Tuesday, December 31, 2019

It was created on September 17, 1787 and it was ratified on June 21, 1788. Date effective March 4, 1789.

A Wall Street Journal article convinced me I have to read the entire Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights and all the Amendments.

A found the whole thing at https://constitutionus.com/.

I have a lot of time on my hands these days.

Wikipedia:

According to the United States Senate: "The Constitution's first three words—We the People—affirm that the government of the United States exists to serve its citizens. For over two centuries the Constitution has remained in force because its framers wisely separated and balanced governmental powers to safeguard the interests of majority rule and minority rights, of liberty and equality, and of the federal and state governments." The first permanent constitution of its kind, adopted by the people's representatives for an expansive nation, it is interpreted, supplemented, and implemented by a large body of constitutional law, and has influenced the constitutions of other nations.

Maybe the correct thing to do is completely get out of the entire Middle East and just watch Muslim fucktards murder each other. These are shithole countries, not worth wasting American lives and taxpayer dollars.

US Baghdad embassy attacked by protesters angry at air strikes

Media captionFires were set next to the walls of the embassy compound by angry demonstrators
Protesters angered by recent US air strikes targeting an Iranian-backed Iraqi militia have attacked the American embassy compound in Baghdad.
US troops fired tear gas to disperse a crowd that breached the outer wall of the compound, which is in the capital's heavily fortified Green Zone.
A guard post on the street nearby was also set alight.
US President Donald Trump accused Iran of "orchestrating" the attack and said it would be "held fully responsible".
At least 25 fighters died when the US bombed bases associated with the Kataib Hezbollah militia in western Iraq and eastern Syria on Sunday.
A man holds up a sign saying "Close the American embassy or people will close it" as protesters set fire to the wall of the US embassy compound in Baghdad, Iraq (31 December 2019)Image copyrightREUTERS
Image captionProtesters demanded the closure of the US embassy
The US said it was retaliating for a rocket attack on an Iraqi military base in Kirkuk on Friday that killed an American civilian contractor.
Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said the strikes had violated his country's sovereignty, while Kataib Hezbollah leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, warned that its response "would be very tough on the American forces in Iraq".

What happened in Baghdad?

Tuesday's protest took place after funerals were held in Baghdad for the militia fighters who were killed in the US strikes.
Thousands of mourners - including Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and several other senior militia and paramilitary leaders - marched towards the Green Zone, where many Iraqi government offices and foreign embassies are located.
Protesters gather outside the US embassy in Baghdad (31 December 2019)Image copyrightREUTERS
Image captionSenior paramilitary and militia leaders were among the protesters
They were allowed by Iraqi security forces to enter the zone and gather on a street outside the US embassy compound.
"This embassy has been proved to be an embassy of plotting against Iraq, the embassy of spying on Iraq and the embassy of running schemes of sabotage in Iraq," said Qais al-Khazali, head of the Asaib Ahl al-Haq militia.
Waving Kataib Hezbollah and other militia flags, and chanting anti-American slogans, the protesters threw stones at the compound's main gate, pulled down security cameras, attacked empty guard posts, and started fires.
Protesters attack a security post outside the US embassy in Baghdad, Iraq (31 December 2019)Image copyrightREUTERS
Image captionKataib Hezbollah called for an open-ended protest in front of the embassy until it was closed
The situation later escalated when the compound's wall was breached.
The Associated Press reported that a gate was smashed open and that dozens of people pushed about 5m (16ft) into a corridor leading to the main embassy building, before being forced to retreat by tear gas fired by US troops. Reuters news agency said stun grenades were also fired.
Iraqi soldiers and riot police were reportedly later deployed in the area.
Protesters enter the US embassy compound in Baghdad, Iraq (31 December 2019)Image copyrightREUTERS
Image captionOne entrance was pushed open, but the crowd was forced back by tear gas fired from inside
The Popular Mobilisation, a paramilitary force dominated by Iran-backed Shia militias, said 20 protesters were wounded by live rounds and tear-gas canisters.
It was not clear whether civilian staff were inside the embassy during the attack.
There were reports that the US ambassador, Matthew Tueller, had been evacuated. But a source close to the embassy told the BBC that Mr Tueller had left the country before Sunday's strikes for a planned Christmas holiday.
Map of Baghdad
Presentational white space

What was the reaction?

