Open Thread 3 Jan 17

Submitted by QMS on Tue, 01/03/2017 - 5:00am

Hola amigas,
Apologies for shirking my duties as hosting last week's Tuesday morning open thread. I was being held (somewhat) against my will at some undisclosed deserted island, without the benefit of the wild world web. Alas, I am free enough again to invite you to express yourselves on the driving topics of the day, whatever they may be!

Anyhow, bless be the peace wherever it may be.

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Open Thread

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Comments

Submitted by eyo on Tue, 01/03/2017 - 6:35am

Institute of Cannabis Research exists now, thanks CO

https://www.csupueblo.edu/institute-of-cannabis-research/

The ICR at CSU-Pueblo will hold its inaugural conference: ICR 2017 on campus on April 28-30, 2017. The conference will be a three-day forum where cannabis experts will share ideas and knowledge about scientific, medical, industrial, legal, economic, and social elements of cannabis.

We are pleased to announce that this conference will include an annual Mechoulam Lecture. And we are honored that the inaugural Mechoulam Lecture will be delivered by Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Whom I consider to be one of the most brilliant scientists living on earth. Thanks.
Watch this Sessions, then STFU: 33:30 Hashish for Children
The Scientist, please share.

real peace

Submitted by riverlover on Tue, 01/03/2017 - 6:43am

So I am immersed in the Pizzagate cesspool.

For those who think it's made up, I am very convinced it's not. I am a naive moderator on a FB group, until we are killed off as fake news. Also have a handle on the VOAT group, some of the mods went there when Reddit started banning. Very rough ride, hard to take more than at most an hour of time. Sorry if I sound demented like my great-aunt Dale, but the CIA is doing massive cover on this industry. And it is a worldwide industry in child-dealing. Countries currently disrupted by war or drought or quakes are swooped upon for child fodder. Hurts my heart.

—

Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

Submitted by Timmethy2.0 on Tue, 01/03/2017 - 10:17am

My God that's horrible. I hope your wrong.

I would think a lot more more evidence would have surfaced over the years if that has been going on. It's hard for me to presume such awful things of people, especially when it makes a convenient political argument for the new Trump propagandists.

—

Beware the bullshit factories.

Submitted by lotlizard on Tue, 01/03/2017 - 2:08pm

It's hard to know what to think when

in the U.K. you have the Rotherham scandal and the BBC presenter / upper-crust child abuse scandal.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotherham_child_sexual_exploitation_scandal

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Savile_sexual_abuse_scandal

Submitted by riverlover on Tue, 01/03/2017 - 9:57pm

I hope I am wrong as well

But circumstantial evidence piles up. I am convinces of fire in that smoke. The evidence may have been there, but for most of us it's inconceivable. And horrible, thoughts to be avoided by we the majority. Priests in the US have been charged, always after the fact. That by itself begins to build a case. Children were afraid to come forward and tell.

I am a mother, Successfully raised two functional adults. What I have read is way beyond distressing.

—

Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

Submitted by enhydra lutris on Tue, 01/03/2017 - 12:41pm

Child trafficking is a very real and terrible thing, and an

enormous problem globally. The vidence for pizzagate, thankfully, seems to be remarkably thin, not to mention that most of it would apply to any and every pizza joint in the country. Our local Round Table is always full of kids, for example, from birthday parties to after-soccer to anything and everything else that parents can take kids to and teens can go to alone. Given that everything associated with pizza is allegedly sekret code for some sexual malfeasance all those telephone orders plus all those kids surely betoken massive wrong doing, but, I doubt it all the same.

—

That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Submitted by MarilynW on Tue, 01/03/2017 - 2:04pm

Child trafficking is a terrible thing!

A friend who works for UNICEF told us that after every major natural disaster like the Indian Ocean Tsunami for example, the predators move in looking for children, orphaned or alone. They are there even before the helping agencies arrive. They don't feel the need to hide behind a Pizzagate, they just pretend to be "helpers."

—

To thine own self be true.

Submitted by enhydra lutris on Tue, 01/03/2017 - 9:57pm

I always find myself suspicious of those who rush in to

try to set up cross border adoptions, among others.

