The Polish Judiciary, the EU and the Threat of Polexit

https://www.euractiv.com/section/justice-home-affairs/news/poland-could-end-up-leaving-the-eu-supreme-court-warns/

https://www.dw.com/en/poland-thousands-protest-government-proposal-to-punish-judges/a-51728646

https://www.euractiv.com/section/all/short_news/warsaw-polexit/

(Both outlets (DW and Euractiv) can safely be described as pro-EU)

Free courts are the issue that has Poland in a state of turmoil. Free in the sense of free from political influence and the potential control of the Law and Justice Party (PiS)? Or free in the sense of Polish jurisdiction, precedent and custom being respected and not subjected to the international judicial dictates of the European Union?

NPR's Reporting on the Space Force

https://www.npr.org/2019/12/26/791414989/the-reasons-for-a-space-force

I don't listen to NPR a lot these days but I did catch this report the other morning and in some ways it typifies just why I've more or less abandoned NPR as a news source.

The story is on the newly created Space Force, a Sixth Branch of the US military. The congressional approval for the Space Force, along with increased defense spending, provisions made for the border wall and an invite to give the State of the Union address are all political victories for the president. A strange thing considering he was just impeached. Why is the Democratically controlled congress helping and empowering the president?

Inbox: What can the Uighurs do?

Given the magnitude of the Chinese clampdown in the Xinjiang region, the Uighur people face unimaginable pressure to abandon their culture and embrace a Han Chinese identity. Beijing's campaign will within a generation all but eliminate Uighur culture. While they are a Muslim population, from a Christian perspective the ethics of resistance are worth exploration. This is all the more true when we apply the same categories to the Church in the People's Republic and even (to some degree) the events taking place in Hong Kong.

As Christians, how can we analyse such situations and how would we respond in accord with the ethics of the New Testament?

Anti-Sodomite Vigilantism in Brazil

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-brazil-violence-christmas/brazilian-comedy-group-hit-by-molotov-cocktails-after-film-on-gay-jesus-idUKKBN1YT0KJ

Though few leaders are going to come out and openly support it, I believe many American Evangelicals support this type of Christian-on-Pagan violence, or would if given the chance. They're frustrated, they've had it and they want to lash out. Frankly the theology and culture promoted by Evangelicalism leads to this. It fosters vengeance. From the lawsuit and politics to the gun and the glorification of the military, Evangelicalism has embraced violence and power and has chosen to completely ignore if not negate the ethics of the New Testament.

With regard to Brazil, at this point we're not sure the fire was started by 'Christian' vigilantes but there's every reason to believe that it was.

Trump +1069: Impeachment and the Christianity Today Editorial (Part 2)

The state of things in the Evangelical world was already confusing and the events surrounding 2016 has only amplified this reality. Once nearly tangible blocs and affiliations have been shattered and the proliferation of Far Right news-sites, blogs and podcasts has only amplified the problem. Throw in websites like Pulpit and Pen and you discover an active disinformation campaign.

Trump +1069: Impeachment and the Christianity Today Editorial (Part 1)

It was something of a bombshell when news broke that Christianity Today, long the flagship magazine of the Evangelical movement proclaimed that Trump should be impeached. Since then the magazine has been denounced by Evangelical leaders as 'leftist', 'Marxist' and no longer faithful to the Scriptures.

Besides being absurd accusations, all we can really say is... what a mess. If things weren't already confusing enough, now this. 

Libya and the Escalating Mediterranean Conflict

https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/turkey-raises-prospect-to-send-troops-to-libya/

The rift continues to deepen between Turkey and Libya and the story is further complicated by frankly dishonest Western reporting regarding the status of Khalifa Haftar and his backers.

Nord Stream 2 Sanctions

The US has introduced sanctions on companies involved in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project which brings gas from Russia directly into Germany via the Baltic Sea. It's no accident the sanctions were passed as part of the large defense (military) bill passed by the US Congress.

CTE, the Ecumenical Movement and the Sodomite Breaking Point

https://www.christiantoday.com/article/churches-together-in-england-rejects-gay-president-nomination/133643.htm

Churches Together in England or CTE is an ecumenical body that seeks to bring together the various strands of Christianity within England. It's part of a larger network of similar bodies that seeks to tie together all ecclesiastical organisations with the British Isles. It's open to Catholics, Liberals, Pentecostals, Evangelicals and more and yet the organisation has recently fallen under some scrutiny over a controversy that developed over one of its six presidencies.