Several hours after the protest began, Prime Minister Abdul Mahdi called on people to leave the area around the US embassy.
"This is a reminder that any attack on or harassment of embassies and foreign delegations are acts that will be firmly prevented by security forces and severely punished by the law," he said.
US embassy security personnel seen through a glass window during a protest in Baghdad, Iraq (31 December 2019)Image copyrightREUTERS
Image captionArmed US embassy security staff were photographed through a window during the protest
President Trump tweeted: "Iran killed an American contractor, wounding many. We strongly responded, and always will. Now Iran is orchestrating an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Iraq. They will be held fully responsible. In addition, we expect Iraq to use its forces to protect the Embassy, and so notified!"
There was no immediate response from the Iranian government.
Kataib Hezbollah meanwhile called for protest in front of the embassy until it was closed and the ambassador was expelled from Iraq, news website Al-Sumaria said.

Why did the US target Kataib Hezbollah?

The US said the militia had carried out repeated attacks on Iraqi bases that host US-led coalition forces fighting the Islamic State (IS) group.
In response, it added, US forces conducted "precision defensive strikes" on Sunday against five facilities, including weapon stores and command and control locations, that would degrade its ability to conduct future attacks.
Since 2009, the US has designated Kataib Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation and listed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis as a "global terrorist", accusing them of threatening the peace and stability of Iraq.
The defence department said the militia had a "strong linkage" with Iran's Quds Force, the overseas operations arm of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), and had "repeatedly received lethal aid and other support from Iran".

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Thanks to 98.7 WFMT I found this wonderful song. "Simple Gifts". The video has some Jeebus bullshit in it.


'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,
Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and
delight. When true simplicity is gain'd,
To bow and to bend we will not be asham'd,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come round right.

This is the best "Why I am an atheist" essay in PZ's blog. It includes the best definition of faith I have ever seen.

Why I am an atheist – Heather Dalgleish

I am an atheist, in short, because I am a rationalist and a scientist. I am an atheist because of reason – because of a simple love of the power of reasoning and rational thinking to bring real clarity, resolution and a grasp of the closest thing you really will get to get to real ‘truth’ while living out your lives on this pale blue dot. (Or indeed while living anywhere else in the cosmos – to any readers tuning in from the International Space Station, Mars, Europa, or wherever.)

I don’t believe in gods for much the same reason that I don’t believe in fairies, bogeymen, ghosts, lucky gems, leprechauns, Santa or the Easter Bunny. There isn’t a shred of convincing evidence for the existence of any of them, plenty of evidence that they are grossly surplus to requirements for explaining any phenomenon, and that proposing them just creates more problems than it solves.

There just isn’t a good reason for believing in any supernatural being, and plenty of good reasons for not believing. Theists who are otherwise rational and who fail to grasp that conclusion are simply not being fully honest with themselves, and failing to challenge their ideas on the subject of gods with the same robustness as they would challenge other ideas. And I speak with experience, as someone who once was that theist.

Indeed, the whole concept of ‘god’ or ‘gods’ is so ill-defined that asking me if I believe in ‘god’ is like asking me if I believe in floogamaloops. I don’t know what floogamaloops are, and neither do you. I don’t know what exactly gods would be like, and neither do you. Or rather, everybody has their own personal idea of what ‘god’ is – varying vastly from person to person, region to region and time to time. To some, god is simply energy, and you can find it in a lump of coal – which is at any rate an interesting insight into the power of wishful thinking, and the tragic lengths some people will go to to cling desperately and shamelessly to this strange ‘god’ notion.

Do you believe immunoglobulin M exists? I do. And I can tell you what it is – and it will be roughly the same definition that any person who knows about the subject will give you. And I could hand you to someone more competent than myself who could give you the robust evidence for the existence of immunoglobulin M, and take you through graceful laboratory techniques that isolate the molecule and allow us to say things about its size, structure and function. The great thing about it actually existing, and having a testable definition, is that it will pass through the fire of reason, and you don’t have to take it on faith. Of course it also helps that IgM is a mere molecule that lacks the capacity to be a passive-aggressive bastard that wants to hide its existence from you, reveal itself occasionally through arbitrary phenomena such as weeping statues and faces in toast, and otherwise must insist on being taken purely on faith – which are common themes on the subject of gods – but let’s not complicate things further.

