ENVIRONMENT AND JUNK SCIENCE Comments turned off

Updates On The March To The Great Green Energy Future  Francis Menton

Posted By on January 13th, 2024

https://www.manhattancontrarian.com/blog/2024-1-12-updates-on-the-march-to-the-great-green-energy-future

The cries of climate alarm get ever louder and more urgent. (E.g., New York Times, January 9, “It’s confirmed: 2023 was the planet’s warmest year on record and perhaps in the last 100,000 years. By far.”). We’re all about to boil! Something must be done!

OK, but then there is the proposed solution: Order up by government fiat that our current fully working and inexpensive energy system must be replaced with a never-demonstrated pipe dream conjured up by political science and gender studies majors who know nothing about how an energy system works. We’re far enough into this by now that some of the pieces are starting to blow up in dramatic fashion. Are we allowed to notice?

Here in New York, we got into this game mainly with two pieces of legislation, both enacted in 2018 — at the state level, the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act; and in the City, Local Law 97. With both laws the pols set the deadlines for compliance at dates seemingly far in the future, expecting that they would no longer be around to be held accountable. The first of those two laws ordered up state-wide mandates for “decarbonizing” the economy, starting with a requirement for 70% of electricity from “renewables” by 2030; and the second set limits for carbon emissions for buildings in New York City, some of which have just kicked in effective January 1, 2024. Sure enough, the Mayor at the time of enactment is gone, almost the entire City Council is gone (term limits), and the Governor at the time is also gone.

So where are we?

WORLD NEWS Comments turned off

Iran’s Growing Ballistic Missile Threat by Majid Rafizadeh

Posted By on January 13th, 2024

https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/20299/iran-ballistic-missiles

Because of the apparent lack of oversight from world leaders, especially the United States, the rising provision of ballistic missiles by Iran to non-state actors –including terrorist and militia groups, as well as rogue states — now presents a significant source of concern for global security.

The regime continues to hide behind its proxies, Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis. Those are Iran’s human shields. That is why they have proxies in the first place: then it is the proxies doing the dirty work and being attacked, not Iran.

Unfortunately, unless Iran’s leaders themselves feel seriously disrupted, why would they ever stop? The Obama and Biden administrations tried giving Iran billions of dollars in “carrots.” Clearly that was a flop. The answer, all the same, is not: “Maybe there weren’t enough carrots. So next time, we will give more of them!”

To stabilize the Middle East, it is essential to apply ongoing pressure on the Iranian leaders themselves, to disrupt their accelerating programs to produce nuclear weapons and the missiles to deliver them, and to convince them, the old-fashioned way, that their hegemonic dreams of taking over the Middle East simply will not work.

One of the key but lesser-known reasons behind the immense expansion of Iran’s ballistic missile program in the last few years can be attributed to the U.S. Treasury Department declaring in October 2021 the removal of sanctions on Iran’s Mammut Industrial Group and its subsidiary, Mammut Diesel. These companies had previously faced sanctions imposed by the Trump administration in September 2020 due to their identified roles as “key producers and suppliers of military-grade, dual-use goods for Iran’s missile programs.”

ANTI-SEMITISM Comments turned off

NO RUTHFULLY YOURS TODAY

Posted By on January 13th, 2024

WEEKEND NEWS TOMORROW

ISRAEL Comments turned off

The International Court Of “Injustice” Begins Its Blood Libel Trial Against Israel by Alan M. Dershowitz

Posted By on January 12th, 2024

https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/20298/international-court-of-injustice-israel

What is the International Court of Justice? It is not international, because it excludes judges from certain countries. It is not a real court, because the judges are selected by their countries and many of them simply follow the instructions of those who appointed them. And it has never done justice, because it has long been biased against Israel. It is the United Nations court, and that tells you all you need to know about it.

The United Nations has become the megaphone of bigotry and anti-Semitism…. Both the United Nations and its court are shams.

It is the Hamas charter that calls for genocide against the Jews of Israel, and it is South Africa that is harboring Hamas terrorists and defending its murders and rapes. It should be Hamas that is on trial for attempted genocide and South Africa that is on trial for complicity with Hamas. Instead, the nation-state of the Jewish people is being accused of a blood libel, despite going to great lengths to avoid civilian casualties in its legitimate efforts to destroy Hamas.

The evidence is indisputable that Hamas has committed numerous war crimes.

Were the International Court of Justice to falsely conclude that Israel was guilty of genocide, it would destroy whatever remaining credibility that court might have. If that were to happen, the United States and some other nations should and probably would leave the court: it would not deserve the legitimacy afforded by membership of any decent country.

The blood libel accusation against Israel has now begun in The Hague. The failed nation of South Africa has brought genocide charges against Israel in the International Court of Justice.

What is the International Court of Justice? It is not international, because it excludes judges from certain countries. It is not a real court, because the judges are selected by their countries and many of them simply follow the instructions of those who appointed them. And it has never done justice, because it has long been biased against Israel. It is the United Nations court, and that tells you all you need to know about it. The United Nations has become the megaphone of bigotry and anti-Semitism. As an Israeli diplomat once put it, if Algeria introduced a resolution that the earth is flat and that Israel flattened it, it would win 120 to 27 with 32 abstentions. And you can name the countries in each of the groups before any evidence is presented.