Reflections on the Hallmark Channel Controversy

https://www.kpbs.org/news/2019/dec/15/hallmark-channel-embroiled-in-controversy-after/

In the end, it's all about the money. If Hallmark refuses to air the 'gay' television ads, then the advertisers who run their commercials on Hallmark will catch flak and so to avoid it, they'll start pulling their adverts from the channel.

Movement and Summits in Central Asia: The EU Alternative

https://www.euractiv.com/section/central-asia/news/central-asia-leaders-meet-again-in-sign-of-increased-regional-cooperation/

These recent summits mark a change in the global order and perhaps for the first time since 1991 the Central Asian nations are demonstrating a serious willingness to cooperate and perhaps even a desire to function with a degree of autonomy. At last after almost thirty years it would seem that (some of them at least) have realised this goal might actually be workable if they agree to function as a bloc.

Dominionist-Fueled Violence in Brazil

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/soldiers-of-jesus-armed-neo-pentecostals-torment-brazils-religious-minorities/2019/12/08/fd74de6e-fff0-11e9-8501-2a7123a38c58_story.html

Evangelical activism can take a different turn in countries that don't have a stable democracy or a long tradition of liberal values rooted in established social institutions. In Latin America, in Africa and certainly in parts of Asia these things are lacking and so it shouldn't surprise us that such religious extremism (one hesitates to call it Christian) is able to take root.

The NATO Summit, Energy Policy and TANAP

https://www.euractiv.com/section/azerbaijan/news/turkey-and-azerbaijan-mark-completion-of-tanap-pipeline-to-take-gas-to-europe/

The Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) has been completed. At one time this would have been reckoned a victory for US foreign policy but now given that Ankara has pivoted toward Moscow and Baku is not as solidly in the US column... there's nothing to celebrate.

Paul Washer's Shocking Sermon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuabITeO4l8

https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=52906154239

I believe Paul Washer to be a gift to the modern church. His passion is compelling. I'm not a Baptist and thus I don't agree with him on every point. At times I'm baffled by his associations. I wonder if he's one of those men that is willing to appear in any venue in order to get the message out. If he's not invited back, clearly he doesn't really care.

Lausanne and the Evangelical Undermining of Sola Scriptura: Watering Down the Word

http://evangelicalfocus.com/magazine/4929/Bezalel_and_Oholiab_Artists_and_craftsmen

This article is not unique. In fact there are dozens just like it produced on a daily basis. I've repeatedly addressed these issues in my writings and yet since there are so few who seem willing or able to provide the necessary critique I feel compelled to keep doing so, hoping that someone will stumble upon it, or that this time it will 'click' with someone.

The Malta Scandal, Energy Deals and Azerbaijan

One aspect to the scandal surrounding the car-bombing death of journalist Daphne Galizia that has not been focused on, at least not so far, is the connection to Azerbaijan and the politics of the Caucasus.

The NHS and US-UK Trade: Spinning the Revelations

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-50699168

On the one hand I'm a little baffled by the 'breaking' nature of this story because there were hints of this a couple of years ago. The Brexit vote was in June of 2016 and Trump of course won the election in November of that year. There were rumours of NHS privatisation in the air coming from Tory circles, even during Cameron's tenure, and then it seems to me about 2018 there was a kerfuffle over Trump suggesting that a US-UK trade deal would require opening up the NHS to US investment and a degree of privatisation.

Well, apparently due to Corbyn's utilisation of these leaks, it's a big story again. But what's interesting is the media response.

The Ethos of New Calvinism and Christmas

https://www.challies.com/visual-theology/a-visual-theology-advent-reading-calendar-for-your-family/

The celebration of Advent used to raise eyebrows in Evangelical circles.

Trump Messianism and Slippery Speech

https://www.christianpost.com/news/franklin-graham-labels-trump-opposition-demonic-rick-perry-labels-trump-chosen-one.html

I seem to recall great concern being expressed back in 2008-2009 over Obama's perceived messianism, the fact that his followers spoke of him in almost devotional terms as something of a saviour.

German Militarism and the Rise of Von der Leyen

https://thedefensepost.com/2019/11/27/germany-new-runway-niamey-niger-c-160/

I'm afraid the picture for this article caught my eye. I remember on a few occasions working with the German Budeswehr loading and unloading C-160's. They're like a miniaturised two-engine version of the Lockheed C-130. Our base normally hosted Spanish and British air units (F-18's and AWACS) but the Germans would show up on occasion in connection to some transport mission.