And that’s why I’m an atheist. My own atheism is a simple consequence of my reasoning – just one result of my mind thinking rationally – one result of many opinions I’ve landed on through reason. And I also know that it’s a stance that some people reach through routes other than reason. Some people are atheists just because they are. Buddhists are atheists, Raelians are atheists – literally anyone who doesn’t believe in gods gets to legitimately call themselves an atheist – no matter how bizarre or outlandish their beliefs and worldviews may be outside of that particular aspect of their thinking. So atheism isn’t important or particularly worthy or noble to me just in and of itself – the process that gave rise to it in my case is. I am an atheist because I am a rationalist – an honest and thorough rationalist – and my rationalism is much, much more important to me than my atheism could ever hope to be.

My atheism is but a small bud sprouting from the scientific thinking that lets me appreciate the real world, the real universe, as it actually is, in every other aspect of my life. Atheism should be one of those things you arrive at in any honest quest for truth – but it’s not an ends in itself. And science, reason, rational thinking and sceptical enquiry are the best tools devised for uncovering reality.

There are of course “other ways of knowing” – it’s just they’re complete bollocks. Beyond laughable in the shadow of empirical science. ‘Intuition’, ‘gut feeling’ and ‘just knowing’ are alternative ways of knowing things, in much the same way that having sex standing up is an alternative form of contraception. Find me a person who could uncover the structure of the atom, of light, of the complexity of life through “other ways of knowing”. It’s exasperating, ridiculous and sad that adult humans can even utter those kinds of opinions with a straight face. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry – and I don’t care if they’re offended by that. They should be. They don’t deserve to be cushioned from having their beliefs poked and prodded – and frankly, they really don’t know what they’re missing by not learning to love sceptical interrogation, the thrill of the culmination of arriving at a real, intellectually satisfying conclusion, instead of evading awkward questions, putting their fingers in their ears and playing the faith card to shield their cherished beliefs.

Faith is by definition belief without evidence – it’s pulling things out of your ass; it’s clinging to things that you might well know are faintly ridiculous; it’s putting up barriers to honest enquiry; it can be used as an impediment to curiosity and intellect, and it is simply the most ridiculous method of discovering or knowing anything about reality. It’s not a virtue – and it shouldn’t be a virtue in wider society any more than it would be in a court of law.

Some atheists of course ‘respect’ such nonsense – but that is just yet another reason why atheism is not an ends in itself to me. It’s all about the process of rationality, reasoning and sceptical curiosity that if pursued boldly should necessarily give rise to atheism, and have much, much broader and deeper ramifications than just mere atheism alone.

Heather Dalgleish
Scotland

Auld Lang Syne - Czestochowa Pipes & Drums z Królewską Orkiestrą Symfoniczną


Burns' original Scots verse

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?
CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my jo,
for auld lang syne,
we’
lltak' a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.


And surely ye’ll be your pint-stoup!
and surely I’ll be mine!
And we’ll tak' a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
CHORUS

We twa hae run about the braes,
and pou’d the gowans fine;
But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fit,
sin' auld lang syne.
CHORUS
We twa hae paidl’d in the burn,
frae morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar’d
sin' auld lang syne.
CHORUS
And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere!
and gie's a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll tak' a right gude-willie waught,
for auld lang syne.
CHORUS

English translation

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old lang syne?
CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
And surely you’ll buy your pint cup!
and surely I’ll buy mine!
And we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
CHORUS
We two have run about the slopes,
and picked the daisies fine;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne.
CHORUS
We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.
CHORUS
And there’s a hand my trusty friend!
And give me a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.
CHORUS

Monday, December 30, 2019

The stupidity and gullibility of Christian fucktards is breathtaking.

At the Wall Street Journal which is infested with Republican Christian morons, I explained why the magical soul fantasy is bullshit.

Fucktard: "Most who follow Jesus realize that there is an everlasting soul which you cannot see. You probably think if you can't see something then it must not exist."