ANTI-SEMITISM, EDUCATION Comments turned off

Harvard Hasn’t Learned Its Lesson Catherine Salgado

Posted By on January 12th, 2024

https://pjmedia.com/catherinesalgado/2024/01/11/harvard-to-host-pro-terrorist-anti-israel-summer-program-n4925395

Scandal-ridden Harvard University is doubling down on its antisemitism with a plan to host a summer program in partnership with a pro-jihadi Palestinian school.

In the wake of the unspeakably heinous Hamas attack on Israelis on Oct. 7, which the terrorists proudly broadcast to the world, a horrifying number of Westerners deliberately ignored what the terrorists and Gazans themselves avow and all historical and current evidence to support the Gazans and demonize Israel. Sadly, this was especially true of college students, as anti-Semitism is rife on campuses poisoned with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).

“Harvard University will host a summer program where students will be briefed on ‘settler colonialism’ at a Palestinian university that called for ‘glory to martyrs’ after the October 7 terrorist massacre in Israel and has a student body that overwhelmingly elected a Hamas-affiliated bloc to run its student government,” The Daily Wire reported on Jan. 10. If you don’t know, “glory to the martyrs” is a slogan celebrating terrorists who are killed while waging jihad on Israel.

Harvard’s “Palestine Social Medicine Course” is set to send students for the second year in a row to Birzeit University in the “West Bank,” which is the Palestinian misnomer for Judea and Samaria (which belonged to ancient Israel centuries before Islam was invented). 

Below is from the program website, but keep in mind there is no such thing as “occupied Palestinian territories.” The latter term is merely terrorist propaganda, falsely claiming ownership of land that rightfully belongs to Israel:

This three-week intensive summer course is designed to introduce students to the social, structural, political, and historical aspects that determine Palestinian health beyond the biological basis of disease…

The course offers both conceptual and practical engagement with the structural determinants of health affecting Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Israel, and the Diaspora. The Palestine Social Medicine Course occurs annually at Birzeit University in the West Bank, occupied Palestinian territories. It includes travel throughout the West Bank and Israel for site visits focused on evaluating the range of health care available, as well as the variable social conditions which contribute to and determine health outcomes.

Curriculum content includes “Settler colonialism and its manifestations in Palestine” and “Health and racism.”

EDUCATION Comments turned off

A Fail of Two Cities Schools in Chicago and Los Angeles are in bad shape, and there are no fixes on the horizon. By Larry Sand

Posted By on January 12th, 2024

https://amgreatness.com/2024/01/11/a-fail-of-two-cities/

In this “Fail of Two Cities,” it has been only the “worst of times” for government-run schools.

When it comes to education, Chicago, America’s “Second City,” is nowhere near second. The kids aren’t learning despite piles of money being spent, and families are abandoning the system.

According to the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), just 15% of Chicago’s 8th-grade students are proficient in math, and 21% are proficient in reading.

Money is certainly not the problem, as Chicago Public Schools spend about $29,000 per student. So, a class of 20 students costs the taxpayer almost $600,000 per year. Additionally, Chi-town teachers aren’t suffering; a rookie teacher makes $64,000 a year and eventually can earn up to $122,000 per year—not including pension and healthcare perks.

A great deal of the reason for the poor education system in the Windy City can be laid at the feet of the Chicago Teachers Union. As with most teachers’ unions, especially those in big cities, its primary goal is to advance a left-wing political agenda. In fact, the Illinois Policy Institute reports that the union spent nearly three times more on politics in 2023 than the year before, and just 17% of its spending was on representing teachers

As former Mayor Lori Lightfoot noted in 2021, CTU would “like to take over not only Chicago Public Schools, but take over running the city government.”

In fact, that actually happened. The recent recipient of the union’s largess, Brandon Johnson, a former CTU “legislative coordinator,” became Chicago mayor in May 2023.

ANTI-SEMITISM Comments turned off

Anti-Zionism is Anti-Semitism By Michael Berenhaus

Posted By on January 12th, 2024

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2024/01/antizionism_emisem_antisemitism_.html

If, as the Washington Post editorial title says, “Anti-Zionism isn’t the same as antisemitism…” (1/7/24), then why is the one tiny Jewish state the only country in the world challenged over its right to exist? 

Further, if anti-Zionism isn’t the same as antisemitism, why are those that shout and riot against Israel wantonly attacking Jews indiscriminately? Why are antisemitic attacks up throughout the world including America especially on college campuses? 

In France, home to Europe’s largest Jewish population, “The interior ministry recorded more than 1,500 incidents [of antisemitism] in the six weeks following 7 October, ranging from the desecration of cemeteries to antisemitic graffiti and banners, social media attacks, vandalism against Jewish property, threats against Jews and a handful of assaults,” according to the Guardian.