The Spirit of Capitulation in Evangelicalism With Regard to Sunday

https://www.christianpost.com/voice/the-biggest-demographic-churches-are-missing.html

Evangelical leaders continue to produce theology which ratifies the cultural status quo. From divorce and psychology, to work, finances, lawsuits, politics and how we order our time, the Evangelical leadership does not disappoint in this regard. If there's a way to baptise the cultural norms, you can count on them. Motivated primarily by a fear of losing numbers, money and ultimately cultural influence they seem to spend an inordinate amount of time teaching about the culture... but in reality they endlessly explore ways to push the church to the edge of the cultural cliff and then hope that they won't fall off.

Multi-Generational Nightmare Weapons

https://theintercept.com/2019/11/25/iraq-children-birth-defects-military/

Though largely discredited in my eyes, I still glance at The Intercept from time to time. There are still some good reporters attempting to produce decent journalism and while the original goals of the outlet have clearly been subverted, the mechanisms of control are not absolute.

Georgian Orthodoxy and Cold War II

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Tbilisi,-scandals-and-divisions-in-the-Church-and-between-parties-48570.html

Georgia's Orthodox Patriarch Ilia II has skeletons in his closet which his enemies are attempting to exploit. Formerly a leader within the World Council of Churches (WCC) Ilia is being accused of being a pro-Moscow puppet. Sadly (for him) his former WCC affiliations will (for some) give credence to that charge. It's well known the functionally apostate WCC was infiltrated by the Soviets during the Cold War.

ISIS Scatters to the Four Winds... And to Central Asia

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Seventeen-die-in-Islamic-State-attack-on-border-checkpoint-48474.html

This has long been the fear, that in the aftermath of its Syrian defeat and the death of its leader, the surviving elements of ISIS would return to their home countries and bring their violent forms of Salafism with them. Al Qaeda it would seem is on the wane and the more extreme, apocalyptic and (despite its attempted caliphate) even de-centralised forms of Salafi violence represented by ISIS are growing in popularity. The same frustrations that are driving people on to the streets across much of the world are in the Islamic context driving some youth into radicalism.

A Moment of Cultural Examination in Italy

http://www.ansa.it/english/news/business/2019/11/18/only-57-of-italian-mums-work-istat_6095acfc-0148-4de5-8310-b388510a8208.html

The ANSA news service seems to be lamenting the fact that only 57% of Italian mothers work outside the home. If there's something to lament it's that 57% of Italian mothers work outside the home. Ideally the number would be zero.

Frontline's In the Age of AI

I recently watched the PBS Frontline documentary on AI or Artificial Intelligence. I recommend it but with qualification. It was both interesting and disturbing but it was also misleading. There were some interesting discussions to be sure. From the future of jobs to some rather questionable uses in medicine to social media and surveillance, the documentary raises numerous salient questions.

Logic on Fire: The Life and Legacy of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

I had been waiting with some anticipation for a few years to view the Lloyd-Jones film Logic on Fire and after viewing it I must say I was quite disappointed.

Macron, Aachen and the Ghost of de Gaulle

https://www.euractiv.com/section/defence-and-security/news/frances-macron-decries-nato-brain-death-ahead-of-anniversary/

Already there are cracks appearing in the 2019 Aachen Treaty which was signed by France and Germany in the former Carolingian capital.

Buying Czech Loyalty: Rewarding the V4

https://thedefensepost.com/2019/11/12/czech-republic-purchase-uh-1y-ah-1z-helicopters-textron/

It is with veritable glee that the American and European publics mark the thirty year anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall. And yet military contractors perhaps find a greater reason to rejoice in marking the nearly 29 years since the Warsaw Pact collapsed. After almost three decades it can be safely said that most former Eastern Bloc hardware is becoming obsolete.

Hungary, the UK and the Politics of Huawei

https://www.euractiv.com/section/5g/news/hungarys-emergency-infrastructure-hardware-built-by-huawei/

Washington is not pleased that Budapest is collaborating with Beijing when it comes to its 5G infrastructure. This is part of a larger struggle with China over technology and global 'tech' infrastructure. Despite US machinations and even threats, China continues to make inroads into Europe.

