his victorious path through the US presidential election 2016. After forcefully succeeding president Obama he faces the globalists and their puppets. But with only 300 Spartan warriors, can he beat George Soros himself? Will he Make America Great Again?

'Financial reality is not negotiable': Puerto Rico bankruptcy could send dangerous signal to states
Watchdog - Puerto Rico is more than $70 billion in debt with no visible means of ever paying the money back, leading to widespread calls for some form of federal bankruptcy declaration. But a proposal in Congress would do little to address the causes of the current crisis, and might make things worse elsewhere. The Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act does not include a direct taxpayer-funded bailout, but would create an oversight board empowered to lower the cost of Puerto Rico’s public debt at the expense of the island’s creditors. Critics, including Heritage Action for America, the activist affiliate of the conservative Heritage Foundation, fear the legislation (dubbed PROMESA) would contribute to risky government spending and borrowing by giving state lawmakers reason to expect similar treatment.

Since 2014 The US Has Added 450,000 Waiters And Bartenders, And No Manufacturing Workers
Zero Hedge - With Obama yet again on TV, taking credit for the Fed's reflation of the stock market as somehow indicative of an economic "recovery" ("fiction peddlers" not allowed in the crowd), here is another way of showing the unprecedented transformation in the US labor pool… [2 charts at link]

Tesla Plunges $2.5 Billion After Hedge Fund Shorts Stock
Breitbart - While Elon Musk was claiming that Tesla Motors will produce 500,000 electric cars in 2018 and 1,000,000 cars in 2020, a leading short-seller on Wall Street admitted he is now betting heavily against Tesla. Elon Musk on Tesla Motors Inc.’s earnings call told investors that after taking in 325,000 deposits of $1,000 each last month for future deliveries of the company’s Model 3 starting in late 2017, he has moved his desk to the end of the production line and stashed a sleeping bag in a nearby conference room at its Fremont, California, factory to make sure the company meets its delivery promises. Musk allowed other company executives to dole-out the grim news that the electric automaker reported a 50 percent larger-than-expected first-quarter loss of 57 cents per share on $1.6 billion in sales revenue.

Printable List of Monsanto Owned “Food” Producers
Natural Blaze - List of companies that use Monsanto products. Note: this does not mean that Monsanto owns the companies in the literal sense. See the main corporate owners at the bottom of this piece. In light of the recent public anger over the Monsanto Protection Act, here’s a simple, printable list of companies that use Monsanto products. Editor’s note: this list is from 2013 – since then, you the consumer have successfully demanded transparency and some of these companies have voluntarily labeled their GMO ingredients or removed them. Some of them removed other unhealthy ingredients. Please check all labels before buying.

CA Becoming Third Coal-Free State at a Big Cost
Breitbart - The 2008 statement by Rudy Giuliani in a presidential debate that the “United States is the Saudi Arabia of coal” is true. According to the U.S. Energy Department, America has 267.3 billion short tons of proven coal reserves, or 26.8 percent of the world’s total. Saudi Arabia has about 20 percent of the world’s proven oil reserves. But the consumption of steam coal used for electrical generation has fallen 29 percent since 2007, from 1.045 billion short tons to 739 million short tons in 20015. The four states with the heaviest use of coal to generate electricity are Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Georgia.... Governor Jerry Brown would like to say that the decline in coal use is due to his leadership at the COP 21 Paris France Sustainable Innovation Forum 2015 on December 12, 2015, where 195 countries agreed to reduce their carbon output “as soon as possible” and to do their best to keep global warming “to well below 2 degrees C.” But the real reason for coal’s continuing collapse is that utilities are rapidly switching from coal-fired to natural gas-fired power plants because of the impact of fracking knocking the price of natural gas down 75 percent, from about $8 per thousand cubic feet in 2007 to just over $2 per thousand cubic feet today.

All Of A Sudden, Fish Are Dying By The MILLIONS All Over The Planet
Economic Collapse - Why are millions upon millions of dead sea creatures suddenly washing up on beaches all over the world? It is certainly not unusual for fish and other inhabitants of our oceans to die. This happens all the time. But over the past month we have seen a series of extremely alarming mass death incidents all over the planet. As you will see below, many of these mass death incidents have involved more than 30 tons of fish. In places such as Chile and Vietnam, it has already gotten to the level where it has started to become a major national crisis. People see their coastlines absolutely buried in dead sea creatures, and they are starting to freak out.

Friday - May 6, 2016  -  Today in History:

1835 - James Gordon Bennett published the "New York Herald" for the first time.
1861 - Arkansas became the ninth state to secede from the Union.
1877 - Chief Crazy Horse surrendered to U.S. troops in Nebraska.
1882 - The U.S. Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act. The act barred Chinese immigrants from the U.S. for 10 years.
1937 - The German airship Hindenburg crashed and burned in Lakehurst, NJ. Thirty-six people (of the 97 on board) were killed.
1941 - Bob Hope gave his first USO show at California's March Field.
1942 - During World War II, the Japanese seized control of the Philippines. About 15,000 Americans and Filipinos on Corregidor surrendered to the Japanese.
1945 - Axis Sally made her final propaganda broadcast to Allied troops.
1960 - U.S. President Eisenhower signed the Civil Rights Act of 1960.
1962 - The first nuclear warhead was fired from the Polaris submarine.
1981 - A jury of international architects and sculptors unanimously selected Maya Ying Lin's entry for the design of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
1994 - The Channel Tunnel officially opened. The tunnel under the English Channel links England and France.
1994 - Former Arkansas state worker Paula Jones filed suit against U.S. President Clinton. The case alleged that he had sexually harassed her in 1991.
1999 - A parole board in New York voted to release Amy Fisher. She had been in jail for 7 years for shooting her lover's wife, Mary Jo Buttafuoco, in the face.
2001 - Chandra Levy's parents reported her missing to police in Washington, DC. Levy's body was found on May 22, 2002 in Rock Creek Park.

'Resurgent Russia': New hardline NATO Europe commander raises hackles in Moscow
RT - NATO's new chief military commander in Europe, Curtis Scaparrotti, vowed to continue his predecessor's policy of opposing Russia. In Moscow he is seen as an even bigger warmonger by some officials.... Speaking at a ceremony at NATO's HQ in Brussels, Scaparrotti praised his predecessor's vision and leadership for the alliance. NATO is facing a "resurgent Russia striving to project itself as a world power," Scaparrotti said, as cited by the Pentagon. Other concerns for NATO are terrorism, as well as a refugee crisis "being driven by instability in North Africa and the Middle East," he said. "To address these challenges, we must continue to maintain and enhance our levels of readiness and our agility in the spirit of being able to fight tonight if deterrence fails," he said. During his NATO tenure, Breedlove was a vocal advocate of putting greater military pressure on Russia, which he called an “existential threat” for the West.

Duma chief, China leader condemn ‘US attempt to control international trade’
RT - Sergey Naryshkin and Xi Jinping have described the Trans-Pacific Partnership treaty as an attempt to create a closed and secretive structure that would replace the World Trade Organization, adding that Russia and China are strongly opposed to it. The meeting between the Russian State Duma speaker, the Chinese president and MPs took place in Beijing on Thursday. The meeting itself was closed to the press, but Naryshkin and the head of the State Duma Committee for International Relations, Aleksey Pushkov, disclosed its highlights to reporters in subsequent comments to Rossiyskaya Gazeta daily. According to Pushkov, top Russian and Chinese officials were critical of the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement. Xi Jinping commented on Barack Obama’s recent remarks on global commerce – in which he said that the rules of international trade must be imposed by the United States and its allies, and not China – by saying that in his view, such rules must be agreed jointly by all the nations of the world, not any particular one.

Japan’s Prime Minister Invites Putin to Tokyo Despite Washington’s Fury
Sputnik News - On Friday, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. The meeting signals a thaw in relations between the two countries, as Abe seeks to settle territorial disputes and gain improved trade deal conditions. The move doesn't sit well with Japan’s key ally, the United States. In February, President Barack Obama requested that Prime Minister Abe delay his visit until after the G7 summit at the end of May. Abe has chosen, however, to go forward with the meeting.... The primary reason for Friday’s meeting is to discuss ownership of the Kuril Islands. A long-standing territorial dispute over the islands in the Sea of Okhotsk has prevented the two countries from signing a post-World War II peace treaty.

A Tale Of Two Hospitals: Potentially Fabricated Bombing Incident VS Open Terrorist Targeting Of Facilities In Aleppo
Brandon Turbeville - Over the past few days, the Western corporate press has kicked into overdrive with reports of hospital bombings, dead civilians, and war crimes all blamed predictably on the secular government of Bashar al-Assad. According to Western governments and their media mouthpieces, Assad’s forces have targeted civilian hospitals in order to . . . well . . . no one knows why Assad’s forces would logically target civilian hospitals. Still, the Western harpies – both media and “human rights NGOs” – continue to hammer the unsubstantiated claims and misinformation at the tops of their lungs that the SAA is dropping bombs on civilian medical facilities....

Thousands Flee as Canada Can’t Stop Enormous Wildfire from Spreading
Sputnik News - Large sections of the Canadian province of Alberta have been ablaze as a massive wildfire continues to burn abated, causing a state of emergency to be declared. The fire, which authorities are calling “catastrophic,” began Sunday in the oil sands region and had grown five times its original size by Thursday. The so-called Fort McMurray Fire has already prompted over 88,000 evacuations and destroyed more than 1,600 structures in the town of Fort McMurray. The fire is currently burning between 800 C and 1,000 C, making it so hot that officials believe only rain will be able to stop it.

US Intelligence Officer Sues President Barack Obama Over Legality Of ISIS Fight
Blacklisted News - A U.S. Army captain filed a lawsuit against President Barack Obama Wednesday, alleging that Obama does not have the authority from Congress to wage the fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. The suit comes after an American serviceman became the third soldier to be killed in Iraq since U.S. troops pulled out from the country in 2011. Capt. Nathan Michael Smith, an intelligence officer deployed in Kuwait, filed the suit in U.S. District Court in Washington. The 28-year-old said he supports the fight against the extremist group on military and moral grounds and considers the militants an “army of butchers,” according to court documents shared by the New York Times. But, the captain also wants the court to tell the president that he needs to ask Congress for a new Authorization for the Use of Military Force. “Under the 1973 War Powers Resolution, when the President introduces United States armed forces into hostilities … he must either get approval from Congress within sixty day to continue the operation, in the form of a declaration of war … [the] President did not get Congress’s approval for his war against ISIS [Islamic State group] in Iraq or Syria … the war is therefore illegal,” Smith’s court documents read.