What I wrote: Your magical soul fantasy doesn't exist because it's ridiculous and impossible.

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For me, it's very difficult to understand why anyone would believe any of the Christian bullshit. We have millions of these fucktards here in Idiot America. They're obviously insane, they're very hard of thinking, and reality makes them cry.

The soul is invisible but everyone has one, according to these batshit crazy morons. Is there any bullshit they don't believe?

I wrote this comment for the Republican morons at the Wall Street Journal.

Having powerful weapons is a good thing. Everyone should use an AR-15 rifle when they want to kill little bunnies.

But I suggest it's also a good thing to prevent lunatics from owning weapons. The way it is now any insane person can buy all the weapons they want.

Common sense is a good thing. Why not use it?

It seems like a long time but it was only 3 years ago when America had a real president instead a moron president. A president other countries respected instead of a fucktard they laughed at.

President Obama Addresses the British Parliament

3,670,382 views

May 25, 2011

In an address to Parliament, President Obama discusses how the special relationship between the United States and Great Britain can continue to help the two nations serve as catalysts for global action as the world faces a new series of threats and challenges.

Today I discovered a country in Africa I never heard of before. It's beautiful. "Ivory Coast or Côte d'Ivoire, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country located on the south coast of West Africa."

Wikipedia - Ivory Coast

Côte d'Ivoire

Country in West Africa

Côte d'Ivoire is a West African country with beach resorts, rainforests and a French-colonial legacy. Abidjan, on the Atlantic coast, is the country’s major urban center. Its modern landmarks include zigguratlike, concrete La Pyramide and St. Paul's Cathedral, a swooping structure tethered to a massive cross. North of the central business district, Banco National Park is a rainforest preserve with hiking trails.

Capital: Yamoussoukro

Population: 24.29 million (2017) World Bank

Currency: West African CFA franc

President: Alassane Ouattara















The citizens of Iran are angry. They are fed up with their theocratic government. Meanwhile, the United States has been attacking the assholes supported by Iran in Syria & Iraq.

BBC News:

Iran protests: Videos reveal crackdown regime tried to hide from world.

By Jiyar Gol

BBC Persian

27 November 2019

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https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1220560/URL-iran-protests-latest-november-protests-death-toll-iran-news

Iran protests: Supreme Leader’s BRUTAL crackdown killed 1,500 - including 17 teens.

IRAN protests began more than a month ago in scattered parts of the country after a surprise rise in the petrol prices. As the unrest escalated, Iran’s Supreme Leader authorized a brutal crackdown that led to the deaths of 1,500 people, including 17 teenagers.

By TIM REDIGOLO

PUBLISHED: Monday, December 23, 2019

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BBC News - Kataib Hezbollah: Iraq condemns US attacks on Iran-backed militia

Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi has condemned the US air strikes which killed at least 25 members of an Iranian-backed Iraqi militia.

Mr Mahdi said the US action on Sunday had violated Iraq's sovereignty.

The prime minister appeared to suggest that Iraq would now have to review its relationship with the US.

US forces targeted the Kataib Hezbollah militia in retaliation for attacks on bases in Iraq that are used by the US military.

The Americans have fought for years alongside Iraqi government forces in their confrontation with the Islamic State (IS) group

US attacks Iran-backed militia in Iraq and Syria

Iran's network of influence in Mid-East 'growing'


"The prime minister described the American attack on the Iraqi armed forces as an unacceptable vicious assault that will have dangerous consequences," his office said.

Mr Mahdi said he tried to inform militia members of the impending air strike against them.

"American forces acted on their political priorities, not those of the Iraqis," a statement said, adding that such strikes "violate the sovereignty of Iraq".

The attacks "force Iraq to review its relations and its security, political and legal framework to protect its sovereignty", the government added.

The US ambassador in Baghdad would also be summoned to discuss the matter, the Iraqi ministry of foreign affairs tweeted.

"We also stress that Iraq is an independent country, that its internal security is a priority... and it will not be allowed to be a battlefield, a passage to carry out attacks, or a place [to be used] to harm neighbouring countries," it added.

Washington on Monday accused the Iraqi authorities of failing to "protect" US interests.

"We have warned the Iraqi government many times, and we've shared information with them to try to work with them to carry out their responsibility to protect us as their invited guests," a senior US state department official told reporters in Washington.

