Monday Post

Answer to the word jumble below...


Busy news day:

Looting reported in Ferguson, Missouri as a grand jury determined that a reason to charge Officer Darren Wilson did not exist.

A federal probe into this matter remains in effect. No word on whether there will a federal probe into other crimes against young black men.


Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, who publicly bristled with Obama in dealing with ISIS, has resigned:

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel resigned on Monday, leaving under pressure as President Barack Obama faces critical national security challenges, including fighting Islamic State in Iraq and Syria and revising plans to exit Afghanistan.

It was the first major change to Obama's Cabinet since his Democrats were routed in midterm elections three weeks ago, and Republicans, who now control both houses of Congress, are looking for a new approach from the White house. 

Hagel was appointed less than two years ago as Obama pushed his signature program of winding down wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, a process now being upended with U.S. re-engagement in Iraq and greater military cooperation with Kabul.

He had privately expressed frustration to colleagues at the administration’s strategy toward Iraq and Syria and at his lack of influence over the decision-making process, a source familiar with the situation said.

Officials said publicly the decision for him to leave was mutual but privately others said he was forced out. "There’s no question he was fired," said one source with knowledge of the matter.

Hagel raised questions about Obama's strategy toward Syria in an internal policy memo that leaked this fall saying the president's policy was in jeopardy due to its failure to clarify its intentions toward Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Obama has insisted the United States can go after Islamic State militants without addressing Assad, who the United States would like to leave power.

Obama is going to be quite vicious in these last two years in office. The mid-term elections were not simply a wake-up call but sirens going off. Obama, who does not want ISIS defeated, and his insistence in deposing Assad as opposed to confronting ISIS head-on and eliminating them is maddening, not just alienating.

Why can't these Tides-funded thugs be arrested en masse?

While the majority were arrested peacefully, at least two protesters face criminal charges. One man was taken into custody for assault after spitting at a police officer and another was arrested for obstruction after interfering with the first arrest, Burnaby RCMP said in a statement.

Among those taken into custody is Tamo Campos, who was joined by grandfather David Suzuki on Sunday when the world-renowned environmental activist travelled to Burnaby to support the demonstrations.

(Sidebar: you may remember that his grandfather had his @$$ handed to him on Australian television.)


Some insight in the Korean left and how not-too-different they are from the Western left:

Thus, what American and European liberals almost always get wrong about the Korean left is how illiberal it is, and how little it has in common with them. The Korean left lacks the liberal passion for protecting the vulnerable. American liberals want to lift restrictions on immigration and spare illegal immigrants from deportation; the South Korean left despises North Korean refugees and heaps abuse on them. It would rather let them die in place than offend Pyongyang by letting them in. Euro-American liberals loathe racism and nationalism; the Korean left propagates and exploits them. Euro-American labor unions fight for decent pay and working conditions globally; the Korean left supports the slavery and exploitation of its fellow Koreans at Kaesong. Traditionally, Euro-American liberals stood for freedom of expression. The Korean left would sacrifice the right of South Koreans to speak nonviolently, and of North Koreans to freedom of information, to appease the totalitarians in Pyongyang …

 

Thus, what American and European liberals almost always get wrong about the Korean left is how illiberal it is, and how little it has in common with them. The Korean left lacks the liberal passion for protecting the vulnerable. American liberals want to lift restrictions on immigration and spare illegal immigrants from deportation; the South Korean left despises North Korean refugees and heaps abuse on them. It would rather let them die in place than offend Pyongyang by letting them in. Euro-American liberals loathe racism and nationalism; the Korean left propagates and exploits them. Euro-American labor unions fight for decent pay and working conditions globally; the Korean left supports the slavery and exploitation of its fellow Koreans at Kaesong. Traditionally, Euro-American liberals stood for freedom of expression. The Korean left would sacrifice the right of South Koreans to speak nonviolently, and of North Koreans to freedom of information, to appease the totalitarians in Pyongyang - See more at: http://freekorea.us/2014/11/21/south-koreas-illiberal-left-authoritarians-in-the-service-of-totalitarians/#sthash.1UVoIdP5.dpuf

I wouldn't accuse the Western left but being dissimilar to the Korean left. Who publicly mourned for Kim Jong-Il when he died? Who makes universities into the pits of screeching censorship and idiocy they are now (SEE: practically anything that goes on at a university. I mean- hold up a pro-life sign while wearing an Israeli flag as a cape and see how far that gets you.)?

(Kamsahamnida)


And now, studying dogs' brains:

That's right — scientists are actually studying the brains of dogs. And what the studies show is welcome news for all dog owners: Not only do dogs seem to love us back, they actually see us as their family. It turns out that dogs rely on humans more than they do their own kind for affection, protection and everything in between.