Students at college campuses across America report widespread intimidation and harassment for being Jewish. Just in the past week, at a NY high school girl’s basketball game, a Jewish High School team was taunted with screams of “I support Hamas, you f–king Jew” by opposing players.

HOMELAND SECURITY Comments turned off

Our Incompetent Elite is Opening Up America to Attack Our enemies are very serious about one particular thing. by Kurt Schlichter

Posted By on January 12th, 2024

https://www.frontpagemag.com/our-incompetent-elite-is-opening-up-america-to-attack/

My first Townhall Column of the year was my top 2024 predictions, but one prediction did not fit with its snarky vibe. Let me make it now. In 2024, we’re going to see a massive terrorist attack here in the United States. I’m not going to sugarcoat it – I’m worried that we’re facing a terrorist threat unlike anything we’ve ever seen and that a lot of Americans are going to die. It does not have to happen, but because the people running this country are so corrupt, malicious, and incompetent, it will.

The people running this country have made choices – like throwing open the border – that are going to kill a lot of Americans because our enemies, unlike our alleged leaders, are serious people. They’re serious about subjugating and killing us. But the only things our leadership is serious about are keeping their names off pervert passenger lists, skimming endless Ukrainian cash, and pronouns, pronouns, pronouns, always pronouns. We have a distinctly unserious elite in the most serious of times.

When October 7 happened, we saw the Israelis caught unawares by an asymmetrical attack where a determined and cunning foe leveraged all its limited strengths against the Jewish state’s very few weaknesses, allowing Hamas to execute a short but bloody rape and murder spree. Understand that 10/7 was not a military assault, though it used violent means. It was an information operation, an operation designed not primarily to destroy the combat power of the IDF but to attack the will of the Israeli people and force Israel to change its policies. That did not work. Israel was stronger than Hamas imagined, and it hit back harder and more consistently than the terrorists expected, despite the shameful backstabbing by the Biden administration and the screaming of the terrorist wing of the Democrat Party here at home.

ISRAEL Comments turned off

‘Genocide’: The Population of Gaza Tripled Under Israeli Occupation So what’s really the conduct of the IDF in Gaza? by Hugh Fitzgerald

Posted By on January 12th, 2024

https://www.frontpagemag.com/genocide-the-population-of-gaza-tripled-under-israeli-occupation/

What does Israel do in Gaza? Does the IDF deliberately rape, torture, and murder Palestinian civilians, as Hamas did to the Israelis at the dance party and in the kibbutzim? Does the IDF take delight in killing, in as sadistic a way as possible, as many Gazan civilians as it can? No, of course not. The IDF tries instead, to minimize civilian casualties. It has no desire to harm the truly innocent. Unfortunately, Hamas wants to maximize those civilian casualties, and to exploit that result to undermine Israel’s standing in the world.

Whenever it can, the IDF warns civilians away from areas about to be targeted. These warnings are enormous undertakings. When the IDF had concluded that it was first going to concentrate its war-making in northern Gaza, it dropped 1.5 leaflets on that area, urging inhabitants to move south of the Wadi Gaza, so as to avoid the most intense fighting that was about to begin in the north. 900,000 Gazans ultimately heeded the warning, and headed south on the north-south corridor of Salah al-Din Street. Hamas fired on, and killed, some of the Gazans trying to move south, in order to keep their civilian shields trapped in the north. Later, when the IDF began to attack Hamas in the south, it dropped both leaflets, and sent emails, with maps included, that showed Gazans the precise areas in the south, in and around Khan Yunis, where the IDF would not be attacking, and that, therefore, they should move to for safety’s sake. It was the same with buildings — schools, apartment buildings, mosques — where the IDF was about to attack. The IDF messaged, emailed, telephoned, and used the “knock-on-the-roof” technique to warn civilians living in or near those buildings soon to be targeted to leave them. Furthermore, Israeli pilots will call off an airstrike if they detect too many civilians near the target.

WORLD NEWS Comments turned off

U.S., U.K. Launch Air Strikes against Houthi Rebels in Response to Attacks on Ships in Red Sea By Brittany Bernstein

Posted By on January 12th, 2024

https://www.nationalreview.com/news/u-s-u-k-launch-air-strikes-against-houthi-rebels-in-response-to-attacks-on-ships-in-red-sea/

The U.S. and Britain launched air strikes in Yemen on Thursday in response to the Iran-backed Houthis’ recent attacks against vessels in the Red Sea.

The strikes came hours after White House national-security spokesman John Kirby called on the Houthis to “stop these attacks” and warned that the group would “bear the consequences for any failure to do so.”

The militants have launched 27 attacks on vessels in the Red Sea since November 19, the U.S. military said earlier on Thursday. The group says the attacks are in protest of the Israel–Hamas war.

The retaliatory strikes targeted a source of the group’s attacks, Bloomberg News reported, noting that heavy explosions were seen in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa and the port city of Al Hudaydah. The attacks were carried out with support from Australia, the Netherlands, Bahrain, and Canada, while the U.K. contributed aircraft.

President Biden confirmed the strikes in a statement on Thursday evening, explaining that the action was “in direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea — including the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles for the first time in history.”