Open Thread - 5 October 2017

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[Martin Oline]

I have come across a new author I would like to share. His name is Wayne Stinnett and he writes a series of books that center around the Florida Keys, although he calls Traveler's Rest, South Carolina home. He is a retired veteran of the Corps and writes military/security style adventure. His second book, Fallen Palm, is the first published. Apparently the first stories, which he wrote in the late 1980's, was rejected many times by publishers. He came across the early stories while moving (had to buy an old computer with a 5 1/4" drive to access them) and gave it another shot in 2010. It works well. The first in the series wasn't published until 2014 after four sequels had been published. I enjoy his style and am very glad I have discovered another author who will entertain me for another year.

A short character description from the website Fantastic Fiction -"retired at 37 he had no idea what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. He only knew he didn't want to spend the coming winter anywhere cold. His only skill is killing people from up to a mile away, and he knows there aren't many job opportunities in the civilian world for that. However, he also knows his way around boats and has an old friend living free and easy in the Florida Keys."

If you live in Florida or South Carolina your local library could very well have his work on the shelves. I only wish they had Pat's work.

[Fred]

On a bright note for those needing a news detox the baguettes in Paris are just as good as when I last visited.

[mike]

Erdo-dog's master, Putin, speaks out about threats to stop Kurdish oil flow: "It is not in anyone’s interest to halt Kurdistan’s oil exports."

https://www.ft.com/content/8cb7e048-eadb-3024-b1d3-34b4afa11554

Rosneft, which has oil and gas contracts in the KRG, is 75% owned by the Russian State. Interestingly British Petroleum owns another 19%.

[Poul]

A nice little piece on the Syrian government and the question of legitimacy.

http://ndupress.ndu.edu/JFQ/Joint-Force-Quarterly-87/Article/1325967/asadism-and-legitimacy-in-syria/

[mike]

The Coalition congratulates the Government of Iraq and the Iraqi Security Forces on their swift and decisive victory against Daesh in Hawijah.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DLYCVElVYAAZdZr.jpg:large

Time now to finish the push against Daesh in Rawa and al-Qaim up to the Syrian border.

[georgeg]

What are we doing in Niger?.....

[Ted McGreevy]

Boko Haram leaders in Niger?

[robt willmann]

As an exercise, and using available evidence, one can try to solve what has been said to be a crime of multiple homicide, aggravated assault, and damage to property that happened on the night of 1 October 2017 in the area of an outdoor concert and the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas.

A newspaper or television story is not evidence. A press conference is not evidence. An autopsy expresses evidence, as do such things as ballistic tests, chemical residue samples and their evaluation from a suspect's body, and so forth. Photographs, videos, witness testimony, tangible things, and other such items are evidence.

This is not saying that law enforcement investigators are not acting in good faith. Rather, it can be an exercise into what the public is able to evaluate in an instance such as this when a push is being made to change existing laws that affect many people, and this country is supposed to be a free society with the public operating through a democratic republic.

The press conference of Sheriff Lombardo of 4 October 2017 is here, with both links being the same thing--

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=603C9zCbOu4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wg6mZ80C8qc

The statement is made that the original idea that the shooting started at 10:08 p.m. is changed to 10:05 p.m., and that it lasted until 10:15 p.m. At about 18 minutes into the press conference, Sheriff Lombardo answers questions.

We have heard a story. Now, what evidence exists that can be evaluated?

[Ted McGreevy]

Names of contributors to this article. Seriously? The "who" of the Bolshevist "Who, whom?" are vigilant against keeping the rich "whom" in check. Just like they're doing with their father.

[Serge]

Training locals so that they can last 2 weeks instead of 1 week the next time al qaeda or boko/IS comes rolling in after the collapse of an African state(see libya-> Mali )

[The Beaver]

Fred

Just came back two days ago after 24 days in France (9 in Paris). Found a very good boulangerie on Rue de Bellesfeulles since we were staying in the 16th. :-)

[mike]

Killing AQIM and daesh.

