DELEITURAS

Maddie & Tae perform “Fly” from their Start album live at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital At Vanderbilt.

Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz criticized a newly released United Nations report on Monday that concluded Israel committed war crimes against Palestinians during a 2018 protest despite Hamas’s use of human shields.

“This U.N. report is on its face absurd and dishonest and we know because they have been doing it for a long time,” Cruz said on a telephone call hosted by the Jewish Institute for National Security of America. “Hamas and Hezbollah use human shields as a deliberate tactic. They use innocent Palestinian civilians, to put them in harm’s way, because they intend to exploit those human shields for when they are injured or killed when Israel defends itself.”

The United Nations Human Rights Council determined in the report that Israel used “excessive force” during the nine-month period in question. Over that time, Israeli security forces shot and wounded 6,016 protesters in Gaza and “there was no justification” for Israel’s use of force. The report did acknowledge Hamas encouraged Palestinian protesters to cause use incendiary kites, which caused “fear among civilians and significant damage to property in southern Israel.”

“The United Nations long has been a reservoir of deep anti-Israel animus,” Cruz continued. “This report today is yet another example of that.”

The Human Rights Council adopted a resolution in May 2018 after President Donald Trump relocated the United States Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a move that inspired thousands of Palestinians to riot and ultimately storm the Gaza-Israel border.

Hamas preemptively offered compensation to the families of Palestinians who were injured or killed during the demonstration — a spokesperson for the terrorist organization revealed the payment rates would be as high as $3,000, reported The Jerusalem Post. Humans were also reportedly used as shields, a concept that Cruz acknowledged.

“It is a repeated and deliberate strategy of Hamas to use human shields,” the Texas senator said. “The U.N. report ignores that reality.”

United States officials have maintained that Israeli Defense Forces acted appropriately.

“America stands with Israel for many reasons, but none more important than standing with Israel furthers our own national security interests,” Cruz added.

Women’s March co-chair Linda Sarsour on Monday night attacked Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi as a “typical white feminist upholding the patriarchy doing the dirty work of powerful white men,” in response to a House resolution condemning anti-Semitism.

House Democrats announced the resolution on Monday after Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar’s latest anti-Israel comments, which critics — including other Democrats — have denounced as anti-Semitic.

“This is why we wanted Congresswoman Barbara Lee to be the Speaker of the House and ‘progressives’ were like nah, Pelosi is a leader and omg you should see how she claps. What a clap!” Sarsour wrote in a lengthy Facebook post.

“Nancy is a typical white feminist upholding the patriarchy doing the dirty work of powerful white men. God forbid the men are upset – no worries, Nancy to the rescue to stroke their egos,” she wrote.

Sarsour accused Democratic leaders of responding more quickly to anti-Semitism than to anti-Muslim rhetoric and claimed the resolution would only help Republicans.

“Democrats are playing in to the hands of the right. Dividing our base and reinforcing their narrative and giving them an easier path towards 2020,” Sarsour wrote.

“I reject this. I will speak out. I won’t be silent. I am not following this. They don’t speak for me as a Democrat. No more double standards.”

Women’s March has been plagued by its own anti-Semitism issues, including its leader’s support of Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, a notorious racist and anti-Semite.

An investigation published by Tablet Magazine in December revealed Women’s March leaders repeatedly made anti-Semitic remarks, including spreading conspiracy theories about Jews being responsible for the slave trade.

The investigation also found that Women’s March used Nation of Islam members for their security.

Sarsour was unapologetic about the Farrakhan controversy as recently as January when she taped a podcast with left-wing media outlet Democracy Now

I’m a music fan and have posted Pentatonix before on CDN Music Night, but this is their most powerful performance so far.

