Society's ChildS


2 + 2 = 4

Understanding how the enemy of your enemy is not your friend

Eric Zuesse
Strategic Culture Foundation
Thu, 23 Nov 2017 12:35 UTC
war art
In political matters, the public are taught to believe that some political Party is 'good', and that the others are "bad"; but the reality in recent times, at least in the United States, has instead been that both Parties are rotten to the core (as will be clear from the linked documentation provided here).

Belief in this myth (that the opposition between Parties is between 'good' 'friend' versus 'bad' 'enemy') is based upon the common adage that "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." One side is believed, and ones that contradict it are disbelieved - considered to be lying, distorting: bad. But, maybe, both (or all) Parties are deceiving; maybe all of them are enemies of the public, but just in different ways; maybe each of them is trying to control the country in the interests of (and so to obtain the most financial support from) the aristocracy, while all of them are actually against the public.

Comment:

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Gift

Is Black Friday a thing of the past?


RT
Thu, 23 Nov 2017 14:59 UTC
Shoppers
© Brendan McDermid / Reuters
When it comes to holiday shopping sprees, the traditional Black Friday bonanza is no longer the number one event. More and more people across the US choose to sleep in instead of rising before dawn the morning after Thanksgiving.

Despite favorable economic conditions, including the lowest unemployment rate in 17 years, cheap and easy-to-get loans, the annual sales fest doesn't expect a traditional avalanche of shoppers, standing in endless lines outside stores and then shopping until they drop.

According to the latest survey by the National Retail Federation, 59 percent of consumers are planning to shop online instead of going to brick and mortar shops. That's reportedly the first year when buying online is the most popular choice for shoppers.

"The holiday season is always important, but this year is more important than ever. Department stores are struggling to prove they are still relevant," said Robert Schulz, the chief credit analyst for the retail sector for Standard & Poors, as quoted by CNN Money.

Comment: See also: American shoppers still haven't paid off their debt from last Christmas

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Gold Coins

Hong Kong company will create a cryptocurrency mining farm and AI lab on Russian island


RT
Thu, 23 Nov 2017 15:39 UTC
Ayaks Bay
© Alexander Vilf / SputnikAyaks Bay on Russky Island, Russia
A Hong Kong-based company called Genesis Engineering plans to create a cryptocurrency mining farm and an artificial intelligence lab on Russky Island (Russian Island) in Vladivostok.

The Ministry for Development of the Far East, says the company is interested in the region's free plots of land and energy facilities, as well as preferential tax and customs duties. It plans to set up around 300 thousand square meters of production facilities, following a pilot project.

"We see our presence as residents of this territory," said Genesis Engineering representative John Riggins.

The free trade zone of Vladivostok covers Russky Island, so the tax preferences and the possibility of applying for a free customs zone are available to investors. Russia's Far East regions and the city of Vladivostok are expected to become an Asian hub for trade and transportation.
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People 2

"Something dark going on": Fear of offending trans people ruining healthy debate, says radical feminist


RT
Thu, 23 Nov 2017 11:00 UTC
Trans people
© Katy Blackwood / Global Look Press
A radical feminist has accused public institutions of "reprehensible cowardliness" after being no-platformed by university students at King's College London. Heather Brunskell-Evans was due to deliver a speech on pornography and female sexuality.

The research fellow at King's College London (KCL), who is also a spokeswoman for the Women's Equality Party, had her speech cancelled amid concerns it would breach the institution's "safe space" policy. It was called off after she was quizzed on the Moral Maze show, a Radio 4 series, on the definition of gender, along with two transgender activists and a psychotherapist.

Questioning school and youth groups' policy of encouraging children to define themselves as trans if they feel such, Brunskell-Evans told The Times that KCL students cancelled her speech amid concerns her views on "transgender health ... would violate the student union's 'Safe Space' policy."

Comment: See also: 'Safe space' policy prevents free speech society from hearing their first guest at Sussex University

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Fire

Toxic cloud from waffle factory fire threatens Brussels suburb


RT
Thu, 23 Nov 2017 15:26 UTC
brussels fire
© lnaaaah / Instagram
A thick and potentially toxic cloud of smoke has engulfed a Brussels suburb following a huge fire at a waffle factory, officials said. Local residents were told to stay indoors and to keep windows and doors shut.

The incident took place in a Milcamps plant in the Forest municipality, less than 1km from the center of the Belgian capital. "The fire has caused a thick plume of smoke that is potentially toxic," Forest Mayor Marc-Jean Ghyssels said, as cited by De Morgen newspaper.

Local authorities advised the town residents to keep windows and doors shut, and to stay indoors. Some 200 students from a local school and employees from nearby companies were evacuated. "A significant amount of smoke is visible and we have asked [the local] population to close doors and windows, and to stay inside," police said, as cited by RTBF.
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Arrow Down

UK families facing the longest fall in living standards since records began


RT
Thu, 23 Nov 2017 15:07 UTC
homeless person
© Luke MacGregor
Britain is on track for the longest period of falling living standards since records began, a think tank has warned. Its analysis shows Chancellor Hammond's budget will drive up inequality and see families suffer their biggest squeeze since the 1950s.