[Fred]

Looks like the Democratic IT scandal is worse than thought. You really have to wonder who is covering up what and why?
http://dailycaller.com/2017/10/04/lawyer-for-it-aide-says-dem-congressmen-to-blame-for-falsified-spending-records/

[Allen Thomson]

Any thoughts on the somewhat bizarre stories concerning mystery symptoms/illnesses/attacks afflicting the personnel at the US embassy in Havana this past year?

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/29/us/politics/us-embassy-cuba-attacks.html

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cuba-acoustic-attacks-targeted-u-s-intelligence-operatives/

[ex-PFC Chuck]

Alex Krainer's book debunking William Browder's Red Notice, entitled The Killing of William Browder, can be read for free at the Internet Archive here: http://bit.ly/2xkC1oI

And here is Krainer's post at The Saker today entitled "How my book unmasking Bill Browder was censored by Amazon:" http://thesaker.is/how-my-book-unmasking-bill-browder-was-censored-by-amazon-by-alex-krainer/

[Bandolero]

outthere

Regarding the death of Lieutenant General Valery Asapov I have no inside information. However let say how I recepted the Russian news back than and in which order.

1st) Message that LtGen Asapov died in artillery fire close to Deir Ezzor
2nd) Video that Russian forces created a bridge over the Euphrat under artillery fire
3rd) Pictures that LtGen Asapov was standing freely with the Russian forces creating the bridge over the Euphrat

So, when connecting Russian news back than, in summary they clearly proved that LtGen Asapov was walking around unprotected while supervising the creation of a bridge under ISIS artillerie fire.

But as I said I have no idea about the exact circumstances of the martyrdom of LtGen Asapov.

[J]

Why is the Mainstream (Fake) News Medias being so silent on the missing $21 Trillion just between two, repeat two agencies, DoD and HUD? Why don't we hear about FBI/DOJ investigations into the missing money? How many more agencies have unaccounted/undocumented 'missing' Trillions? This $21 Trillion(s) alone is just over two past administrations, Bush II and Obama tenures. The DoD IG has reported in the recent past that they were unable to find $6 to $9 Trillion in missing DoD monies.

Also....what about the missing gold that was in the bottom rung of the Twin Towers before they came tumbling to earth? Who took it, Cheney or Jacob Rothschild, or both maybe? Where has the gold disappeared to?

DOD and HUD Missing Money: Supporting Documentation for $21 Trillion of Undocumentable Adjustments

https://solari.com/blog/dod-and-hud-missing-money-supporting-documentation/

[J]

Now I'll get off my little soapbox about the missing Trillions, and mellow out with some good music. For your listening/viewing pleasure:

EMIN & A'STUDIO - Если ты рядом - TISER
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw-iZhko4Mc

also two of my very favorite performers МАКСИМ ФАДЕЕВ and НАРГИЗ

МАКСИМ ФАДЕЕВ FEAT. НАРГИЗ – ВДВОЁМ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBKuHpJprVI

[Fellow Traveler]

Maybe they don't report on it since DoD spending amounted to ~$10T between 2000-2016.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/272473/us-military-spending-from-2000-to-2012/

(mistitled, actually, 2016)

Since the report is generated by Catherine Austin Fitts, and she was HUD Commissioner under GW, perhaps she should know where she lost all of it.

[The Twisted Genius]

Fred,

Been a good hockey night for both of us. Red Wings got their first win in their new Little Ceasars Arena and the Caps won their opener in Ottawa with an Ovi hat trick. (The win was actually a SO.) His countryman, Kuznetsov, guaranteed another 50 goal season for Ovi a few weeks back. My younger son and I will take in the home opener Saturday. Hoping the Caps make it 2-0 against the Habs.

[FourthAndLong]

Colonel Sir,

Allow me to contribute something I was fortunate to discover tonight.

An incredible Cossack Song and Dance with swords. Translation and links follow. It's the Two YouTube videos I really want to share. Thank you. Listen to them ten times or so for full effect. It is chanted and repetitious by nature.

I find this song here below incredibly beautiful and inspiring. Especially when accompanied by the warrior’s dance in the YouTube video:
Oi Cya Ti Oi Cya, Ti Menya Ne BoiCya

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFhG5unY6Zk

NOT TO BE MISSED IS THIS VERSION:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUyla4Y4b9c

Featuring a young woman of surpassing beauty dancing with the swords !!