Where to see Pentatonix in concert:

10/22/2016 – Maverik Center – West Valley City, UT
10/24/2016 – Denny Sanford Premier Center – Sioux Falls, SD
10/26/2016 – Xcel Energy Center – St. Paul, MN
10/27/2016 – Allstate Arena – Rosemont, IL
10/29/2016 – State Farm Center – Champaign, IL
10/30/2016 – Value City Arena, Schottenstein Center – Columbus, OH
11/3/2016 – FedEx Forum – Memphis, TN
11/6/2016 – The Palace of Auburn Hills – Auburn Hills, MI
11/7/2016 – Air Canada Centre – Toronto, Canada
11/9/2016 – TD Garden – Boston, MA
11/10/2016 – Prudential Center – Newark, NJ
11/12/2016 – Mohegan Sun Arena – Uncasville, CT
11/13/2016 – Liacouras Center – Philadelphia, PA
11/15/2016 – Bon Secours Wellness Arena – Greenville, SC
11/16/2016 – Infinite Energy Arena – Duluth, GA
11/17/2016 – U.N.O. Lakefront Arena – New Orleans, LA
11/19/2016 – Chesapeake Energy Arena – Oklahoma City, OK
11/20/2016 – American Airlines Center – Dallas, TX
11/22/2016 – Toyota Center – Houston, TX

Where to find them on social media:

http://www.ptxofficial.com
http://www.twitter.com/ptxofficial @ptxofficial
http://www.facebook.com/Pentatonix
http://www.instagram.com/ptxofficial @ptxofficial
http://www.snapchat.com/add/PTXsnap

With businesses struggling, a run on ATM’s, banks and other cash deposits, central bank calling back cash and every day people defaulting on every day credit – yeah, another global depression might be closer than thought.

Americans are suddenly defaulting on their personal debt at an alarming rate. Heck, even the American icon Colt is considering some form of bankruptcy.

Greece just pulled back every single bank’s reserve cash stockpile – just to keep them solvent. It won’t last long and the Greek people will soon want their money from those banks that now have no way to refund it. Bank run!!!!  (it’s not a new movie)

What’s going on in America?

Well, banks are starting to put in cash controls, businesses are struggling to increase sales and energy stockpiles are growing from a lack of consumption.

Bank of America now charges a “cash handling fee” if a business or individual deposits a lot of cash.

Chase is reportedly forbidding its customers from storing cash in safety deposit boxes or using cash to pay bills:

As of March, Chase began restricting the use of cash in selected markets, including Greater Cleveland. The new policy restricts borrowers from using cash to make payments on credit cards, mortgages, equity lines, and auto loans. Chase even goes as far as to prohibit the storage of cash in its safe deposit boxes .

 

 

In a letter to its customers dated April 1, 2015 pertaining to its “Updated Safe Deposit Box Lease Agreement,” one of the highlighted items reads: “You agree not to store any cash or coins other than those found to have a collectible value.” Whether or not this pertains to gold and silver coins with no numismatic value is not explained.

Petroleum reserves grew another 5.3 million barrels even though production has slowed. Companies aren’t using as much energy to make/grow, transport, package and sell their goods because demand is dying – consumers are flat broke and running out of credit.

Producer after producer, company after company is reporting dropping top-line numbers.

Top line revenue represents money coming in before expenses – and it is dropping RAPIDLY.

Construction giant Caterpillar has had 28 months of declining sales.

The only choice American companies have is to reduce expenses to meet the reduction in income. People and services (advertising, cleaning, driving, inventory management, sales, etc) are their greatest expense and are going to take the brunt of the hit while companies are forced to get more competitive.

The way companies meet the need for efficiency is through automation – not hiring. The HUGE U6 unemployment figure is just the start as Google, Amazon and other monopolistic giants hire armies of robots to do the jobs Americans used to do – but it is necessary.

Asia has Alibaba and soon other nations will have something similar. That’s global competition.

Google may struggle with international relations and Chinese regulatory obstacles. A Chinese firm, Baidu, is replicating the Google model and is able to include billions of Chinese consumers while Google is shut out of the EU due to regulation and relegated out of Asia due to the great Chinese Firewall.

Consider the Chinese controlled and funded Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) which replaces the IMF and World Bank in the global community, it won’t be long until the Chinese can ignore the rest of the world completely (especially the U.S.)

As China’s numbers keep coming in so weak, one has to imagine – what happens if both America and China’s economies go south .. right.. fricking .. now?!?

Kind of hard to imagine this happening without a plan… just .. so .. hard.

Wonder Woman is in theaters June 2, 2017.

Survey results released on Sunday from Rasmussen Reports shows that the bailout of GM and Chrysler has left the bailed-out with a poor public image while Ford, the only major American car maker not to take public money, is enjoying rising popularity.