Several attacks have in recent weeks targeted Iraq bases where Americans are present. The US has blamed the attacks on pro-Iran factions.

Sunday's air strikes in Iraq and Syria against Kataib Hezbollah were in response to the killing of a US civilian contractor.

Weapons caches and command and control centres at five sites associated with the militia were hit, the US said.

Kataib Hezbollah (Brigades of the Party of God) is a powerful Iraqi Shia militia that receives financial and military support from Iran.

Since 2009, the US has designated the group as a terrorist organisation, accusing them of threatening the peace and stability of Iraq.

Iran's network of influence in Mid-East 'growing'

Profile: Iran's Revolutionary Guards


Iran's influence over Iraq's internal affairs has grown steadily since the US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003.

It has close links to Shia politicians who are part of the ruling elite, and has backed the Popular Mobilisation, which played a key role in defeating IS.

Protesters in Iraq have accused Iran of complicity in Iraq's failure and corruption. They have set fire to a number of Iranian consulate buildings in the country during the recent wave of protests.

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BBC News:

The year 2019 will be remembered as the year of protests. From Hong Kong to the Middle East and North Africa to Europe and Latin America. In Iraq, more than 500 protesters have been killed and thousands wounded. The poet and novelist, Sinan Antoon, says these protests are about justice and dignity, and that Iraqis are fed up with their dysfunctional and corrupt political system.

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Wall Street Journal:

OPINION
REVIEW & OUTLOOK

Trump Finally Fires Back at Iran


Tehran’s proxies will keep attacking as long as they sense U.S. weakness.

By The Editorial Board

December 29, 2019

It’s about time. Finally, after multiple attacks on U.S. bases and allies, President Trump approved a military response against Iranian-allied militias in Iraq and Syria on the weekend. Mr. Trump has to be prepared to do more if the Iranians decide to escalate.

The Pentagon said U.S. F-15E fighters carried out the strikes on five targets occupied by Kataib Hezbollah, a Shiite militia allied with and armed by Iran. “Iran and their KH proxy forces must cease their attacks on U.S. and coalition forces, and respect Iraq’s sovereignty, to prevent additional defensive actions by U.S. forces,” Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said.

Kataib Hezbollah is a proxy arm of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani’s Quds Force and would not have acted against U.S. forces without his approval. The group is responsible for 11 rocket attacks in two months on bases where American soldiers were present. A Kataib Hezbollah attack on Friday on an Iraqi base near Kirkuk killed a U.S. contractor and wounded four American troops.

Had Mr. Trump not responded to these U.S. casualties, he would have invited even more attacks. Mr. Trump’s reluctance to use force in response to previous Iranian attacks is one reason Gen. Soleimani may feel he can get away with more attacks.

Last June Mr. Trump stunned his own advisers when he called off a U.S. retaliatory strike on Iran at the last minute after Iran shot down a U.S. drone. Mr. Trump also declined to act after Iran’s brazen September attack on Saudi oil facilities.

Mr. Trump’s frequent statements that he wants to withdraw from Syria, and from “forever wars,” are also an invitation to adversaries to impose casualties that might cause the President to follow through on his isolationist impulses.

This danger is likely to increase in an election year in several theaters where adversaries may test Mr. Trump’s resolve. Iran is feeling the pressure of U.S. sanctions and may believe that attacking Americans will coax the President to ease the pressure. North Korea’s Kim Jong Un has signaled that he may launch a New Year’s test of a missile capable of reaching America. Russia and China don’t want a direct military confrontation but are working against U.S. interests whenever they think they can get away with it.

The strikes in Iraq and Syria carry risks, including a nationalist backlash in Iraq against the U.S. military presence. But Iraqis have been demonstrating in the streets for weeks against Iran’s meddling in Iraqi politics, and the small U.S. force is there at Iraqi invitation. U.S. officials need to make clear the strikes are defensive to protect Iraqi and American lives, and that the U.S. will respond again if the Iranian militia attacks continue.

A strong statement from Mr. Trump would also help since the attacks are really aimed at persuading him to cut and run. A Commander in Chief can’t afford to show weakness with American lives and interests on the line.