AFR: Blind Guides of the American Evangelical Movement

A couple of weeks ago I was driving about an hour south of where I live and picked up American Family Radio (AFR). As bad as the Family Life Network is, I must say AFR is perhaps worse, or at least more overtly political. Every time I've tuned in, its airwaves propagate Scriptural error and bad politics rooted in the network's bad theology.  

Pompeo's Sacrilege

https://www.christianpost.com/news/pompeo-faces-criticism-for-giving-speech-being-christian-leader.html

Pompeo should fill all Christians with righteous indignation. His statements should fill us with dread.

Mayer's Credibility on the Line

https://consortiumnews.com/2019/10/08/the-new-yorkers-partisan-attempt-to-refute-its-claim-of-partisan-disinformation-on-biden-and-ukraine/

Mayer became a familiar face to me when she appeared on Frontline's series about the Iraq War near the end of the Bush presidency. Since then she's appeared in other Frontline documentaries and I've heard her interviewed on NPR. Though I haven't personally read her pieces in The New Yorker I did read 'Dark Money', her 2017 expose which proved very informative. Overall I've found her to be a pretty solid journalist... pretty much within the Establishment consensus but intelligent and probing.

Training the Satraps

https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2019/10/14/Singapore-air-force-celebrates-10-years-of-training-at-Idaho-air-base/4981571077607/?sl=9

Few realise just how common this sort of this is and what an important role it plays for the US empire.

Hidden behind euphemisms of partnership, friendship and alliance the reality is these nations are beholden to the United States.

Self-Affirmation Confused With the Will of God

https://www.christianpost.com/news/in-n-out-billionaire-lynsi-snyder-on-spiritual-warfare-desire-to-be-plugged-in-to-gods-plan.html

But she's not plugged in to God's plan. This is a case of self-affirmation being confused with the will of God or God's Plan.

We may speak of God's decretive will or Providence in which His will is indeed accomplished regardless of the outcome or means. And yet we live by His Revealed Will which we can point to as a sure guide.

European Drama: Aachen versus Brussels?

https://www.euractiv.com/section/enlargement/news/france-halts-eu-enlargement/

France has halted the process to enlarge the EU even as Balkan states form what amount to a 'Mini-Schengen' zone of custom free borders.

IOR Obstruction

http://www.ansa.it/english/news/2019/10/02/five-vatican-officials-suspended-over-finance-probe_04a93a47-8048-4861-899a-d8636bb79436.html

As mentioned in the January 2019 piece (linked below) there will be continued resistance to reforming the IOR/Vatican Bank.

The question is... just who are these five officials? I'm not referring to their names, rather what faction do they represent? Are these people resisting reform with other connections to the hierarchy? Are these people acting in the interest of outside parties? Are their suspensions a protective measure, a tactical move on the part of one faction or the other?

The Lausanne Legacy: Danish Evangelicals Seek Political Influence

http://evangelicalfocus.com/europe/4821/God_is_at_work_with_politicians_and_culturally_engaged_people

This is yet another example of the Lausanne mindset on display. Somehow getting legislators into church on Sunday morning is deemed a great victory or accomplishment.

Poland's PiS Rewarded

https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2019/10/11/Poland-US-celebrate-new-US-Army-division-headquarters-in-Poland/3401570811620/?sl=17

As Poland continues to stand with the United States, this is their reward... and yet the people of Poland should beware.

For some they will see the US establishment of a divisional headquarters as a surety, a guarantee of security against the threat of Moscow. Additionally it is all but a guarantee of further economic growth through the military apparatus. The Americans build bases and they spend lots of money and the infrastructure, logistics and maintenance will generate jobs and stimulate the local economy. Poland's defense sector will certainly benefit.

Trump +1006: Developments in Northeast Syria

The timing of Trump's Syria withdrawal is interesting in light of the impeachment probe. Again I wonder if he truly blundered into this or if he isn't being set up? One can hardly pity him but the policy is even turning many Republicans against him.

CNN: Not Left-wing but Establishment Safe

https://thegrayzone.com/2019/09/06/embassy-insider-exposes-cnn-lies-about-julian-assange/#more-14399

The fact that CNN is once again exposed as a propaganda outlet for the US Establishment should come as a surprise to no one. I suppose when the outlet first appeared in the 1980's, around-the-clock news and the level of international reporting was novel and thus we were all fascinated. That said, even the mainstream outlets had extensive international bureaus at that time and while the coverage was certainly slanted, nothing compares to what's happening today.