Clinton aide interviewed in email investigation
AP- The FBI has interviewed Huma Abedin, a close aide to Hillary Clinton, as part of a federal investigation into Clinton's use of a private email server as secretary of state, a person familiar with the probe said Thursday. The person insisted on anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation. The FBI and Justice Department have been investigating whether sensitive information that flowed through Clinton's email server was mishandled. Abedin was one of Clinton's closest aides during her tenure as the nation's top diplomat, serving as deputy chief of staff. It was not immediately clear whether other aides have been interviewed, or when or if Clinton herself might be questioned.

Judicial Watch Lawsuit Uncovers More Hillary Clinton Emails Withheld from State Department
Judicial Watch - Judicial Watch today released new State Department emails (one batch of 103 pages, the second of 138 pages) that again appear to contradict statements by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that, “as far as she knew,” all of her government emails were turned over to the State Department and that she did not use her clintonemail.com system until March 18, 2009....

Romanian hacker Guccifer: I breached Clinton server, 'it was easy'
Fox News - The infamous Romanian hacker known as “Guccifer,” speaking exclusively with Fox News, claimed he easily – and repeatedly – breached former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s personal email server in early 2013. "For me, it was easy ... easy for me, for everybody," Marcel Lehel Lazar, who goes by the moniker "Guccifer," told Fox News from a Virginia jail where he is being held. Guccifer’s potential role in the Clinton email investigation was first reported by Fox News last month. The hacker subsequently claimed he was able to access the server – and provided extensive details about how he did it and what he found – over the course of a half-hour jailhouse interview and a series of recorded phone calls with Fox News. Fox News could not independently confirm Lazar’s claims.

'Secret' ministers, teachers and social workers are spying on us
MassPrivateI - According to a NJ.com article, the FBI/DHS are enlisting clergy, social workers and mental health professionals to counsel (spy on) troubled people who voice support for terrorism. They're calling this group of spies "Shared Responsibility Committees" (SRC). The FBI and DHS have led forums in NJ and even launched a social media campaign warning about terror groups like ISIS, environmental extremists and sovereign-citizen movements. In other words, they're attempting to vilify anyone speaking out against the government. Police are 'secretly' using priests, social workers and doctors to spy on us. SRC members, must sign confidentiality agreements, and can't consult outside experts on treatment plans. Police are using "secret non-disclosure agreements" to spy on our cell phones and now this. Having ministers and doctors sign 'secret' agreements to spy on us... But wait, it gets worse. Law enforcement is also allowed to pose as clergy, social workers etc.

Obama Threatens North Carolina on Bathroom Privacy, Pushes ‘Gender Fluid’ Society
Breitbart - President Barack Obama’s deputies have told the North Carolina Governor that all single-sex public bathrooms — including those in K-12 schools — must be opened to people of both sexes by Monday to prevent “discrimination” against the roughly 1-in-2,400 American adults who say they’re transgender. If the state doesn’t give up Americans’ right to decide who gets to use single-sex bathrooms and school locker rooms by Monday, then the federal government could start blocking the routine federal spending and tax transfers to the state — unless federal courts block the administration’s threat of sex-related harassment. “The Department of Justice has determined that … you and the state of NC are in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act 0f 1964,” says the May 4 threat from Obama’s justice department to the Governor.

Rep. Diane Black: DOJ 'Worried About the Hurt Feelings' of Felons and Convicts
CNS News - The Justice Department's decision to avoid using the words "convict" and "felon" to describe convicts and felons is more political correctness run amok," Rep. Diane Black (R-Tenn.) warned on Thursday. DOJ's Office of Justice Programs has called the two words "disparaging" and harmful to formerly incarcerated individuals as they transition from prison back into society.... "While the DOJ is apparently worried about the hurt feelings of those who broke our laws, I am more interested in hearing from the families of these criminals’ victims. I have a strong feeling this language shift is not high on their priority list," Black said in a news release.... "Once again, Washington bureaucracies are rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. Our country is in trouble and government agencies are busy thinking up politically correct terms for convicts and illegal aliens. It defies comprehension and does not solve a single problem facing Americans’ daily lives today.

Federal Spending Bill Appropriates Taxpayer Dollars to Be Used to Spread Pro-GMO Propaganda
Activist Post - Monsanto and the biotech industry can count on their friends in government to help counter the movement. A paragraph tucked into a new spending bill would give the green light for a government propaganda campaign on behalf of GMO giants. $3,000,000 shall be used by the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, in coordination with the Secretary of Agriculture, for consumer outreach to promote understanding and acceptance of agricultural biotechnology and biotechnology-derived food products and animal feed, including through publication and distribution of science-based educational information on the environmental, nutritional, food safety, economic, and humanitarian benefits of such biotechnology, food products, and feed. Regardless of your stance on genetically modified foods, government has no place using taxpayer dollars to convince the public that everything about GMOs is perfectly safe.

Video: Lynne Patton "The Trump Family That I Know" - A Black Female Trump Executive Speaks
Never Mind the Lies and Distortion of the Mainstream Media, Lynne Patton, a Female Trump Org Executive Will Tell You the Truth.

Exclusive: Koch-Soros Insiders Attempt to Take Over Trump Campaign
Paul Joseph Watson - Yesterday it was revealed that Steven Mnuchin would become the Trump campaign’s national finance chair. Mnuchin was an Investment Professional with Soros Fund Management LLC and spent 17 years at Goldman Sachs. He also has innumerable other affiliations with establishment financial institutions and corporations. A press release was posted on the official Trump campaign website today confirming that appointment. Questions are swirling as to whether the move was engineered by Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, who himself has close ties with and has worked for the Koch brothers, having overseen the New Hampshire chapter of Americans for Prosperity, the advocacy group founded by the Koch brothers. Although Lewandowski may not be directly responsible for the infiltration, he could be being used as a dupe by Mnuchin and others as part of a move to either take control of the Trump campaign or contrive a media narrative that Trump has sold out to the establishment. Any sign that Trump is dispensing with his outsider persona to cozy up to elitists will infuriate the New York billionaire’s base and derail his campaign. Trump himself was likely unaware of Mnuchin’s background, according to our sources.

Trump Vows To Repeal “Total Disaster” Obamacare
Steve Watson - In an appearance on CNBC Thursday, Trump called Obamacare a “total failure,” adding that “The Affordable Care Act needs to be repealed and replaced.” “If you go back to when this was originally passed, and this was long before I thought about running for President, I said 2016 and particularly 2017 is going to be a total disaster for our country.” Trump said on Squawk Box. “I said whoever is President is going to have a problem, because the numbers are going to be staggering, not only for people, not only for insurance companies, but for the country. Look at the kind of numbers we’re talking for the country.” Trump urged....
* Related: Trump's Healthcare Reform to Make America Great Again

Maine Democrats to vote on eliminating superdelegates
RT - Officials from the Maine Democratic Party will vote on a rule change to eliminate superdelegates, the controversial institution that has a disproportionate role in choosing the party’s presidential nominee without necessarily representing voters. State representative Diane Russell introduced a rule change that would require superdelegates in Maine to be assigned proportionally based on the state’s caucus results, just like normal delegates are. The proposed change will be brought to a vote at this weekend’s state Democratic Party convention in Portland. Currently, superdelegates are permitted to go against the will of their voters and support any candidate that they please. In the 2016 presidential nomination, superdelegates have favored frontrunner Hillary Clinton by an overwhelming margin, compared to her slim lead over Bernie Sanders in elected delegates.

David Cameron Joins China and Mexico: “Donald Trump Deserves Respect”
The Gateway Pundit - David Cameron has said he “respects” the controversial presidential candidate Donald Trump for making it through the grueling Republican primary process. The Guardian reported: The prime minister refused to retract his claim, made when a Trump candidacy still seemed an unlikely prospect, that the billionaire’s proposal for banning Muslims from the US was “stupid, divisive and wrong”. Speaking at a joint press conference at 10 Downing Street alongside his Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe, Cameron said, having come through the tough primary process, Trump “deserves our respect”. “Knowing the grueling nature of the primaries, what you have to go through to go on and represent your party in a general election – anyone who makes it through that deserves our respect,” he said. However, he added: “What I said about Muslims, I wouldn’t change that view. I’m very clear that the policy idea that was put forward was wrong, it is wrong, and it will remain wrong.”

Dem Pollster: HILLARY IS TERRIFIED – She Blew $4 Million and Still Doesn’t Know How to Beat Trump (Video)
The Gateway Pundit - Democrat pollster Doug Schoen told America’s Newsroom that Hillary Clinton blew $4 million to study how to defeat Donald Trump. She still has no clue on how to handle Trump and is terrified. Doug Schoen: Bill, you reported before that she spent $4 million on research. That’s what I do for a living. I don’t have a sense that she’s figured out with all that money spent how to approach and how to handle Donald Trump. And I think Trump is right, low road, high road Trump can win… If you spent four million dollars to try to figure out how to deal with a problem and you don’t have an answer that leads to terror and ineptness.

Rail Traffic Depression: 292 Union Pacific Engines Are Sitting In The Arizona Desert Doing Nothing
Economic Collapse - We continue to get more evidence that the U.S. economy has entered a major downturn. Just last week, I wrote about how U.S. GDP growth numbers have been declining for three quarters in a row, and previously I wrote about how corporate defaults have surged to their highest level since the last financial crisis. Well, now we are getting some very depressing numbers from the rail industry. As you will see below, U.S. rail traffic was down more than 11 percent from a year ago in April. That is an absolutely catastrophic number, and the U.S. rail industry is feeling an enormous amount of pain right now. This also tells us that “the real economy” is really slowing down, because less stuff is being shipped by rail all over the nation.

The San Andreas fault is 'locked, loaded, and ready to go': Experts warn California to brace itself for a deadly earthquake
Daily Mail - Californians are being told to brace for 'the big one' - a massive earthquake that typically occurs every 400 to 600 years and could leave thousands dead or homeless. An earthquake scientist has added to claims the dreaded event is overdue, warning the San Andreas fault is 'locked, loaded and ready to roll'. The fault is the longest in California and one of the state's most dangerous. Thomas Jordan, director of the Southern California Earthquake Centre, said the fault has been 'too quiet' since 1857. This is when the last big quake to strike a southern section rippled from Monterey County to the San Gabriel Mountains near Los Angeles with a magnitude of 7.9 on the Richter scale.... He also said other sections of the 810 mile-long (1,304km) fault are overdue for a quake too, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Thursday - May 5, 2016  -  Today in History:

1798 - U.S. Secretary of War William McHenry ordered that the USS Constitution be made ready for sea. The frigate was launched on October 21, 1797, but had never been put to sea.
1814 - The British attacked the American forces at Ft. Ontario, Oswego, NY.
1862 - The Battle of Puebla took place. It is celebrated as Cinco de Mayo Day.
1865 - The Thirteenth Amendment was ratified, abolishing slavery in the U.S.
1891 - Music Hall was dedicated in New York City. It was later renamed Carnegie Hall.
1892 - The U.S. Congress extended the Geary Chinese Exclusion Act for 10 more years. The act required Chinese in the U.S. to be registered or face deportation.
1916 - U.S. Marines invaded the Dominican Republic.
1945 - A Japanese balloon bomb exploded on Gearhart Mountain in Oregon. A pregnant woman and five children were killed.
1961 - Alan Sheppard became the first American in space when he made a 15 minute suborbital flight.
1987 - The U.S. congressional Iran-Contra hearings opened.
1991 - In New York, Carnegie Hall marked its 100th anniversary.
2000 - The final episode of "Boy Meets World" aired on ABC.