When 1,000 people were asked if they viewed each of the car makers as very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable, Ford came out strong.

44% of respondents said they looked favorably upon Ford, while only 12% and 13% said the same of Chrysler and GM respectively. When looking at all positive responses, 78% of responses were positive for Ford, 54% for GM and 43% for Chrysler.

The unfavorables are equally as enlightening. Ford saw only 13% unfavorable ratings, GM 45% and Chrysler 43%.

The assumption would be that the bailouts hurt the car companies that took them, but why work from assumption? The survey then asked respondents how the bailouts affect their impressions of the big three.

The President and V.P. have been out campaigning hard on the auto bailout. On Sunday the President used his weekly address to remind Americans that it was a major achievement. 55% of respondents said that the bailouts were a bad idea. 57% said it made them more likely to buy a Ford and 52% said it made them less likely to buy a car from GM. 17% said they knew someone that bought a Ford simply because the automaker did not take tax payer money to weather the recession.

Perhaps the auto bailout is not something the President should be touting so loudly.

On January 10th, CATO Institute Vice President for Foreign and Defense Studies Christopher Preble will hold a pacifist event at CATO titled “Overkill: The Case of Reevaluating U.S. Nuclear Strategy”. Leaving aside the fact that US nuclear strategy was reevaluated just 2 years ago, in 2010-2011, and more recently in the just-completed NPR Implementation Study, the fact is that Preble calls for far more than reevaluation: he calls for deep unilateral cuts in America’s nuclear deterrent. And that is absolutely unacceptable.

CATO falsely claims that

“The United States has far more nuclear weapons and delivery systems than deterrence requires. The triad of intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles and bomber aircraft reflects bureaucratic Cold War planning, not strategic vision.”

Those are blatant lies.

Firstly, the US does not have more – let alone far more – nuclear warheads and delivery systems than deterrence requires. As the current STRATCOM commander, Gen. Bob Kehler, and his predecessor, Gen. Kevin Chilton, have testified, the current arsenal is “exactly the right size” needed for nuclear deterrence. (Remember that Gen. Kehler has spent his entire career working on nuclear weapons and their carriers.) And, as former Secretary of Defense and Energy James Schlesinger has testified, the current arsenal is “barely adequate”.

The reason why the current arsenal is the bare minimum needed is that it is barely adequate for 1) surviving a possible enemy first strike; and 2) threatening the vast majority of Russia’s, China’s, North Korea’s, and Iran’s military assets. To be able to do that, it must be no smaller than the nuclear arsenal of America’s largest nuclear adversary (currently, Russia).

Russia has 2,800 strategic warheads (1,492 of them deployed and 1,308 in reserve), untold thousands of tactical nukes, and a huge fleet of delivery systems: 434 ICBMs, 14 ballistic missile subs, over 240 strategic bombers (64 Tu-95s, 16 Tu-160s, 171 Tu-22Ms) with nuclear-tipped cruise missiles, and thousands of tactical nuclear delivery systems. Its ICBM fleet alone can deliver 1,684 warheads to the US, while its SSBN fleet could deliver 2,240 warheads to America if need be. Its 58 SS-18 Satan heavy ICBMs alone can deliver 580 warheads to the US.

Russia’s huge tactical nuclear arsenal (estimated by the Obama Administration to be 10 times larger than America’s) can be delivered by a very wide range of delivery systems, including short-ranged ballistic missiles, ship- and air-launched cruise missiles, surface warships (nuclear depth charges), artillery pieces, tactical strike aircraft (e.g. Su-24s, Su-25s, Su-27s/30s/33s/35s, and Su-34s). Russia has at least 1,040-2,000 deployed tactical nuclear warheads (according to various estimates listed here on p. 6), and 2,000-4,000 tactical nuclear warheads in total according to ASDEF for Global Strategic Affairs Madelyn Creedon (p. 6).

Russia currently plans to significantly grow its arsenal of ICBMs and bombers. This year, the Russian Government tripled ICBM production, and by 2020, it will procure 400 new ICBMs – partly to grow the fleet and partly to replace older ICBMs. It is also developing a new heavy ICBM (to replace the SS-18 Satan), a new 100-ton missile with a “global range” and a conventional warhead, a new middle weight ICBM called the Avangard, and a new rail-based ICBM (which will likely be an RS-24 Yars derivative). None of these ICBMs will be limited by New START. Russia is also building additional Tu-160 bombers from stockpiled components. Because Russia was below New START ceilings, and because that pathetic treaty has many loopholes large enough to drive a truck through them, Russia is allowed to significantly build up its strategic arsenal. The US is not.