The Resolution Foundation, a think tank which focuses on how to bolster living standards, said the stark downgrade of economic growth revealed by the Chancellor on Wednesday means household disposable income is now set to fall until 2020. It also found the poorest third are set for an average loss of £715 per year over the coming five years, while the richest third stand to gain £185 on average.

"Following years of incremental changes, yesterday the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) handed down the mother of all economic downgrades pushing up borrowing for the Treasury," director of the Foundation Torsten Bell said. "While Philip Hammond chose to take a relaxed approach to additional borrowing, families are unlikely to do so when it comes to the deeply troubling outlook for their living standards that the Budget numbers set out.
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Bullseye

Billionaire Peter Thiel pursuing a bid to buy Gawker, the website he helped bankrupt


RT
Thu, 23 Nov 2017 15:50 UTC
Peter Thiel
© Jonathan Ernst / ReutersPeter Thiel
Venture capitalist Peter Thiel is reportedly pursuing a bid to buy Gawker.com, a website he helped topple by funding a clandestine legal battle against its parent company.

The billionaire complained in court documents filed Wednesday that administrators overseeing the sale of the site are"maintaining selective secrecy over the process," and are discriminating against his bid based on his history with the publication, according to Buzzfeed.

The roots of the dispute between the site and Thiel is believed to hark back to 2007, when Gawker published a story questioning the sexuality of the Facebook board member. When a sex tape involving former professional wrestler Hulk Hogan, real name Terry Bollea, appeared on the site in October 2012, Bollea launched a lawsuit against Gawker Media. Following Bollea's victory and award of $140 million in damages, and Gawker's subsequent bankruptcy over its inability to pay, it emerged that Thiel had spent millions of dollars to help fund Bollea's legal challenge.
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Syringe

Professor conducted illegal herpes vaccine trial at Illinois hotels - report


RT
Thu, 23 Nov 2017 00:55 UTC
Herpes vaccine
© Eric Gaillard / Reuters
A US researcher aiming to develop a herpes vaccine conducted illegal trials during which he injected people in hotel rooms and at a house on the island of St. Kitts, according to a new investigation.

William Halford, a former associate professor at Southern Illinois University (SIU), began his first "trial" in 2013. But the setting wasn't a university laboratory or a room at a hospital - it was a Holiday Inn Express and a Crowne Plaza Hotel located 15 minutes away from the college, according to an investigation by Kaiser Health News.

Halford, who died of cancer in June, administered his experimental shots to at least eight herpes patients on four different occasions in the summer and fall of 2013. The volunteers were injected with a virus he had created, according to emails from seven participants and interviews with one participant.

In multiple email exchanges between Halford and the participants, seen by Kaiser, he asked them to send photographs of rashes, blisters and other reactions they might have received as a result of the injections.
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Robot

Why people believe in Russiagate: They lack self-awareness

Caitlin Johnstone
Medium
Mon, 20 Nov 2017 14:52 UTC
Hillary supporter SJW trump snowflake
I recently watched a former Hillary Clinton aide trying to prove in front of his large social media audience that the Sanders supporter who was arguing with him was actually a Russian bot using an improvised Turing test.

This is the new normal.

Remember last year when Rep. Adam Schiff accused Fox's Tucker Carlson of "carrying water for the Kremlin" for asking questions about the Russian hacking narrative and we couldn't believe our ears? This is just standard behavior now. Democrats have been so deeply saturated in toxic Russia hysteria that you routinely see political discourse stopped dead in its tracks by accusations of someone being a Russian bot or Kremlin agent. They've been propagandized into thinking it's normal, so they don't think twice about leveling that obnoxious, conversation-ending accusation with no evidence whatsoever in order to shut down anyone who questions their assertions.

A former Daily Show producer recently tried to kick off a smear campaign against Redacted Tonight for being "Russian propaganda", then started accusing everyone who objected to this oafish behavior of being "paid people and bots". She was so locked into the establishment echo chamber that she could not understand how people could possibly take issue with what she was doing, asking in a (since deleted) post how her McCarthyite smears were even a controversial take.

Comment:

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Airplane

TSA implements new security measures just in time to make Thanksgiving travel even more of a nightmare


RT
Thu, 23 Nov 2017 14:30 UTC
airport security
© Bob Riha Jr / Reuters
Millions of travelers are expected to endure endless lines this holiday weekend as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) implements new security measures at airports across the country.

The TSA estimates there will be more than 26 million passengers traveling through airports between November 17 and 29, a five percent increase from last year. The Sunday after Thanksgiving is expected to be one the five busiest days in TSA history, with a total of 2.64 million passengers and crew expected to pass through security that day, the agency said.

The O'Hare and Midway International Airports in Chicago are expected to be among the busiest in the nation, with more than 1.9 million passengers expected over the weekend, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation.

The weekend will also mark the first major holiday after the TSA announced new screening procedures that require passengers to "remove electronics larger than a cell phone from their carry-on bags and place them in a bin with nothing on top or below" for X-ray checks in standard lanes.

Newly-appointed TSA Administrator David Pekoske said the security measures could lead to "a slight increase in wait times."

"The procedure is new," Pekoske said, according to Politico. "It's new to passengers. It's somewhat new to our screeners."
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