Russia to form 3 new divisions to counter NATO buildup
RT - Russia is to deploy two new divisions in the west and one in the south to counterbalance NATO's increased military presence near Russian borders, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu announced. “The Defense Ministry is taking a number of measures to respond to the NATO military buildup at the Russian border,” Shoigu said on Wednesday. “Before the year's end two new divisions will be formed in the Western Military District and one in the Southern Military District.” Earlier there were reports in the Russian media that three new divisions with 10,000 troops each may be deployed in Rostov-on-Don, the Smolensk Region and the Voronezh Region. NATO has been sending additional forces to Poland, the Baltic States and elsewhere near Russian borders since 2014. It claimed that the deployments were necessary to build confidence of Eastern European members in the face of "Russian aggression."

Pakistan to Abandon F-16 Purchase Plans Unless US Subsidizes Deal
Sputnik News - After approving the sale of as many as eight F-16s to Pakistan in February, the United States has now gone back on its deal, somewhat, insisting that Islamabad foot the bill. As part of a deal valued at $699 million, Washington agreed to sell Islamabad up to eight Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jets, in addition to radar and other equipment. Much of the cost would be covered by the US government’s Foreign Military Financing fund, with Pakistan paying some $270 million. But US lawmakers have expressed concern over Pakistan’s lack of commitment to combating terrorism within its borders. Tennessee Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said that he would block the use of any US funds in the deal to pressure Islamabad to do more about the Taliban. "They take our money, take our arms and laugh in our face," Kentucky Senator Rand Paul said, according to Defense News. "Pakistan is at best a frenemy – part friend and a lot enemy."

China Claims 'Series of Tricks' by US Led to Port Snub
Sputnik News - After turning away a US aircraft carrier seeking entry to Hong Kong last week, the Chinese government has blamed the incident on US hostilities. Last Thursday, Chinese authorities declined a request by the USS John Stennis to dock in Hong Kong, saying that port calls by US warships are approved on a case-by-case basis, "in accordance with sovereignty principles." On Friday, US Defense Department spokesman Cmdr. Bill Urban expressed surprise at the decision, insisting that the US has a "long track record of successful port visits to Hong Kong…and we expect that will continue." But in an op-ed published by the state-run Global Times on Wednesday, the paper asserts that the US has no one to blame but itself for the incident.

German ESMT Study: 5% of bailout money went to Greece’s state & people, 95% went to European banks
Keep Talking Greece - We have been knowing this and there have been reports in the past: that the majority of bailout money went -and still goes- to banks and the lenders and not to the Greek state or people. The bailouts were supposed to get Greece back on its feet – only that Greece was forced to stand on lenders’ feet who claimed the money who gave to Greece right away and thus with juicy interest rates. What was obvious to anyone adding together the bailout tranche of the first now bailout loans, is now confirmed by a detailed study conducted by the Berlin-based European School of Management and Technology.

The War On Paper Currency Officially Begins: ECB Ends Production Of €500 Bill
Zero Hedge - Following the denial in February that this action is in any way about reducing cash, Mario Draghi has made his decision: ECB ENDS PRODUCTION AND ISSUANCE OF €500 BANKNOTE. And just like that the second highest denominated European bank note in circulation is dead, driving everyone into the CHF1000 Bill, and implicitly weakening the euro... As the Treasury chart above shows, $100 bills account for for $1.08 trillion of the $1.38 trillion total in circulation. So should the Fed react to the ECB's "scrapping" of the €500 bill, which accounts for 30% of the value of currency in circulation, then the Fed would respond in kind, by eliminating 78% of all paper currency in circulation by value. Not a bad way to launch a global ban on paper currency ahead of a global NIRP regime, and all, of course, in the name of fighting "tax evasion, financial crime, terrorism and corruption."

Video: Obama Signs Executive Order On Food, Water And Any American Resource

"Extremely Dangerous" IED Found Under Bridge In Texas
Zero Hedge - In recent weeks ISIS has been become far more brazen in its threats against US targets, and just last week released out a "hit list" which allegedly had the personal details of 3,600 New Yorkers whom it "wanted dead." And while it is unknown if there is a terrorist link, the threat may have hit closer to home for residents in Rosebud, Texas when the McLennan County Sheriff’s office and a bomb squad used a water cannon to breach a suspicious device found under a bridge Tuesday night. According to KCEN TV, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives blasted water on the container found just outside Rosebud off Farm to Market Road 1963. Rosebud, about 40 miles southeast of Waco, is home to about 1,400 people. Flammable liquid and shotgun shells were found inside the container, according to Sheriff Parnell McNamara. He said the IED was designed to blow shrapnel and would have been "extremely dangerous" had it gone off.... No motive or suspects were named as the investigation continued early Wednesday. If this was indeed the work of some local terrorist organization, we are confident it will promptly take credit for the attempted bomb.

Connecticut Governor To Sign Gun Confiscation Bill — Here Are The Key Details
The Blaze - Connecticut lawmakers have passed legislation to permit law enforcement to confiscate guns and ammunition from anyone accused of domestic abuse. The bill is headed to the desk of Gov. Dannel Malloy and he’s expected to sign it. Under the legislation, suspects would have 24 hours after being accused to surrender all firearms. After nearly three hours of debate, the bill was approved with a 23-13 vote amid a failed attempt by Republicans to amend the bill.

The TSA is Selling Your Confiscated Items Online for Profit
American Intelligence Report - In the aftermath of 9/11, the government enacted strict security procedures and now prohibits many items on flights leaving American airports, under the guise of “safety”. So what happens to all the personal items collected or confiscated after airport security seizes them? It turns out that “the TSA sends truckloads of prohibited and left-behind items to state-run agencies set up to sell surplus government equipment,” Wall Street Journal’s Scott McCartney reports. You can now purchase confiscated items on a government run website GovDeals.com, as well as internet auction house giant, eBay. The agency’s vault is full of confiscated dangerous loot, yet many of the items seem harmless, including Garmin GPS units, Magic: the Gathering card sets, souvenirs, tools, jewelry and top of the line sunglasses. The focus seems to be on conditioning individuals to follow orders and give up items for revenue generating, rather than focusing on our actual safety.

Warning: This Massive Frozen Vegetable Recall Probably Affects You
Natural Blaze - One of the best ways to buy fruits and vegetables when they’re out of season is to hit the frozen food aisle at your local market. Unfortunately, if you buy your produce in that form, then this massive frozen vegetable recall probably affects you. Yet again, a listeria outbreak in a food processing plant has caused a recall of frozen food, much of it organic. (Has anyone else noticed that these seem to be occurring a lot more frequently of late?)... In what seems to be a recurring nightmare for the packaged food industry, an absolutely massive recall has been announced for frozen fruits and vegetables. It seems that most of our fruits and vegetables are coming from one company: CRF Frozen Foods of Pasco, Washington. Where it can get confusing is that the company simply private labels the same food for many different companies, who then distribute it under their own banners. This recall goes back to foods that were packaged as of May 1, 2014 to the present and includes…

Breaking: Kasich to Exit Race, Trump Now Unofficial GOP Nominee
Kit Daniels - Trump’s last remaining competitor was scheduled to speak in Sterling, Virginia, but after Ted Cruz dropped out of the race, Kasich decided to hold a press conference in Columbus, Ohio, fueling speculation he was also leaving the race. Since then his senior campaign adviser said his campaign was over. It was unlikely Kasich could do anything to block Trump’s nomination because the GOP frontrunner only needs 190 out of the 520 delegates left remaining to reach 1,237, and Trump would gain the vast majority of those in California where he holds a tremendous lead in the polls before the state’s June 7 primary. The left-leaning Kasich, who only won his home state of Ohio, was mathematically eliminated from the race months ago and only remained in the race to keep Trump from winning the nomination without a contested convention.

RNC Chairman Reince Priebus: Trump Is 'Presumptive' Nominee
Newsmax - [Posted on Twitter] Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus Tuesday declared Donald Trump as the party's "presumptive" presidential nominee and called for unity against Hillary Clinton after the developer swept the Indiana primary.
* Related: Trump Campaign Joins RNC in Planning GOP Convention in Cleveland

President Fox Apologizes, Invites Trump to Mexico
Breitbart - Mexican President Vicente Fox apologized Wednesday for the vulgar language he has used regarding GOP frontrunner Donald Trump’s proposal to build a wall along the southern border and invited the likely Republican nominee to Mexico to see the border from the other side.... “I apologize. Forgiveness is one of the greatest qualities that human beings have, is the quality of a compassionate leader. You have to be humble. You have to be compassionate. You have to love thy neighbor,” Fox explained to Breitbart News while sitting in the hotel of the J.W. Marriott in Santa Monica, California on Wednesday afternoon.... Fox stressed the important trade ties the two countries have, noting that the U.S. benefits from Mexican labor and has much larger trade deficits with other countries.

Anti-Trump Groups Spent $75.7 Million on 64,000 Negative Ads to Take Down Trump – It Wasn’t Enough
The Gateway Pundit - CNN reported: The television ad campaign to defeat Donald Trump was at least a $75.7 million effort, according to the ad tracking firm Kantar Media/CMAG. (Their full estimate: $75,723,580) It comprised nearly 64,000 ad spots throughout the campaign. And that’s the figure for broadcast television alone. Anti-Trump ads also ran on cable and satellite television, but the tracking data does not capture that. A pro-Marco Rubio group spent the most against Trump. Conservative Solutions PAC spent more than one out of every four dollars against Trump — about $19.7 million. One of their spots — “Serious” — was the most-run anti-Trump ad. It ran 3,939 times. A pro-Ted Cruz group aired the second-most run anti-Trump ad. “Day One” criticizes Trump among other candidates. The pro-Jeb Bush super PAC Right to Rise USA spent nearly $10 million, the second-most of any group. Hillary Clinton’s campaign spent $5.2 million on ads with anti-Trump messages, the most of any presidential candidate on either side of the aisle. Cruz’s campaign spent more than any other Republican against Trump, some $4.3 million.
* Related: Video: Seriously? John Kasich Releases Anti-Trump Star Wars Ad Following Indiana Spanking

The 5 Stages of Political Death by Donald Trump
Breitbart - The efficacy of the Trump campaign to this point is attributable to Mr. Trump’s unpredictability and unconventionality.... What is evident however is that a pattern has developed in the manner in which Donald Trump has dispatched his opponents — in the case of Jeb Bush, with nothing more than an adjective. One by one, his 16 opponents in the quest for the GOP nomination have vanished. Each of these opponents was unique in their interactions with Trump over the course of the campaign. But in examining these interactions and how they have been portrayed in the media and evaluated by the court of public opinion, Trump’s opponents have met their demise to what I call: “ The 5 Stages of Political Death by Trump.”