Overall, Russia plans to spend 21 trillion roubles (i.e. $770 bn) on new equipment during the next decade.

Russia’s huge nuclear arsenal alone justifies the current size of America’s nuclear arsenal and constitutes the single largest threat to US national security, as documented in more detail here and here.

Furthermore, former Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control Ellen Tauscher has admitted that “Russian overreliance on tactical nuclear weapons should be a signal to the US that some Russian officials are still acting and reacting according to a Cold War mentality.” Note that she said that about Russian, not American, officials.

China has at least 1,800, and up to 3,000, nuclear warheads, and possesses at least 36 DF-5, 30 DF-31/31A, and a number of DF-41 MIRVable ICBMs, plus 6 ballistic missile subs with a collective capacity to deliver at least 72 SLBMs (JL-1s and JL-2s). It has recently acquired the Tu-22M production line and intends to procure 36 such bombers, each of which can carry 6 nuclear-tipped cruise missiles. It is rapidly growing its arsenal of ICBMs, MRBMs, SRBMs, and land-attack cruise missiles (which can be launched for airborne, seaborne, and ground platforms alike and have a range of up to 4,000 kms).

Yet, under New START, the US will be allowed to maintain only 1,550 deployed strategic warheads and only 700 deployed (plus 100 nondeployed) strategic warhead delivery systems. Tactical nuclear weapons and their delivery systems (in which Russia has a huge lead over the US) are not covered, and neither is China’s large nuclear arsenal, which is not subject to any inspections or limitations, even though Russian generals such as Viktor Yesin (ret.) have called for China to be included in nuclear arms limitation treaties. China, however, has persistently refused to participate in such treaties or even to discuss the issue or disclose the size of its arsenal. In fact, the US is the only country in the world to have publicly disclosed the precise size of its nuclear arsenal: 5,113 warheads, deployed and nondeployed, strategic and tactical. (Per New START, only 1,550 strategic warheads can be deployed).

Last but certainly not least, the US has to deter North Korea and Iran as well, and has to provide a nuclear deterrent not only for itself, but also for over 30 allies who rely on it for their security and their very existence. Further significant cuts to it would force these allies to develop their own nuclear weapons, because they cannot bet their security and their existence on America breaking free of its “unilateral nuclear disarmament will make us safer” kool-aid.

CATO’s claim that the US nuclear arsenal and its triad structure (ICBMs, SSBNs, and strategic bombers) is a relic of Cold War bureaucratic planning is also a blatant lie. The nuclear arsenal’s size, as demonstrated above, is the bare minimum needed for the nuclear threats of today (if anything, it should be larger).

Furthermore, the nuclear triad is NOT a relic of Cold War bureaucratic planning; it is THE most survivable arrangement for any nuclear arsenal (more legs of the nuclear triad mean more layers of defense and more targeting problems for the enemy) and the only credible kind of a nuclear deterrent. Only such a deterrent can survive a Russian or Chinese nuclear first strike – thus ensuring that such first strike never happens.

Moreover, the nuclear triad has been repeatedly confirmed by the highest levels of the US government as the right arrangement for the nuclear deterrent: in the 1994, 2001, and 2010 Nuclear Posture Reviews, in the New START Senate resolution of ratification, as well as recentlyby the entire US Senate when it unanimously adopted Senator John Hoeven’s FY2013 NDAA amendment stating the Senate’s commitment to maintaining the nuclear triad and its belief that this is the best arrangement for the nuclear deterrent. Likewise, the House has passed an NDAA which – as House Republicans trumpet on the HASC’s website – upholds the House’s commitment to the nuclear triad and provides for the maintenance and modernization of all three of its legs.