—

That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Submitted by mimi on Tue, 01/03/2017 - 7:36am

great sound of the Tedeschi Truck Band - needed especially

after listening and watching this:
"On Contact: The Hidden Tragedy of the Vietnam War with Nick Turse". The video is talking about Nick Turse's new book: "Next time they'll come to count the dead". Start at TC 4:15 if you want to skip the into clips.
[video:https://youtu.be/vr70CISwy_k]

Submitted by Lookout on Tue, 01/03/2017 - 8:17am

Good morning all

Seeing mimi's post reminds me that I came across a film on youtube that mackfromqueens recommended called "Sir, no sir"
(50 min)

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nPJgeg6hpA]

This feature-length documentary focuses on the efforts by troops in the U.S. military during the Vietnam War to oppose the war effort by peaceful demonstration and subversion. It speaks mainly to veterans, but serves as a ready reminder to civilians that soldiers may oppose war as stridently as any civilian, and at greater personal peril.

Hope everyone has a good day.

—

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Submitted by riverlover on Tue, 01/03/2017 - 8:23am

Jus checked for yesterday's mail. Car is midway back on ice.

But 0.5" rain expected. Walking up from the car I discovered tracks, not my dog, too big. Claw marks in front. Bear! I will lock my front door, they veered off close. Still no sighting. I feel cursed, But may take pix of tracks!

—

Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

Submitted by riverlover on Tue, 01/03/2017 - 8:26am

BUT, at mailbox, I scored with a neighbor.

I have given him permission to plant a No West Dryden Pipeline road sign. Time to get serious with passive aggression.

—

Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

Submitted by dkmich on Tue, 01/03/2017 - 8:43am

Good morning

Hope it was an enjoyable time unplugged QMS.

Cloudy, rainy day but at least it isn't cold. I so hate the cold.

—

"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

Submitted by riverlover on Tue, 01/03/2017 - 8:54am

Awaiting the forecasted 0.5" rain to get my car up the drive.

Currently 36 and NOT RAINING. Good! I can take pix of bear paws in the snow next to house!

—

Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

Submitted by QMS on Tue, 01/03/2017 - 10:17am

Thanks, DK

Yeah, Christmas in the tropics is kind of weird. Didn't miss the holiday hype but being away from the "news" was refreshing. Stay warm.

Submitted by gulfgal98 on Tue, 01/03/2017 - 9:12am

Rain and then maybe, just maybe

snow?

It has rained here the last couple of days. My walking partner and I were able to get in our longest route (to and through the Brevard Music Center) this morning. I got 6.35 miles in. Today we are expecting a high of 65 and then starting tomorrow, the temperatures will plummet back down into the 20's and 30's with 3-5 inches of snow predicted sometime Friday.

—

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

Submitted by mimi on Tue, 01/03/2017 - 10:56am

Isn't that something?

Even without ears, jumping spiders can hear you ...
[video:https://youtu.be/4Ph8RHIrP0Y]

You might be careful what kind of noises you make in your bedroom. The spiders might get "cranky".

[edit redacted image - can't stand myself for posting it]

ok, I admit it, I am stuck and bored in dark, grey, humid, rainy Germany. Anyhow, I will check for spiders under my bed now. May be they can read my mind too...

Submitted by mimi on Tue, 01/03/2017 - 11:01am

Zuckerberg is ashamed he is so rich and powerful manipulative...

now he needs "Godly help" to face himself.

Former Atheist Mark Zuckerberg ~~Gets Religion~~ gets religious

Submitted by enhydra lutris on Tue, 01/03/2017 - 12:35pm

I got a kick out of Zukerberg's conversion. Before he was just

another sleazy asshole, but now he gets to join the hypocritical sleazy assholes in hell. Ironically fitting.

—

That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Submitted by enhydra lutris on Tue, 01/03/2017 - 12:36pm

Thanks, QMS. Hope you enjoyed your holiday.

—

That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Submitted by QMS on Tue, 01/03/2017 - 4:17pm

thank you enhydra

trying to do a month's worth of work in 10 days. I'm fried, sizzled and snapped. Could use a holiday...

Submitted by mimi on Tue, 01/03/2017 - 2:58pm

I discovered a site of the German Press Agency (dpa)

that is offering their news features in English.

Here is one;

After Afghanistan: protecting journalists in conflict zones

As the nature of warfare changes, so do the risks for journalists who cover war. Many news organizations now hire specialist staff to assess these risks and prepare correspondents for the dangers they may face.

Montreal (dpa) - The last decision German journalist Volker Handloik faced before he was shot in the head was whether to stay or jump.
...
Historically, about two-thirds of journalists killed in the line of duty were murdered in direct retaliation for their reporting, Beiser said.

“But this year, that proportion was significantly lower and, instead, we saw many killed in combat,” she said.
...
he most dangerous jobs of combat reporting fall to local journalists or freelancers who often do not have the required resources or training,

Glad to have run into that. Of course not that glad about the issue the article covers.