Trump-ing Hillary on EPA and Global Warming
Breitbart - If he lives up to his campaign rhetoric, a President Donald Trump would be a nightmare for the Environmental Protection Agency, radical environmentalism and the mandate- and subsidy-dependent “green” energy racket. I have paid close attention this campaign season to what every candidate has said about environmental issues. Almost all 17 of the Republican candidates strongly opposed Obama’s war on coal, the job-killing EPA, and global warming hysteria. But Trump has exhibited something else — unusually keen insight into and visceral dislike for green extremism, especially as inflicted upon us by the Obama administration. On global warming, Trump has repeatedly stated or tweeted as follows...

Indiana Voting-Fraud Activist Behind Rubio ‘Sex Party’ Leaks Found Dead
Kit Daniels - Voting-fraud activist Gary Welsh, who tipped off Infowars’ Wayne Madsen on Marco Rubio’s foam sex parties, was found dead leading up to the Indiana primary. Police found Welsh’s body in an apartment complex stairwell in Indianapolis, Ind., on May 1 and quickly ruled it a “suicide.” “Welsh was a well-known lawyer and political commentator in Indiana who combated against the takeover of the state by religious fundamentalists and opposed ‘well-connected’ GOP presidential candidates like Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz, and Rubio,” Wayne Madsen reported. “The timing of Welsh's death just prior to the Indiana GOP primary, one that Cruz hopes to win to keep his chances for the GOP presidential nomination alive, is troubling, to say the least.”

Establishment Insider: The Federal Reserve and the People's Bank of China Are Going To Digitize Their Currencies
Economic Policy Journal - It's pretty obvious that at some point the government is going to attempt to make a run on our physical cash. It is only a matter of time and some establishment operators are already openly talking about it. The Consensus 2016 conference, a blockchain technology summit, wrapped up today in New York City. Of note, it was co-hosted by Digital Currency Group. At the conference, according to CNBC, DCG CEO Barry Silbert predicted that the U.S. Federal Reserve and the People's Bank of China will seek to digitize their current fiat currencies, issuing something akin to RMB-coin, or dollar-coin. "There's going to be an important distinction between central banks' coins and bitcoin," Silbert said Monday. "They're certainly not going to cap the output." That is, Bitcoin is doomed and government central banks will be running the key digital currencies.

Airbag Recall - Everything You Need to Know
Consumer Reports - Vehicles made by 14 different automakers have been recalled to replace frontal airbags on the driver’s side or passenger’s side, or both in what NHTSA has called "the largest and most complex safety recall in U.S. history." The airbags, made by major parts supplier Takata, were mostly installed in cars from model year 2002 through 2015. Some of those airbags could deploy explosively, injuring or even killing car occupants.

Obama Chugs A Glass Of Flint Water, Says It Is "Drinkable"
Zero Hedge - Earlier today, Obama landed in Flint, Michigan, his first visit to the city since its contaminated drinking water crisis began two years ago. Air Force One landed at Bishop International Airport and Gov. Rick Snyder was among the officials waiting on the tarmac to greet the president. With him, Obama brought a message of hope to residents of Flint, Michigan: a promise for change after lead from old pipes tainted their drinking water. Obama's first order of business in Flint was to receive a briefing on the federal response to the crisis, then to meet with city residents.... The source of the city's water was subsequently switched back to Detroit, but the lead problem still is not fully solved, and people are drinking filtered or bottled water. So what did Obama do? The same thing Japanese authorities did when they arrived in Fukushima to "prove" they are not lying about the latent radioactive threat: he drank the Flint water.

Over 2,500 Georgia children tested positive for lead poisoning last year
RT - More than 2,500 children in Georgia tested positive for lead poisoning in 2014, according to a new report, the latest sign that the dangerous neurotoxin poses a risk to Americans beyond the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. The issue of lead contamination in the US continues to expand beyond the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, as more than 2,500 children in Georgia tested positive for lead poisoning in 2014, according to a new report. The most affected areas are located the greater Atlanta area, in the counties of Cobb, Dekalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett, according to a report by WXIA News. Eight more counties are also considered high-risk for children, Georgia Health News reports: Bibb, Chatham, Glynn, Hall, Richmond, Sumter, Thomas and Troup. Throughout the state, one in 20 children have lead levels in their blood that are considered elevated by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC considers levels of 5 micrograms per deciliter and higher to be elevated. No level is considered safe in children.

Wednesday - May 4, 2016  -  Today in History:

1776 - Rhode Island declared its freedom from England two months before the Declaration of Independence was adopted.
1814 - Napoleon Bonaparte disembarked at Portoferraio on the island of Elba in the Mediterranean.
1863 - The Battle of Chancellorsville ended when the Union Army retreated.
1904 - The U.S. formally took control of the property for construction of the Panama Canal.
1916 - Germany agreed to limit its submarine warfare after a demand from U.S. President Wilson.
1942 - The Battle of the Coral Sea commenced as American and Japanese carriers launched their attacks at each other.
1942 - The United States began food rationing.
1961 - Thirteen civil rights activists, dubbed "Freedom Riders," began a bus trip through the South.
1970 - The Ohio National Guardsmen opened fire on students during an anti-Vietnam war protest at Kent State University. Four students were killed and nine others were wounded.
1979 - Margaret Thatcher became Britain's first woman prime minister.
1994 - Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO leader Yasser Arafat signed a historic accord on Palestinian autonomy that granted self-rule in the Gaza Strip and Jericho.
2012 - In Las Vegas, NV, Google received the first self-driving vehicle testing license.

First US Soldier In Iraq Killed By Islamic State During "Enemy Fire"
Zero Hedge - US "boots on the ground" on Iraq have just suffered their first casualty. Moments ago US Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced that the Islamic State killed the first U.S. serviceman in Iraq who was aiding Kurdish fighters near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. A statement from the US-led forces in Iraq added the fatality was "a result of enemy fire." "It is a combat death, of course. And a very sad loss," Carter told reporters at a press conference in Germany. According to Carter, the serviceman was killed "in the neighborhood" of Irbil, northern Iraq. Irbil is the capital of semi-autonomous Kurdistan region. No further official details were given apart from the US-led Operation Inherent Resolve stating that a coalition "service member was killed in northern Iraq as a result of enemy fire." The serviceman was hit by direct enemy fire about 32 kilometers from the city of Mosul, said Colonel Steve Warren, spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve.

3 killed, 17 injured in rebel rocket attack on Aleppo hospital – state media (Videos)
RT - At least three people have been killed and 17 injured in a rocket attack on a hospital in the Syrian city of Aleppo, Syria’s SANA news agency said, adding that women and children are reportedly among the casualties. The incident took place at al-Dhabeet Hospital in al-Mouhafaza neighborhood which is said to be ruined after the attack. The facility was under the control of government forces, and was targeted by a radical rebel group, Syrian state TV reported. There have still been conflicting reports about the number of casualties. UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said that at least three people were killed and 15 injured in the attack, according to TASS.... Last week, another hospital in Aleppo was targeted by an airstrike, which was blamed on the government forces. The Syrian government denied the accusation, however.

UK at war? SAS in Syria, 25,000 ISIS dead, British troops in Somalia & anti-chem tanks on patrol
RT - British special forces are to be parachuted into Syria, it has emerged, as Defence Secretary Michael Fallon claims coalition airstrikes have killed 25,000 Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) fighters since bombing began. Syria’s not the only place seeing new troops from Britain. A detachment of UK personnel has arrived in Somalia to lead a training mission. However, they probably won’t need the anti-chemical warfare tanks that are now being brought back into service. Fallon told the Tory Cabinet on Tuesday that 25,000 IS combatants have been killed in coalition airstrikes, including 600 in April alone.... Given there are officially no boots on the ground in Syria, it remains unclear how Battle Damage Assessments (BDAs) have been carried out to support these figures. The government denies there have been any civilian casualties, a claim that monitoring group Air Wars have branded “ridiculous.”

"The TTIP Is Doomed" - France Threatens To Reject Obama's Huge Transatlantic Trade Deal
Zero Hedge - Following this weekend's leak by Greenpeace demonstrating not only that the TTIP is driven entirely by narrow corporate interests, but that Obama is openly willing to reneg on his pro-environment agenda just to pass the Transatlantic Treaty at any cost, the blowback arrived earlier today when France became the first major European nation which threatened to reject the huge free trade deal between the U.S. and the European Union, because according to AP "it's too friendly to U.S. business and probably doomed."... French president Francois Hollande said Tuesday that France "will never accept" challenges to its farming and culture in exchange for better access to U.S. markets. "That's why at this stage, France says no," the Socialist leader said at a conference on left-wing politics. Earlier Tuesday, French Trade Minister Matthias Fekl told Europe-1 radio that negotiations "are totally blocked" and that a halt to talks "is the most probable option." He insisted on better farming and environmental protections, adding that "in its current state, France cannot sign it."

Takata Airbag Recall - Everything You Need to Know + Car Recall List
ConsumerReports.org - What this recall means to you and what actions you should take.

Mainstream Journalist Slams MSM Coverage Of Syrian Crisis: “Incomparably Worse” Than Coverage Of Iraq War
Brandon Turbeville - John Rosenthal has been known as a critic of Western intervention in both Libya and Syria since the beginning of both of those crises.... Rosenthal sat down for an interview with the BRICS Post recently and discussed a number of different topics, one of them being the state of the media and Western media coverage of the crises in Syria and Libya. What he revealed was that, at least from a mainstream journalist’s point of view, the journalistic culture in 2016 and the policies of mainstream outlets is more wedded to the idea of pushing agendas and suppressing facts when it comes to geopolitics, international crises, and Anglo-American war aims than even during the period leading up to the Iraq war in 2003.

Activists: Park Ranger Uniforms ‘threaten’ Latinos, Too Similar to Border Patrol
Adan Salazar - Hispanics are “threatened” by the color of National Park Ranger attire which bears resemblance to uniforms worn by US Border Patrol agents, a coalition of Latino activists and civil rights groups argued last week. Asking President Obama for an Executive Order to address the “priorities for a more inclusive approach to conservation of our public land,” the Hispanic Access Foundation Thursday recommended re-examining the “cultural implications of existing agency uniforms, offices, signage, and other facilities.” “The face of America is rapidly changing; yet our public lands do not reflect this demographic and ethnic diversity,” a press release from the Foundation stated.