Enjoy this machine translation — the original in Cyrillic follows:

ОЙСЯ ТЫ ОЙСЯ ТЫ МЕНЯ НЕ БОЙСЯ
(You are afraid, do not be afraid of me)

On the mountain stood the Cossack.
C G
He prayed to God,
For freedom, for the people,
E Am
He bowed low.

Chorus:
Am C G
Oysya, you are afraid, do not be afraid of me,
E Am
I will not touch you, do not worry. : | | 2x
Taken from the site https://mychords.net/
And he asked the Cossack
Truth for the people.
There will be truth on earth -
There will be freedom.

Chorus.

For the friends the Cossack asked -
To them in a foreign land
Side by side
Greed and pride.

Chorus.

To the wives waited,
Both fathers and children
Those who seek truth-mother
Yes in white light.

Chorus.

For people asked the Cossack
Yes blessed,
To have bread and salt
In peaceful settlements.

Chorus.

To the blood did not flow
At what is the threshold,
So that the crooked did not live -
He prayed to God.

Chorus.

So that Cossack prayed
For the native land,
What would not sorrow, no trouble
She was not touched.

Chorus.

God asked the Cossack
Truth for the people.
There will be truth on earth -
There will be freedom.

Chorus.

Oh, oy, you're ow-ya,
Do not be afraid of me.
There will be truth on earth -
There will be freedom.

На горе стоял Казак.
C G
Он Богу молился,
За свободу, за народ,
E Am
Низко поклонился.

Припев:
Am C G
Ойся, ты ойся, ты меня не бойся,
E Am
Я тебя не трону, ты не беспокойся. :| 2x
Взято с сайта https://mychords.net/
А еще просил казак
Правды для народа.
Будет правда на земле -
Будет и свобода.

Припев.

За друзей казак просил –
Чтоб их на чужбине
Стороною обошли
Алчность и гордыня.

Припев.

Чтобы жены дождались,
И отцы, и дети
Тех, кто ищет правду-мать
Да по белу свету.

Припев.

Для людей просил казак
Да благословенья,
Чтобы были хлеб да соль
Во мирных селеньях.

Припев.

Чтобы крови не лилось
У отчего порога,
Чтоб да кривде не жилось –
Он молился Богу.

Припев.

Так молился тот казак
За землю родную,
Что б не горе, не беда
Ее не коснулись.

Припев.

У Бога просил казак
Правды для народа.
Будет правда на земле –
Будет и свобода.

Припев.

Ой-ся, ты ой-ся,
Ты меня не бойся.
Будет правда на земле –
Будет и свобода.

[JamesT]

The Russians are certainly musical. I visited Moscow in 1998. My buddy and I were taking a taxi from the train station to his mom's flat, and a song came on the radio that (I presume) the radio DJ had mixed himself - it was a Russian opera singer singing over American gangster rap. It was awesome.

My impression is that the quality of popular music there has declined as the industry has become more corporate and various oligarch's daughters decided they wanted to be pop stars. But I really like Leningrad (this video has English subtitles):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktiONWfSL48

[confusedponderer]

My recommendation for getting nice, frenchish food in Paris is the restaurant "Chartier" in Montmartre. They have a nice variety of french food, and they are a 'bouillon'. In Chartier, you'll get, at least when I went there, the bill calculation done on the paper tablecloth.

http://www.bouillon-chartier.com/en/360-tour

I like the old style, the food is great, and so are the very helpful and friendly waiters.

About a decade ago, my brother asked the waiters if he could take some photos of the restaurant and of the waiters at work and they happily allowed. My brother made some great pics that day, in black and white, and sent the betters as a gift and 'as a thank-you' to the restaurant.

However, I am not as good as a photographer and always went there for the food ^^

[Philippe T.]

Did you "hear" about the Dr Vladimir Gavreau researches, a scientist in Marseille, in the 50' et 60'?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wab8oIdgYBc

[LondonBob]

https://www.spectator.co.uk/2017/10/how-putin-came-to-rule-the-middle-east/

Surprised to see such an article appear in the press, a very honest portrayal of Russia's rise to preeminence in the Middle East. I hope Trump doesn't undermine the Iran deal, although doing so only weakens US influence.