Moreover, the US nuclear arsenal and fleet of delivery systems are already vastly smaller than they were at the end (let alone the peak) of the Cold War. In 1991, the US had over 20,000 nuclear warheads; today it has only about 5,000. In 1991 the US had over 1,000 ICBMs, SLBMs, and strategic bombers; today, only 450 ICBMs (going down to 420), 14 SSBNs (not all of which are at sea at any time or are fully loaded), and just 96 nuclear-capable bombers (B-52s and B-2s). The US nuclear arsenal is less than 1/4th of its 1991 size, i.e. more than 75% smaller than it was at the end (let alone the peak) of the Cold War.

Thus, CATO lied when it spoke of “the need to bring it [US nuclear strategy] into the 21st century”; that strategy, and the nuclear deterrent, have already been brought into the 21st century.

“Join us as Christopher Preble, the Vice President of Defense and Foreign Policy Studies at the Cato Institute, discusses U.S. nuclear strategy, and the need to bring it into the 21st century.”

CATO also wrongly asks:

“Can the United States achieve an effective nuclear program which makes us safer, while adapting to the need for a smaller defense budget?”

Firstly, the US already has a very effective nuclear program which keeps America safe 24/7/365. Furthermore, cuts (let alone deep cuts) in America’s nuclear deterrent would make America MUCH LESS secure, not more, for the reasons stated above. Furthermore, there is no “need for a smaller defense budget”; the total FY2013 military budget (as authorized by Congress in the FY2013 NDAA) is only $633 bn, i.e. just 4.2% of GDP and less than 18% of the total federal budget. By both measures, it’s the lowest level of US military spending (excluding the late 1990s and early 2000s) since FY1948. Even Jimmy Carter spent a larger percent of GDP and the federal budget on the military.

Moreover, the entire nuclear arsenal, along with its supporting facilities, costs only $32 bn per year to maintain (per the Stimson Center), which is only 5% of the total military budget. So, even as the defense budget is being reduced, there is no need to cut funding for the nuclear deterrent. In fact, such cuts would be foolish and suicidal.

Further recommended reading: http://missilethreat.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/WebPage.pdf; http://missilethreat.com/russia-developing-new-long-range-ballistic-missile-2/.

With the kids out of school for the summer, we find new ways to relate – My daughter’s choice was chicken videos on youtube.

Our family regularly shares. We do youtube night where we pass the remote around and everyone has to watch whatever video the current controller-holder picks. We also do music night where we rotate through each family member’s favorite artists/songs.

All of that is about sharing. My son likes the stranger side of youtube – a guy in a pink body suit freaking people out on the streets and in elevators. My daughter likes Panic at the Disco and videos with animals doing weird stuff. The wife… just music videos.

So what strange content could come out of such a wholesome  family experience? How about Singing Techno Chicken?  Yeah, that really happened. Enjoy.

Whether or not you  appreciate chicken talent, you must appreciate their character. Here’s a rooster that finds just about everything funny!

The Pentagon is sending several thousand more troops to the southwestern border, fulfilling a request made by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Currently, there are about 2,3000 troops stationed at the southwestern border. Pentagon officials revealed Tuesday that they will be deploying an additional 2,000 troops as part of the DHS’ request for the military to extend its mission there. Originally intended to last until Dec. 15, the military’s mission will now be extended to Sept. 30.

The entire operation is estimated to cost $132 million by the end of January, and over $600 million by the close of the fiscal year in September.

“We are supporting our federal partners on the border, and that mission has been extended until September,” stated Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Jamie Davis. “We are currently sourcing the units involved and there will be an increase of a few thousand troops.”

Beyond maintaining a troop presence, the Pentagon will also aid DHS officials with infrastructure development. Military troops will help set up more concertina wire and expand surveillance capabilities along the border.

“Most recently DHS has asked us to support them in additional concertina wire and then expanded surveillance capability, and we’ve responded with, you know, here’s how many people it would take,” Acting Defense Secretary Pat Shanahan told reporters on Tuesday.

The expansion of troops comes as President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats continue to be at odds over a proposed border wall.

After undergoing the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, Trump announced on Friday that he reached a temporary deal to reopen the government until Feb. 15 — giving the administration and congressional leaders three weeks to reach a long-term compromise on the border debate.

The president has demanded $5.7 billion in funding to build a 234-mile long wall on the southern border — construction of the wall would fulfill Trump’s biggest campaign pledge in 2016. However, Democratic leadership has maintained their opposition, framing it as immoral and too expensive.