20 tasings in 30 mins: No charges for Virginia police officers over man's death in handcuffs
RT - Prosecutors in Virginia will not charge police officers in South Boston for their part in the death of a man who was shot with a taser 20 times in 30 minutes while handcuffed in police custody, according to a new report. Linwood Lambert was pronounced dead about an hour after he was taken into police custody in South Boston, Virginia, on May 4, 2013, following reports of a noise disturbance at a motel. Police decided to take Lambert, who later admitted he had used cocaine, to a nearby hospital, telling him they were not taking him to jail. When Lambert became agitated and ran out of the police squad car toward the hospital, police subsequently tased him repeatedly despite his pleas for them to stop. Lambert died after about 87 seconds, total, of tasing by the officers, who acted in violation of the South Boston Police Department's guidelines for taser-use given Lambert was handcuffed the entire time.

State Seizes Homes, Makes Innocent Citizens Pay $5,000 To Get Them Back
Off the Grid News - Innocent citizens whose property is seized by police in Michigan have to pay cash for the chance to get it back. Even worse, there’s no guarantee that those who pay the cash will get their belongings returned. Homeowners whose property is seized have to put up a bond to appeal the forfeiture. If that wasn’t outrageous enough, owners of seized property can be forced to pay the government’s legal bills if they lose in court. “Once a property has been seized, the owners then have to pay anywhere from $250 to $5,000 just to begin the procedure to win back what’s rightfully theirs,” Jarrett Skorup and Nick Sibilla wrote of the state’s forfeiture laws. “Under Michigan law, if your property is seized and valued less than $50,000, you must post a bond worth 10% of the property’s value to start the process of having it returned to you,” the two wrote in The Detroit Free Press. “But if you fail to post that bond within 20 days of the property being seized, it is automatically forfeited to the state.”

Trump Looks for Clear Path to Nomination with Dominant Indiana Victory
Breitbart - Indiana is effectively a closeout contest for Donald Trump, who can effectively all but end the GOP nominating contest by winning the lion’s share of the Hoosier State’s 57 delegates with a resounding victory. On the left, Hillary Clinton lowered expectations by largely bypassing the state to focus on West Virginia. A Sanders win in Indiana will not change anything for Democrats since Sanders and Clinton will probably split the state’s delegates, but a Clinton victory may put more pressure on Sanders to exit the race. Polls close at 6 p.m. local time (eastern time for most of the state, central time for parts).
* Related: Indiana Primary Results

Ted Cruz Suspending Presidential Campaign Bid
Sputnik News - After suffering heavy losses in Indiana during Tuesday's primary, Texas Senator Ted Cruz is dropping out the presidential race. Trailing Republican front-runner Donald Trump in the delegate count, Cruz has admitted defeat after winning only three counties in Indiana. "From the beginning, I said that I would continue on as long as there was a viable path to victory. Tonight, I am sorry to say, it appears that path has been closed," he said. Cruz had previously been relying on a contested convention in which Republican leaders would rally around him. With his win in Indiana, however, Trump is likely to earn enough delegates to win the nomination outright.

CNN Reporter: Cruz Delegates Told Me They “Were Tired of Fighting” and “Don’t Want Contested Convention”
The Gateway Pundit - The final Cruz rally in Indiana last night was a flop. CNN reporter Dana Bash, who was in Indiana on Monday, said the supporters she spoke with at the Ted Cruz rally last night said they were “tired of fighting” and “didn’t want a contested convention.” There were a lot of people there who were very passionate about him. But, not enough. Not enough. And it looked like to me, he had an OK crowd but it wasn’t the kind of crowd you need to take it over the edge in a place where you said you were putting everything in there.

"I Don't Know How To Explain It" - Confused Clinton Can't Explain Own Comments To Coal-Miner (Video)
Zero Hedge - On the campaign trail, Hillary Clinton said with a smile "We're going to put a lot of coal miners, and coal companies out of business." [West Virginian] Bo Copely, a 39 year old father who recently lost his job, reminded Hillary as he fought back tears that not everyone lives in a world that's rainbows and skittles.... "When you make comments like 'we're going to put a lot of coal miners out of jobs' these are the kind of people that you're affecting, this is my family. I just want to know how you can say you're going to put a lot of coal miners out of jobs, and then come in here and tell us how you're going to be our friend." Hillary's response: "I don't know how to explain it", and then blamed him for somehow taking her exact words out of context.

Republicans plan to sue VA Gov. McAuliffe over order restoring rights to felons
Richmond Times-Dispatch - Republican leaders in the Virginia General Assembly have hired a top conservative lawyer to guide an expected lawsuit against Gov. Terry McAuliffe's executive order that restored voting rights for about 206,000 felons. Charles J. Cooper - a former assistant attorney general under President Ronald Reagan who once was named "Republican lawyer of the year" - will lead the effort to challenge the Democratic governor's order, GOP leaders announced Monday. McAuliffe has said he has the legal and constitutional authority to restore voting and civil rights for all felons who had completed their sentences, probation and parole by April 22.

By Making Women Eligible for Military Draft, US Proves It Doesn’t Respect Liberty - Ron Paul
Sputnik News - As the US Congress approves a measure that requires women to register with Selective Service, former presidential hopeful Ron Paul points out that, while the move may seem like a vote for gender equality, it actually just makes the entire US population eligible for military draft. "The amendment is a response to the Pentagon’s decision to allow women to serve in combat," Paul writes for the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity, referring to the amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, approved by the House Armed Services Committee last week. "Supporters of drafting women point out that the ban on women in combat was the reason the Supreme Court upheld a male-only draft. Therefore, they argue, it is only logical to now force women to register for Selective Service." But Paul points out that most of those who opposed including women in the draft were not opposed on grounds of equality, but because the entire notion of the Selective Service should be questioned.

Social Security Admin. Moves to Strip 75,000 Americans of 2nd Amendment Right
Kurt Nimmo - If you are a recipient of or have filed for Social Security disability, you may soon have your Second Amendment right nullified. Back in January, Obama penned an executive order allowing the Social Security Administration (SSA) to report certain individuals to the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System, the database Federal Firearms Licensees use to determine whether a prospective buyer is eligible to purchase firearms. “The reporting that SSA, in consultation with the Department of Justice, is expected to require will cover appropriate records of the approximately 75,000 people each year who have a documented mental health issue, receive disability benefits, and are unable to manage those benefits because of their mental impairment, or who have been found by a state or federal court to be legally incompetent,” a fact sheet released by the White House on January 4 states. Acting Commissioner Carolyn W. Colvin signed the rule and it was posted to the Federal Register on April 28, according to Guns.com.

‘Our economic system is designed to fail’ – Ron Paul
RT - The current economic system is designed to fail, but so was socialism. That’s according to former GOP Congressman Ron Paul, who told RT’s Boom Bust show that we need to go toward a system of property ownership, voluntary contracts and individual liberty, while getting rid of central banks. A new Harvard University poll shows that 51 per cent of young adults aged 18-29 oppose capitalism in its current form. RT: Do you think this poll is just politics, or do you agree that there is something wrong with the US economic system as it operates today?...

U.S. Gasoline Prices Hit 6 Month High, Keep Rising
Zero Hedge - The average price of gas in the United States is now at $2.22, up 8 cents over last week, hitting a 6-month high. This, in stark contrast to February’s ultra-low gas prices of $1.68 per gallon - a level that had not been since the end of 2008. Then, the price drop lasted only five months from December 2008 to May 2009 when it rose to $2.24 per gallon. This time around, prices dipped to $1.95 in December 2015, rising to $2.03 in April, then to today’s $2.22. The national average has remained above $2 per gallon for 40 consecutive days. Experts are predicting that our gas-price vacation is all but over, and that today’s higher prices—or even higher—will be our new norm once again.

The Deafening Silence Surrounding Fish Kills
Natural Blaze - 23 million Salmon died this year in Chile due to Algae blooms. 4.5 Million fish of all stripes died in a river in Mexico, and nobody knows why. 220,000 pounds of fish died recently in China. 220,000 pounds. Let that sink in. And here in NC, there is an enormous problem at the Neuse River. According to local sources, as many as One Billion fish have died in the “Noose”. That may seem outrageous, but 6.5. million fish washed ashore this year in a single day. Mass fish deaths are being reported all over the world. Really, there are too many accounts to mention. But fish are not the only animals dying. More than a million birds and mammals die yearly from eating plastic. And noise pollution in the oceans is causing whales and dolphins to essentially go crazy, beaching themselves to get away from our machines.

Tuesday - May 3, 2016  -  Today in History:

1802 - Washington, DC, was incorporated as a city.
1859 - France declared war on Austria.
1921 - West Virginia imposed the first state sales tax.
1926 - U.S. Marines landed in Nicaragua and stayed until 1933.
1933 - The U.S. Mint was under the direction of a woman for the first time when Nellie Ross took the position.
1937 - Margaret Mitchell won a Pulitzer Prize for "Gone With The Wind."
1944 - Wartime rationing of most grades of meats ended in the U.S.
1948 - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that covenants prohibiting the sale of real estate to blacks and other minorities were legally unenforceable.
1952 - The first airplane landed at the geographic North Pole.
1968 - After three days of battle, the U.S. Marines retook Dai Do complex in Vietnam. They found that the North Vietnamese had evacuated the area.
1971 - Anti-war protesters began four days of demonstrations in Washington, DC.
1971 - National Public Radio broadcast for the first time.
1988 - The White House acknowledged that first lady Nancy Reagan had used astrological advice to help schedule her husband's activities.
1992 - Five days of rioting and looting ended in Los Angeles, CA. The riots, that killed 53 people, began after the acquittal of police officers in the beating of Rodney King.
1997 - The "Republic of Texas" surrendered to authorities ending an armed standoff where two people were held hostage. The group asserts the independence of Texas from the U.S.
2000 - The trial of two Libyans accused of killing 270 people in the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 (over Lockerbie) opened.
2006 - In Alexandria, VA, Al-Quaida conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui was given a sentence of life in prison for his role in the terrorist attack on the U.S. on September 11, 2001.

NATO Deploys 4000 Troops To Russian Border As EUCOM Chief Urges “Return To War-Planning”
Zero Hedge - With anti-establishmentarians on the rise in the US & Europe, it appears the neocons and their NATO proxy aren’t wasting any time and are stepping up not just the words, but their deeds, against a so-called “resurgent Russia.” NATO’s European Command (EUCOM) “needs to change,” blasts General Philip Breedlove, urging the military to get back to the business of war planning, a skill lost during the post-Cold War era saying his objective is to send a signal of deterrence to Russia. That signal was heard loud and clear as NATO is deploying an additional four battalions of 4,000 troops to the Russian border in Poland and the three Baltic States, according to a report citing US Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Work. “We have to be ready for a situation where we don’t have Russia as a partner,” warns EUCOM Gen. Philip Breedlove, adding that the military here needs to get back to the business of war planning, a skill lost during the post-Cold War era and one needed again in the face of a resurgent Russia.

