The Pacific Islands’ voting patterns on Palestinian self-determination reveal the complex interplay of geopolitics, development incentives, and shifting religious dynamics. The rise of evangelism, intertwined with Christian Zionist theology, has increasingly influenced foreign policy decisions, underscoring the cultural and demographic transformations shaping the region’s stance on global issues. There has been a dramatic turn-away from Continue reading »
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In August 2023, nurse Lucy Letby was convicted of the murder of seven babies and attempted murder of six babies in the neonatal unit of a UK National Health Service (NHS) hospital. The Australian media has reported on the current instalment of the saga (viz. a judicial inquiry into conditions at the hospital where Letby Continue reading »
In defending Israel’s actions in Gaza, a common refrain from supporters and right- wing politicians is that Israel is the only democratic country in the Middle East. The notion a democratic country can be above criticism despite charges of war crimes and genocide, suggests this exclusive club of democratic states can never be subject to Continue reading »
Prudent public policy seeks to protect us against black swan events. Black Swan Theory (BST) is a metaphor that describes a rare, unexpected event that has a huge impact and is difficult to predict. These events are considered outliers because there is no past data to indicate when they could occur. Governments already invest in Continue reading »
I have learned a few things in my time on this earth. Not many, but a few. I have learned that western regime change interventionism is reliably disastrous, and that men like John Bolton and Bill Kristol are always on the wrong side of history when it comes to such matters. I have learned that Continue reading »
Yes, we have all accepted the horrific results of the November election, But that doesn’t mean January 6th won’t be a shitshow. The following was tweeted by right wing reporter Chad Pergram: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Failing to Elect a House Speaker Quickly The problem has been percolating for a while. It’s been subterranean. Lurking underneath the surface. Not necessarily perceptible. Except to those who follow Congress closely. But the issue gurgled to the top since the House stumbled badly trying to avert a government shutdown last week. To wit: Congress spasmed between a staggering, 1,500-page spending bill. Then defeated a narrow, 116-page bill – which President-elect Trump endorsed. Things got worse when the House only commandeered a scant 174 yeas for the Trump-supported bill and 38 Republicans voted nay. Circumstances grew even more dire when the House actually voted to avert a holiday government shutdown – but passed the bill with more Democrats (196) than Republicans (170). 34 GOPers voted nay.
Doctor Who: Joy to the World was Steven Moffat's meditation on loneliness, showing how the Doctor and every character are worse for it.
While The Lever team is on holiday break, here’s a selection of our best reporting this year.
Enligt de gängse definitionerna av vad en bostadsbubbla är för något, har vi starka tecken på en bostadsbubbla när: Priserna på bostäder har stigit snabbt Hushållens skuldsättning har ökat Bostädernas belåningsgrad är hög Bostadsbyggandet har minskat På alla dessa fyra punkter indikerar data tydligt att vi befinner oss i en bostadsbubbla: (1) Bostadspriser (2) […]
New evidence reveals how U.S.-backed NGOs provided funds and legitimacy to a terrorist-led administration in Syria. Was this negligence—or deliberate policy?
The post Black Money, Black Flags: How USAID Paved the Way for Syria’s Militant Takeover appeared first on MintPress News.
Russell Jones looks back at how the ‘worst parliament in history’ came to its calamitous conclusion
Merry Christmas from your once and future president. He’s just trying to bring us all together: He takes every disgusting, imbecilic thing he does, anything that makes the decent half of the country sick to its stomach, and doubles down on it to own the libs. Don’t ever let this become normal. Update — He reposted this. They just love this stuff.
Insights from a geophysicist.
The post How to Read a Tsunami appeared first on Nautilus.
Illustrating what scientists have learned from the disaster 20 years ago.
The post Science from the Tsunami appeared first on Nautilus.
I usually put the original up on Christmas Day but I thought this was well done. War is never over, unfortunately. But it could be…
Hope you’re having a good one. If not, hope it isn’t too awful.
Use as an open thread for nice things if you wish.
Peanuts and MAD magazine formed me. I think it explains a lot …