American college students studying in Greece
Credit: acg.edu
In the Internet age, the world feels far smaller than it used to. But many Americans still know little about the rest of the world and may be more detached from it than ever. Such a lack of awareness is, in certain respects, understandable. Once the Cold War ended, some 25 years ago, Congress, perhaps out of a false sense of security, cut the foreign affairs budget, which led to the closing of some U.S. overseas posts. The news media, especially the commercial television networks, took their cue and began to reduce overseas coverage—responding, they said, to the decline of public interest in such matters, which conveniently coincided with their own economic woes. Although the 9/11 attacks and the subsequent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq stimulated renewed attention to international events, that phenomenon proved short-lived. Consequently, as new global challenges have arisen in recent years, American discourse on world affairs has lacked historical context or deeper understanding. It has become difficult to […]
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Michael Anthony Adams, Reporter - Indianapolis Star
Stephan: I have said it before, but it bears saying again. The White "Patriot" self-appointed militias are far more likely to affect your life than a Muslim terrorist. And it is a fast growing movement. This may sound hard to believe but
36% of Americans believe the current administration is "secretly trying to take everyone's guns away," and 44% of Republicans believe that armed rebellion "might be necessary."
The same poll found 18% of Democrats and 27% of independents agreed it could be necessary. This is a major factor in the Great Schism Trend.
White “Patriot” self-appointed militia Credit: www.smartlivingnetwork.com
David Nantz carefully pushed aside a grouping of bare branches at the tree line of Echo Lake Park, then stood still. He listened for movement, playing the role of the enemy attempting to infiltrate a base that had been forged by his men.
It was Sunday, training day, and the Indiana Volunteer Militia, one of the largest militias in the state, was practicing how to set up a patrol base and establish perimeter security. Their mission was to fashion a few shelters and secure the base before Nantz made entry.
In a real world scenario, Nantz said, when the grid goes down, you have to know how to protect yourself and your family.
Recent high-profile standoffs with federal law enforcement agencies in Nevada and Oregon, as well as a controversial appearance by a militia group during the police brutality protests last year in Ferguson following the shooting of Michael Brown, has soured the word “militia” in the mouths of many Americans.
But the militia movement is growing. According to a study published by the Southern Poverty Law Center in […]
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Lee Fang, - The Intercept
Stephan: This is how deep into civil society go the roots of the Security State. I think this is very scary stuff for several reasons.
Skincential Sciences, a company with an innovative line of cosmetic products marketed as a way to erase blemishes and soften skin, has caught the attention of beauty bloggers on YouTube, Oprah’s lifestyle magazine, and celebrity skin care professionals. Documents obtained by The Intercept reveal that the firm has also attracted interest and funding from In-Q-Tel, the venture capital arm of the Central Intelligence Agency.
The previously undisclosed relationship with the CIA might come as some surprise to a visitor to the website of Clearista, the main product line of Skincential Sciences, which boasts of a “formula so you can feel confident and beautiful in your skin’s most natural state.”
Though the public-facing side of the company touts a range of skin care products, Skincential Sciences developed a patented technology that removes a thin outer layer of the skin, revealing unique biomarkers that can be used for a variety of diagnostic tests, including DNA collection.
Skincential Science’s noninvasive procedure, described on the Clearista website as “painless,” is said to require only water, a special detergent, and a few brushes against […]
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