Nearly 400 possible jihadists surveilled by Swiss intelligence
RT - Switzerland’s intelligence service has been keeping an eye on the social media activity of around 400 people potentially linked to jihadists who could pose a threat to national security, Swiss authorities reported on Monday. Although Switzerland is less likely to be targeted by Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) or other militant groups since it is not engaged in any military operations against them, its government still stepped up security measures to counter possible attacks, especially in the wake of deadly terror acts carried out in neighboring France and Belgium, the Swiss Federal Intelligence Service (NDB) annual report said.

Saudi Binladin Group Lays Off 50,000 Workers, 30 BILLION In Debt
Government Slaves - Saudi Binladin Group, founded by Osama bin Laden’s father, is a giant of Saudi Arabia’s construction industry. But with reports it has laid off 50,000 workers as it struggles under a mountain of debt, the once mighty company appears to be in turmoil. In a video posted on YouTube Saturday, flames rise high from a row of blazing buses and light up the night sky. The footage reportedly shows the result of a protest by disgruntled workers of the Binladin Group, angered by months of unpaid wages and the layoff of tens of thousands of staff. Local media said that a total of seven company buses were set on fire by the protesting workers. Major Nayef al-Sharif, the spokesman for the Civil Defense in the city of Mecca, told the Associated Press late Saturday that firefighters put out the blaze without any injuries reported.

CIA Boss Says Releasing 9/11 28 Pages Will Compromise “Sensitive Methods”
Kurt Nimmo - CIA Director John Brennan on Sunday said releasing the excised 28 pages to the 9/11 report, aka the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, would compromise “sensitive methods” and “investigative actions” used by the government. Brennan said the missing chapter has not been released to the public because it hasn’t been vetted or corroborated. He added that releasing the information would be used by enemies of Saudi Arabia. “I think there’s a combination of things that are accurate and inaccurate [in the report],” Brennan said. “I think the 9/11 Commission took that joint inquiry and those 28 pages or so and followed through on the investigation and then came out with a very clear judgment that there was no evidence that … Saudi government as an institution or Saudi officials or individuals had provided financial support to al Qaeda.” While there is scant information available implicating the Saudi government directly in aiding and abetting al-Qaeda, there is sufficient evidence the kingdom green lighted private funding of al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and Lashkar-e-Taiba, a terrorist group based in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Saudi private funding of terrorism was admitted in a memo attributed to Hillary Clinton when she was Secretary of State.

FBI Setting Up 'Shared Responsibility Communities' in New Jersey to Stop Home-Grown Terrorism
CBS News - The Federal Bureau of Investigation is setting up shared responsibility committees in New Jersey to help stop home-grown terrorism. WCBS 880 reported this partnership between communities and the FBI looks to use identification and mental health counseling as tools to those who might head down a path of extremism. The committees would include community leaders, clergy members and mental health professionals whose goal would be to identify those who might support terrorist activities and stopping it before ideas turn into plans. The Record reported that some in the Muslim community in New Jersey are worried that this program will effectively turn community members into government informants.

Texas Leads Nation in Refugee Resettlement
Breitbart - Texas leads the nation in refugee resettlement despite objections from the governor and a lawsuit from the state. The Lone Star State is now home to 2,677 refugees who have been settled in the state since October 2015. While Texas is followed closely by California, who has resettled 2,654 refugees, the next closest state is Washington with about half that resettled in Texas, according to information obtained from the U.S. Department of State by Breitbart Texas. Washington, D.C., home to President Barack Obama and the State Department that manages the Presidents refugee resettlement plan has taken in zero refugees. The President’s home state of Hawaii has also not had any refugees forced upon their residents. Four other states; Arkansas, Delaware, Montana, and Wyoming, have also taken in zero refugees.

Seattle’s sanitation workers can no longer pry through trash without a warrant
Ars Technica - A Washington county judge has ruled that the city of Seattle’s warrantless searches of garbage violated the state’s constitution. In her 14-page order, King County Judge Beth Andrus found in favor of eight Seattle residents whose trash was searched by sanitation workers. The workers were operating under a city ordinance that allowed them to inspect trash for possible violations of a city composting law. Violators could be fined $1 if they mistakenly put food waste into their regular garbage rather than organic waste bins. The ruling turned on whether these inspections amounted to a privacy violation. The order, which was handed down last week, illustrates that states are able to grant more rights than those interpreted by the Supreme Court.

UPDATE: 1.1 Million Families Boycott Target, Stock Takes $2.5B Hit
Breitbart - Sandy Rios, the Director of Government Affairs for the American Family Association (AFA), gave Breitbart News Daily SiriusXM host Stephen K. Bannon an update on AFA’s Target Boycott efforts, which has now gathered over a million signatures.... “Target stocks are dropping. They started dropping the day we announced this boycott,” said Rios. She and Bannon discussed reports that Target has lost as much as $2 billion in market capitalization as a result of the current decline. According to additional reports Target had lost as much as $2.5 billion dollars in stock value during this period given their Friday numbers.

Shock CA Poll: Trump 54, Cruz 20
Breitbart - A new poll conducted by Survey USA and Los Angeles-area ABC News affiliate KABC shows Donald Trump dominating the California primary race (among registered voters — see Update), leading Sen. Ted Cruz 54% to 20%. Ohio Gov. John Kasich is third in the poll, at 14%. The poll’s topline numbers were released on Monday at noon by ABC7 Eyewitness News reporter Elex Michelson.

Trump Pulls Ahead of Hillary in New National Poll
Paul Joseph Watson - Countering claims by Ted Cruz and others that he has no chance of beating Hillary, Donald Trump has pulled ahead of Clinton 41% to 39% in a new national Rasmussen poll. This represents the first time that Trump has been in front of Hillary since October last year. As recently as March, Hillary was ahead by 41% to 36%. Trump is now also performing twice as well amongst Democrats as Hillary is amongst Republicans, with the billionaire businessman picking up 15% of Democrats compared to Clinton’s 8% Republicans. This suggests that the number of Republican voters who dislike Donald Trump to such an extent that they are willing to vote for Hillary in their belief that the Donald will destroy the Republican party if he gets elected is very low.

Mainstream Media Admits Cruz Defeated
Kit Daniels - The establishment media is finally admitting that Ted Cruz has reached the end of presidential run, regardless of what the Texas senator claims. One article in particular, published by the Hill, crystalizes what voters have known for quite some time: Cruz has practically sold his soul to the establishment to remain in the race, despite being mathematically eliminated from the contest on April 26. “Once he tacitly accepted the party's embrace, he began to morph from a conservative stalwart to an opportunist,” Philip N. Diehl of the Hill stated. “The end of the beginning came in mid-March when establishmentarian Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.) endorsed Cruz.” “The beginning of the end came with Cruz's victory in Wisconsin on April 5, when the media portrayed it as a product of an unholy alliance between Cruz and the establishment.” Cruz has since strengthened his ties with the establishment through a partnership with the Soros-backed John Kasich and a cozy relationship with Jeb Bush, but all of this has only turned voters against him.

In 6 Months Since Budget Deal: Debt Up More Than $1 Trillion
CNS News - In the six months that have passed since then-retiring House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell cut a budget deal with President Barack Obama that suspended the legal limit on the federal debt until March 15, 2017, the federal debt has increased by more than $1 trillion.... According to the official summary of the law, Section 901 of the “Bipartisan Budget Act,” which Congress passed on Oct. 30 and Obama signed Nov. 2, provided that the “public debt limit is suspended through March 15, 2017.” The $1,033,226,058,842.03 increase in the debt in the six months since then equals approximately $6,828 for each of the 151,320,000 persons whom the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated had a full or part-time job in the United States as of this March.

A New Digital Cash System Was Just Unveiled At A Secret Meeting For Bankers In New York
Economic Collapse - Last month, a “secret meeting” that involved more than 100 executives from some of the biggest financial institutions in the United States was held in New York City. During this “secret meeting“, a company known as “Chain” unveiled a technology that transforms U.S. dollars into “pure digital assets”. Reportedly, there were representatives from Nasdaq, Citigroup, Visa, Fidelity, Fiserv and Pfizer in the room, and Chain also claims to be partnering with Capital One, State Street, and First Data. This “revolutionary” technology is intended to completely change the way that we use money, and it would represent a major step toward a cashless society. But if this new digital cash system is going to be so good for society, why was it unveiled during a secret meeting for Wall Street bankers? Is there something more going on here than we are being told?

Visa Unveils Plan To Burden Millennials With Billions In Debt
Zero Hedge - For anyone concerned that $800 billion in student loans over the last decade simply won't be enough debt burden for millennials to carry, worry no more, a solution has been found. Visa has come up with a plan to add infinitely more debt to millennials who are working diligently as bartenders and waiters: credit cards. Visa has even unveiled a detailed timeline by which they can accomplish the task. First, Visa estimates that all of those minimum wage jobs will be adding up to $8.3 trillion in personal income for millennials by 2025.... Next, Visa believes that millennials use cards for 57% of their spending, making them an attractive "target" for massive amounts of additional debt credit card marketing. And finally, as a percentage of total available users, millennials use revolving credit more than any other generation. In summary, everyone can rest assured that while young millennials may not have their future mapped out quite yet, Visa and other institutions have that all taken care of for them - just make sure to pay that monthly interest.

Compensation denied to US nuclear workers to hush up Santa Susana radiation dangers – fmr employee
RT - Cancer-struck workers at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory in California have been denied state compensation in order to keep the danger posed by the nuclear site to nearby residential areas out of the public eye, a former employee told RT. Hundreds of workers at the nuclear and aeronautical facility in Simi Valley, which was instrumental in the US space program from 1949 to 2006, have died or fallen ill due to exposure to radiation. However, when those people applied for compensation in accordance with a US government program, their claims were denied, McClatchy DC reported. The Department of Energy (DOE) explained the refusal by saying that the sick employees were unable to prove that they had worked in ‘Area IV’ at Santa Susana.

Consumers and Veterinarians should take note of new FDA Decision
Susan Thixton - FDA’s infinite collusion with Big Industry, the agency allows pet food the same privilege of a drug (to claim it can cure or treat disease) without any of the requirements of a drug. Pet food is allowed to claim it can cure or treat disease without having to prove the effectiveness or even the safety of the pet food. Below are the ingredients of a prescription dog food – Purina Veterinary Diets NF Kidney Function Canine Formula Dry/Kibble. This dog food, sold through a veterinarian, is allowed to make the claim of treating kidney disease in dogs. Ingredients: “Whole grain corn, brewers rice, dried egg product, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), sugar, dried whey, sodium caseinate, animal digest... The FDA believes that “Whole grain corn“ – certain to be GMO corn, certain to contain glyphosate (recently classified as a “possible carcinogen” by the World Health Organization) – can cure or treat kidney disease. The FDA believes that “Animal Fat & Animal Digest” ... can cure or treat kidney disease.... In an interesting (and serious) twist, the FDA places the responsibility of safety of these prescription pet foods on veterinarians. The new Compliance Policy Guidance states...