The Syria Blacklist

https://www.mintpressnews.com/using-forged-emails-progressive-journalists-smear-challenging-syria-groupthink/261972/

This article provides a good summary for the case that Syria coverage has been manipulated and often fabricated. Given the longevity and complexity of the conflict the number of articles dealing with these questions is voluminous, even daunting for someone who hasn't been following things closely.

And thus this article plays a helpful role in providing the 'big picture' in terms of this question.

Rolling Back the Pink Tide: A Scandal in Colombia, the Anti-Venezuela Media Campaign and the IMF Motivated Protests in Ecuador

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/oct/01/colombia-spy-chief-quits-dossier-venezuela-oswaldo-pena

Duque working in concert with American Imperialism and its regime change operation in Venezuela has been called out and exposed. The report appears in The Guardian, a publication largely in alliance with the Atlantic Establishment. And yet when it comes to Latin America their editors are clearly comfortable pursuing stories that American media are less likely to emphasise.

Medicaid and Christian Ethics

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/10/when-medicaid-takes-everything-you-own/596671/

This reality is already known to many and yet I am often startled by how many people do not seem to understand how the world of medical coverage functions. I suppose if you've had a long-term steady job that provided health coverage then you would have little reason to look into the realities that many people face.

Washington, the PiS and EU Climate Targets

https://www.politico.eu/article/new-yorks-lackluster-climate-summit/

Leaving aside all the silliness surrounding the deranged Swedish teenage activist and her 'glaring' at Trump, the real story in this article pertains to French president Macron's condemnation of Poland's PiS government for inhibiting the EU's climate goals.

Falwell and the Politico Whistleblowers

https://www.npr.org/2019/09/15/761046389/liberty-university-students-react-to-falwell-scandal

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/09/09/jerry-falwell-liberty-university-loans-227914

By now many are familiar with the Politico article about the whistleblowers at Liberty University who have sought to expose Jerry Falwell Jr. as a hypocrite and something of a tyrant.

Another HSLDA Travesty: Trump's UN Speech

https://hslda.org/content/hs/international/20190925-trumps-historic-un-speech-should-help-persecuted-homeschoolers.aspx

The twists and turns of history. Public education is largely a result of the sacral state and in the United States its genesis was championed by dyed in the wool Protestants that wanted to bring about social conformity and cultural unity especially in the face of massive immigration.

Elizabeth Warren's Wall Street Socialism

https://www.aol.com/article/finance/2019/09/24/senator-elizabeth-warrens-net-worth-2020-presidential-election/23818922/

The Right continues to taut the 'Socialism' of millionaires like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. These politicians advocate a form of social democracy which actually falls within Centrist orbits in the rest of the world. They are advocates of the market and finance capital. What they're arguing for is that the state as an organising principle should pool some of society's excess profits and redistribute them to the poorest elements of society.

Ritter on Smolenkov and Some Thoughts on Christian Discernment

https://consortiumnews.com/2019/09/14/the-spy-who-walked-away/

Ritter will be remembered by some as the patriotic American ex- UN weapons inspector who refused to accept the Bush administration's line on Iraq. He exposed the administration as dishonest and challenged the WMD narrative.

South Tyrol: A Chink in the EU's Armour

https://www.thelocal.it/20181018/italy-and-austria-at-odds-over-south-tyrol-dual-citizenship

The region of South Tyrol doesn't normally make it into the news. An alpine wonderland, for most it's just part of northern Italy and yet its story is far more complicated. It's actually one of the dozens of potential 'trouble spots' within Europe that retain the possibility of future political turmoil and unrest. South Tyrol isn't a 'hot spot' like Kosovo or even as contentious as Transylvania, Ulster or Catalonia but it still has the potential to generate trouble. The EU was supposed to eliminate these tensions, to bring these cycles of history to an end and yet history just won't go away. And as Brussels weakens, history is rearing its head.

Patriotic Idolatry in China

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Official-churches-and-religions-celebrate-the-70th-anniversary-of-the-Chinese-communist-regime-(Video)-48071.html

Of course this is done voluntarily on the part of many American Churches. These idolatrous celebrations are more or less repeated in the United States. Of course they're not mandated but represent willing offerings on the part of American Christians to the deified holy state.

Were an American president of the right political stripe to suggest and encourage such ceremonies I am confident American Christians would comply. These sorts of idolatrous displays have become almost routine since 9/11.