Video: You've Gotta Love Millennials - Micah Tyler
This video was a parody that opened a talk at the Church Leaders Conference encouraging people to see past the stereotypes and recognizing the unique potential that millennials have!
 

Monday - May 2, 2016  -  Today in History:

1776 - France and Spain agreed to donate arms to American rebels fighting the British.
1797 - A mutiny in the British navy spread from Spithead to the rest of the fleet.
1798 - The black General Toussaint L’ouverture forced British troops to agree to evacuate the port of Santo Domingo.
1808 - The citizens of Madrid rose up against Napoleon.
1863 - Confederate Gen. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson was wounded by his own men in the battle of Chancellorsville, VA. He died 8 days later.
1865 - U.S. President Andrew Johnson offered $100,000 reward for the capture of Confederate President Jefferson Davis.
1885 - The magazine "Good Housekeeping" was first published.
1890 - The Oklahoma Territory was organized.
1926 - U.S. Marines landed in Nicaragua to put down a revolt and to protect U.S. interests. They did not depart until 1933.
1941 - Hostilities broke out between British forces in Iraq and that country’s pro-German faction.
1941 - The FCC agreed to let regular scheduling of TV broadcasts by commercial TV stations begin on July 1, 1941. This was the start of network television.
1945 - Russians took Berlin after 12 days of fierce house-to-house fighting. The Allies announced the surrender of Nazi troops in Italy and parts of Austria.
1946 - Prisoners revolted at California's Alcatraz prison.
1970 - Student anti-war protesters at Ohio's Kent State University burn down the campus ROTC building. The National Guard took control of the campus.
1974 - Former U.S. Vice President Spiro T. Agnew was disbarred by the Maryland Court of Appeals.
1993 - Authorities said that they had recovered the remains of David Koresh from the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, TX.
1994 - Nelson Mandela claimed victory after South Africa's first democratic elections.
2002 - It was reported that Phyllis Diller had retired from touring.

Pro-Sadr protestors breach Baghdad's fortified Green Zone
CS Monitor - Hundreds of protesters climbed over the blast walls surrounding Baghdad's highly-fortified Green Zone for the first time on Saturday and stormed into parliament, carrying Iraqi flags and chanting against the government. The breach marked a major escalation in the country's political crisis following months of anti-government protests, sit-ins and demonstrations by supporters of influential Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. The Green Zone is home to most ministries and foreign embassies and has long been the focus of al-Sadr's criticism of the government. Earlier Saturday, al-Sadr accused Iraqi politicians of blocking political reforms aimed at combating corruption and waste. While al-Sadr didn't call for an escalation to the protests, shortly after his remarks his supporters began scaling the compound's walls. A group of young men then pulled down a section of concrete blast walls to cheers from the crowd of thousands gathered in the streets outside.

Oil's Latest Casualty: Saudi Binladin Group Fires 50,000, A Quarter Of Its Workforce
Zero Hedge - In the latest clear sign that low oil prices are taking their indirect toll not only the US shale sector…on Friday Saudi newspaper al-Watan reported that the multinational construction conglomerate Saudi Binladin Group (which was founded in 1931 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Laden Sayyid, father of Osama bin Laden who was removed as a shareholder in the business in 1993 and disowned by the family) has laid off 50,000 staff as pressure on the industry rises amid government spending cuts to survive an era of cheap oil. This means that Binladin…whose total workforce is around 200,000 just fired a quarter of its total staff. Reuters adds, citing al-Watan's unnamed sources, that the group has terminated the contracts of 50,000 workers - apparently all foreigners - and given them permanent exit visa to leave the kingdom. However, the workers have refused to leave the country without getting paid as some had not received wages for more than four months.

Puerto Rico Delays Some Bond Payments as Default Looms
NewsMax - Puerto Rico said its Government Development Bank, which is operating in a state of emergency to preserve its dwindling cash, reached an agreement with some credit unions to delay $33 million of bond payments as the commonwealth rushes toward a potential historic default. The pact only affects a portion of the $422 million that the bank owes on May 1…. No matter which route Puerto Rico takes, credit-rating companies see a default as inevitable…. Puerto Rico and its agencies owe $70 billion after years of borrowing to fill budget shortfalls as the island’s economy contracted. Garcia Padilla is seeking to cut that debt load by asking investors to accept losses on their securities. The governor in June 2015 said the commonwealth was unable to repay all of its obligations…. Garcia Padilla declared a state of emergency for the GDB on April 9 to limit withdrawals from the bank only to fund health, public safety and education. The GDB has $562 million of liquidity, according to the debt-moratorium law.

All Belgian residents issued with iodine tablets to protect against radiation
The Telegraph - The entire population of Belgium is to be issued with a ration of iodine tablets, months after warnings about the threat of Isil building a dirty bomb. Iodine pills, which help reduce radiation build-up in the thyroid gland, had previously only been issued to people living within 20km (14 miles) of the Tihange and Doel nuclear plants. Maggie De Block, the Health Minister, said that would be extended to 100km, covering the whole country of 11 million people, following advice from an expert council…. Ibrahim and Khalid el-Bakraoui, the brothers behind the suicide strikes on Brussels airport and Metro, are believed to have been involve the plot to scatter radioactive material over a populated area. A senior Belgian nuclear industry official was secretly filmed by jihadists late last year, according to the country’s nuclear authority, and the brothers were linked to the surveillance.

Leaked TTIP documents confirm major risks for climate, environment and consumer safety
Greenpeace - Greenpeace Netherlands is releasing a package of leaked TTIP negotiation texts on Monday morning, at 11am CET, to provide much-needed transparency and trigger an informed debate on a treaty threatening to have far-reaching implications for the environment and the lives of almost a billion citizens in the EU and US. This is the first time the public will have the chance to compare the EU and US negotiating positions.... From an environmental and consumer protection point of view four aspects are of serious concern...

No Criminal Punishment for U.S. Military Personnel in Afghan Hospital Bombing
AllGov - A U.S. aerial gunship attack on a hospital in Afghanistan that killed 42 people occurred because of human errors, process mistakes and equipment failures, and none of the aircrew or U.S. ground troops knew the target was a hospital, a top U.S. general said Friday…. Sixteen military members have been disciplined for their roles in the tragedy, [Gen. Joseph] Votel said. None face criminal charges…. “The label ‘war crimes’ is typically reserved for intentional acts - intentional targeting (of) civilians or intentionally targeting protected objects or locations,” Votel said. “Again, the investigation found that the incident resulted from a combination of unintentional human errors, process errors and equipment failures, and that none of the personnel knew they were striking a hospital.”

Obama Admin Denies Saying “No Boots on the Ground” in Syria After Saying It 16 Times (Video)
Activist Post - What does a government do when it’s caught in a flagrant lie? If you are the U.S. government, you simply tell another lie — and laugh at anyone who tries to call out your hypocrisy. Setting aside his oft-parroted no-boots-on-the-ground imperative, President Obama announced Monday the U.S. would be quintupling the number of special forces troops deployed to Syria to fight Daesh (the so-called Islamic State). In fact, the announcement was made later on the same day Obama claimed to have “ruled out” the deployment of ground troops. Though this reneging on stated foreign policy has become somewhat par for the course, State Department spokesman John Kirby not only missed the hypocritical move, he flatly and bafflingly denied the Obama administration’s repeated claim there would be “no boots on the ground.”... In a press conference, this farcical denial of reality reached stupefying proportions when Kirby was asked by an Associated Press reporter about this stark reversal of policy. All emphasis has been added to highlight the absurdities.

Obama Will Ban Questions on Criminal History for Some Government Jobs
AllGov - The White House on Friday moved to bar federal agencies from asking applicants for tens of thousands of government jobs about their criminal histories until the very end of the process. While checks of criminal histories have become routine in the public and private sectors, a regulation being proposed by the Obama administration would remove a barrier that discourages many freed prisoners from applying for jobs. The rule would prevent supervisors interviewing applicants for about half of all federal positions from asking about a job seeker’s criminal or credit history until a conditional offer is made…. But the new policy will not go as far as some employee rights’ groups had hoped. Federal contractors will be encouraged, but not required, to follow the ban, officials said…. Some classes of federal jobs would be exempt from the policy, and a criminal history would remain an automatic disqualifier for some positions in law enforcement and other areas.

In a "Farce," Missouri Replaces Common Core with Common Core
The New American - In a half-baked effort to placate an outraged citizenry, Missouri officials claimed to be “replacing” Common Core with supposedly “new” standards allegedly developed with local input. In the real world, however, the dumbed-down, Obama-backed national “education” standards were preserved largely intact, just under a new name, following a process that participants denounced as a “farce.” The federally decreed testing regime and data-gathering schemes will continue, too. Critics and those involved in the process were outraged by the “un-American” scheming. They vowed to keep fighting, saying it was time to “clip the wings” of the state education bureaucracy.

State Orders Parents: Register Your Unvaccinated Children
Off The Grid News - A number of parents received a letter this month from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, which said in the document that parents of unvaccinated children in school would be required to register and exempt their child through a state website. The department later said the letter should not have been released. The requirement would have been mandated by House Bill 1164, which died in a state legislative committee earlier this week. Currently, parents tell the local school – and not the state – that their children are not vaccinated…. Senator Kevin Lundberg, a Republican, opposed the bill. He also criticized the health department. “I find it curious that the House has already killed 1164, whereas the health department has already implemented the provisions of 1164 in law on their website stating that by July 1, parents will be required to register online,” Lundberg said. “This online registration system is in complete violation of current statute. They don’t have the authority to require an online registration.”

Cruz Poaches Nearly All AZ Delegates; Former Gov. Brewer Screams 'I Got CheaTED!'
The Gateway Pundit - Donald Trump won the Arizona Republican primary with 47% of the vote to second- place Ted Cruz with 25%. Trump won all 58 delegates in Arizona. But that didn't stop the Cruz campaign and GOP elites from coming in and poaching all of the delegates at today’s state convention...Even former Governor Jan Brewer, an outspoken Trump supporter, had her name removed from the online ballot and did not make the cut. Brewer took to Twitter, and exclaimed: "I've been elected to 5 straight National Conventions. Today, I got cheated. @realDonaldTrump got cheated at AZ Convention. Shameful!!!" "My name was 'mysteriously' removed off @realDonaldTrump online ballot. Today's electronic vote full of glitches and errors. Cheated today!"