Indian Christians Betrayed

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/sep/23/trump-modi-mainstream-faces-global-far-right

The American Evangelical hero-president stands on stage with the persecutor of India's Christians. Modi's Hindutva regime has subjected Christians to mob violence and terror. And yet he's welcomed in the United States, the nation that purports to stand for human rights and religious freedoms.

Kosovo: To the Victors Go the Spoils

https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/12/world/europe/americans-who-helped-free-kosovo-return-as-entrepreneurs.html

This is a link to a 2012 article. It made it into the New York Times which grants it a level of significance and yet the story should have been bigger. It should have made headlines and if people really understood its significance they would be angry. The warmongers cashed in. This is how loot and pillage works in the 21^st century.

The West's Attempt to Win Over Trans-Caucasia

https://www.euractiv.com/section/azerbaijan/news/juncker-commission-still-hopes-to-finalise-agreement-with-azerbaijan/

This is part of an ongoing project by the members of the Atlantic Establishment. Washington and the EU are making a joint effort to secure the region of Transcaucasia and establish it as a beachhead against Moscow.

Vigano in Hiding

https://catholicherald.co.uk/magazine/the-vigano-affair-has-revealed-the-depth-of-the-churchs-crisis/

Archbishop Vigano is in hiding. A cleric on the run is an intriguing if familiar chapter from Roman Catholic history. The fact that a high-ranking figure has gone underground in 2019 is particularly interesting. Scandal and intrigue swirl around the Vatican. This is hardly new but the Francis papacy has stirred the pot. Old scandals live on and while Francis has upset some of the traditionalists, the Vigano accusations in many respects reveal Francis to be (at least in part) a defender of the status quo.

Samantha Power: A Right-wing Democrat

https://theintercept.com/2019/09/11/a-memoir-from-hell-samantha-power-will-do-anything-for-human-rights-unless-it-hurts-her-career/

The review provides some interesting insight into one such as Power. During her tenure she was viewed by the Right as a Leftist, part of a Far-Left administration. As I and others continue to insist, today's DNC is not really a Left-wing political entity. There's a Left-wing within its ranks, one that duplicitous figures like Sanders and Warren are labouring to keep within its larger sphere. And yet there are also Centrists and then there are those that could be called Democratic Right. And they're not a small faction. In fact they dominate the party.*

T4G: Together For the Gold

The numbers are pretty staggering in every respect. To attend Together for the Gospel's 2020 conference in Louisville Kentucky will cost over $200 just to get in. The total costs of attendance, travel, lodging and meals mean that it's out of reach for a lot of people. I would struggle to even be able to come up with the ticket money. I can't afford their gospel. The conference gives away a pretty hefty stack of books but when you look at the thousands of attendees and start to do the math you realise these conferences bring in some serious money... millions of dollars.

Tungsten, the A-10 and Vietnam

https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2019/08/22/Boeing-awarded-999M-contract-for-A-10-Warthog-wing-replacements/2891566482184/?sl=7

https://www.military.com/dodbuzz/2018/05/14/air-force-debates-replacing-depleted-uranium-rounds-10.html

On one level this exemplifies how the military-industrial complex works. The military ends up stuck with programmes they don't want and wish to cancel. Congress argues they want to keep the A-10 because of its tactical importance. For those in the know it is the supreme tank-killer and has a stellar reputation as a tough almost indestructible killing machine. A strange plane, it's relatively slow and quiet and yet its sound is unique, its engines sound like nothing else. During my days of shame when I wore the uniform of the legions and participated in its murderous policies, I was around them on a daily basis. I knew it by sound as much as by sight.

Trump Disappoints the PiS

https://www.politico.eu/article/warsaw-welcome-awaits-trump

Time and again Trump proves that he is no faithful ally. Poland's Law and Justice Party (PiS) along with its V4 allies has become a near pariah state in the EU. Warsaw has thrown in with Washington and has opened up its borders to NATO expansion and now NATO staging. Under the PiS, Poland has become a frontline state in Washington's new Cold War with Moscow.

Chimeras: Contra Naturam

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/aug/03/first-human-monkey-chimera-raises-concern-among-scientists

Science is on the cusp of great change. There are social forces holding it back but given they have no ethical foundations or anchors, the flood that is coming will prove overwhelming. All it will take is for someone to poke a hole in the dyke and it will quickly collapse. This was proven true with regard to the ethics of sexuality. Science isn't any different.