WSJ-NBC News Poll: Donald Trump Opens Up 15 Point Lead in Indiana
The Gateway Pundit - Donald Trump opened up a 15 point lead over rival Ted Cruz in Indiana according to a new Wall Street Journal- NBC News Marist poll. Trump is at 49% two days before the critical election.
* Related: ‘If We Win Indiana, It’s Over’: Donald Trump Predicts Victory

For Second Day in a Row Cruz Holds Rally in Indiana – Only a Couple Hundred Turn Out
The Gateway Pundit - After his pathetic turnout in Ft. Wayne on Thursday, Ted Cruz suffered another blow on Friday. The Cruz camp rented an auditorium that could hold a couple thousand people in South Bend, Indiana. Only a couple hundred people showed up.

Cruz Delegates Waver as Trump Gains Momentum
National Review - With Trump on a winning streak that’s seen his popularity and electoral success continue to grow past the long-assumed “ceiling” of 35 to 40 percent of the Republican electorate, many North Dakota delegates who privately support Cruz are rethinking the wisdom of challenging the real-estate mogul’s commanding lead on the convention floor. Rick Becker, a former North Dakota gubernatorial candidate who is still loyal to Cruz, says one delegate who he believes would like to support Cruz is nevertheless warning peers about the damage they could do to the party’s November prospects by angering the millions of voters who support Trump.

White Flag: Neocon Town Crier J-Pod Says ‘Trump Is Going to Be The Nominee’
Breitbart - Neoconservative figure and “Commentary” editor John Podhoretz admitted Sunday that Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee for president.

ADL Targets Trump: Saying “America First” is Anti-Semitic
Information Liberation - According to the Anti-Defamation League, Trump needs to stop using the phrase “America First” because it’s “anti-Semitic.” The ADL press release shared yesterday urged Trump “to reconsider his use of the phrase ‘America First’,” saying it was used by so-called anti-Semites “seeking to keep the nation out of World War II.” “The most noteworthy leader of the ‘America First Committee’ was Charles Lindbergh,” the ADL said, “who sympathized with the Nazis and whose rhetoric was characterized by anti-Semitism and offensive stereotypes.” Incidentally, the hysterical Bloomberg columnist Eli Lake we reported on yesterday took almost the exact same angle in his column, saying Trump using the term “America First” was reminiscent of the “Nazi era.” Via ADL.org...

Trump white powder scare: Envelope filled with mystery substance is mailed to Trump's campaign office forcing six people into isolation
Daily Mail - Five Trump staffers and a police officer are being evaluated after an envelope of suspicious white powder was mailed to Trump Tower | 28 April 2016 | Hazmat teams and emergency crews surrounded Trump Tower this evening after an envelope of suspicious white powder was mailed to Donald Trump. Six people, including a police officer, were isolated after an intern at the Tower in New York opened the envelope at just after 8pm on Thursday. They alerted security after they discovered a mysterious white powder inside. The letter had been addressed to Donald Trump at Trump Tower, officials say.

CLINTON CRASH: Hillary Has Received Hundreds of Thousands Fewer Votes in 2016 vs. 2008
Breitbart - Clinton has seen a decline of 273,321 votes from 2008 to 2016 among states that have already voted this cycle. That 2.15 percent decrease nationally is exacerbated in several key states that Clinton would need to win to secure the presidency in a general election, suggesting that she’s extraordinarily weak on the electoral college scale nationally—and that whoever wins the GOP nomination will likely be able to thump her in the general in November. This year, Clinton has seen declines versus her own 2008 vote totals in the following states: Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Nevada, Washington State, Arkansas, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Wyoming, and Alaska.

Mental Health Concerns Grow After Glenn Beck’s Cheetos Trump-Bash Stunt
Right Side - Maybe it was all a jealous ploy to rekindle his bromance with Ted Cruz due to Lyin’ Ted fawning more attention these days on Carly Fiorina, aka someone who has systematically laid off many more employees than even Glenn Beck’s failing The Blaze network has … But, whatever the case, a lot of people seem to be offering genuine concern for Glenn Beck’s mental health after he tried to make some sort of vague point to disparage Republican Presidential-nomination frontrunner Donald Trump by sticking his face in crushed Cheetos … and having his employees to do the same.

Green Beret Who Beat Afghan Child Molester Will Get to Keep His Job
The Daily Sheeple - When Sergeant 1st Class Charles Martland learned that a young boy had been raped by a powerful Afghan police commander (who had been trained by the U.S. military), he knew that he had to do something. The higher-ups encouraged him to let it go, saying that it was just part of the culture in Afghanistan, and that the local authorities would handle it. Instead, Martland and his team leader Daniel Quinn, approached the police commander and physically attacked him after he admitted to the rape and laughed about it…. Martland and his team leader were then removed from their post, and eventually reprimanded for their actions…. Quinn left the Army, but Martland has never stopped fighting his discharge, and it seems he has finally won. On Thursday the Army reversed its decision to discharge Martland. According to an Army spokesman, “In SFC Martland’s case, the Army Board for Correction of Military Records determination modified a portion of one of SFC Martland’s evaluation reports and removed him from the QMP list, which will allow him to remain in the Army.”

What Happens If Everybody Pulls Their Money Out Of The Bank Today?
Zero Hedge - For every dollar that you have in the bank there is actually 0.00061 dollars available... in other words, there's 6 cents for every $100 dollars of deposits that you have at the bank. As Mike Maloney explains in this brief clip, [video] we live in an economic system that is made complicated by design. Basically, it’s set up so most people don’t even try to understand it. Got Gold?

Video: Are We Next?: Food Prices Soar: Canadian Dollar Collapses
We are in a currency war. The U.S. and Saudi Family are doing high stake manipulation of global oil prices in their attempt to destroy Russia, Iran, China, and Venezuela, and most importantly the new Asian Development Bank. If those nations hold out for at least three more years, we will suffer a complete economic collapse. First hyper inflation then depression.

Caterpillar Closing 5 More US Plants Amid Low Demand
Associated Press - Caterpillar Inc. says it will close five more factories — including an Oxford, Mississippi, plant — as the Peoria, Illinois-based heavy equipment maker reacts to slowing demand for construction and mining equipment worldwide by cutting capacity. The Oxford plant, with 240 employees stamping metal hose couplings, will continue work into 2017, then shift some production to Caterpillar’s plant in Menominee, Michigan, and some work to outside suppliers. The closure was one of five announced Thursday, cutting 820 jobs overall. Over the next 18 months Caterpillar is also closing...

Texas's Toxic Rivers: Fracking Chemicals Seep Into Waterways After Floods
Sputnik News - Many environmentalists and residents have expressed concern that recent floods have deluged fracking sites, spreading oil and the chemicals used to turn shale into oil and is now depositing them into waterways and even possibly drinking water…. Photos show oil-sheen as well as plumes flowing from tipped tanks and fracking sites that were inundated with rainwater during March’s flooding of the Sabine River. “That’s a potential disaster,” Dr. Walter Tsou, a former president of the American Public Health Association, told the El Paso Times. “Cattle that drank the fracking fluid actually died an hour after drinking it. There are potential carcinogens that can lead to leukemia, brain cancer and other endocrine disruptors that can affect premature births.” Critics are additionally concerned that the state’s commission will continue to fail to hold oil and gas companies responsible for such incidents given that commissioners receive more than half of their campaign contributions from that industry.

Six killed in Texas floods as severe weather lashes central U.S.
Reuters - A grandmother and four of her grandchildren were killed and another person also died in floods in Texas caused by storms that unleashed tornadoes, damaging hail and torrential rains on several central U.S. states, officials said on Saturday.

Nothing Kills More Animals Than Geoengineering, HAARP, & Nuclear Contamination
Geoengineering Watch - Animal Rights and Abuse: No one kills or abuses more animals than the federally sanctioned and funded geoengineering campaigns, HAARP facilities and nuclear contamination. Forget about the damages inflicted upon people from chemtrails/geoengineering campaigns and HAARP facilities for the moment. For now let us focus upon domestic animals and wildlife, critters who are affected far worse in many instances due to their size and total exposure to the out-of-doors’ elements. Beginning with insects, I cannot begin to tell you how many species no longer exist that existed in my childhood. The loss is, frankly, incomprehensible, and I know for a fact that we are rapidly approaching a total loss of insects. But before continuing, here is a refresher on the scientific divisions within the animal kingdom...

97 Percent Of America’s Endangered Species Are Further Harmed By Two Common Pesticides
Natural Blaze - The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has announced that two harmful pesticides must be acknowledged for their being a detriment to the environment: malathion and chlorpyrifos. According to The Guardian, Almost all of the 1,700 most endangered plants and animals in the U.S. are likely to be harmed by [these two pesticides]… Malathion, an insecticide registered for use in the U.S. since 1956, is likely to cause harm to 97 percent of the 1,772 mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and plants listed under the Endangered Species Act. The pesticide is often used on fruit, vegetables, plants, and on pets to remove ticks. The second pesticide of chlorpyrifos, commonly used to exterminate termites, roundworms, and mosquitoes, was found to have an equally detrimental effect on America’s flora and fauna. Of the hundreds of species listed, the few that were deemed not at risk are primarily the ones that have already been classified as extinct. EPA officials also mentioned a third pesticide, diazinon, that has a slightly lesser impact, clocking in at harmful to about 79 percent of the endangered species.

Service Dog Warned of Little Girl’s Blood Sugar Levels – From 5 Miles Away!
Dogington Post - Four year old Sadie has Down’s Syndrome and Type 1 Diabetes. Keeping her blood sugar levels within a safe range is sometimes difficult for the parents of the adorable little girl. That was, until one very special Labrador, aptly named Hero, joined the family. Hero is a trained diabetic alert dog and can warn Sadie’s parents when her blood sugar levels aren’t within a safe range, often times well before technology can. He’s been taught to alert Sadie’s family when something’s not right. “I’ll hold out my hands and say, what is it? and he’ll paw for, paw my left hand for a low, and he’ll nose my right hand for a high,” Sadie’s mom, Michelle explained to KUTV.... It became obvious that Hero was trying to alert Michelle to her daughter’s blood sugar levels. But how was this possible? While dogs have been proven to be able to detect scents from up to 2 miles away, Sadie was more than 5 miles away at school. Still, Hero persisted enough to prompt Michelle to contact Sadie’s school and ask them to check her blood sugar levels. When she called the school, Sadie’s levels were fine. Within 30 minutes, they dropped to dangerously low levels.

People Think This Shows Love for Their Pet - This Study Proves Otherwise
Dr. Becker - At some point over the last half-century or so, it became fashionable to do the easy thing rather than the right thing. (Once in a while, the easy thing is also the right thing – but not too often.) One excellent but tragic illustration of this phenomenon is the epidemic of overweight and obese pets in the U.S. Apparently for many pet parents, overfeeding their animal companions is easier than insuring they stay lean and fit. Offering treats is easier than spending time with them.... There are many reasons people overfeed their cats, including equating food with love, and also misreading certain feline behaviors To slim down an overweight cat, practice portion control, learn exactly how many calories to feed, feed a biologically appropriate diet, and insure your cat gets exercise.

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