Russia "Accidentally" Leaks Schematics Of New, High-Speed Helicopter

"As to how the Defense Blog and Scramble Magzine acquired leaked details of the Kamov Design Bureau's future high-speed helicopter for the Russian Armed Forces is beyond us.

Some reports indicate the schematics of the new high-speed helicopter were "accidentally leaked" onto Russian social media..."

at https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-10-27/russia-accidentally-leaks-schematics-high-speed-helicopter

China Is Challenging The US In Central America, And Washington Can't Do Anything

at https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-10-27/china-challenging-us-central-america-and-washington-cant-do-anything

China successfully harvests saltwater rice that could feed another 80 million people

at https://www.rt.com/business/442411-china-selectively-bred-saltwater-rice/

Gold demand up 42% as countries abandon US dollar in expectation of geopolitical shift

at https://www.rt.com/business/442410-gold-demand-up-dollar/

India Successfully Conducts Crucial Test of Moon Mission-II Lander

"The test demonstrated the capability of the navigation, guidance and control system of the lander to meet the mission requirement of a safe, soft and precise landing on the lunar surface by steering the module horizontally, as well as vertically down to a pre-defined target.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully conducted the crucial Lander Actuator Performance Test (LAPT) at the propulsion complex in Mahendragiri to demonstrate a successful soft and safe landing of the lander that has been named "Vikram." To carry out this test, an LAPT module was realized for testing in Earth's environment..."

at https://sputniknews.com/asia/201810261069246452-india-tests-moon-mission-lander/

India, Japan to Sign Military Pact, But France Still Dominant in Indian Ocean

at https://sputniknews.com/asia/201810261069254490-India-Japan-Sign-Pact-France-Dominates-Indian-Ocean/

US Successfully Tests SM-3 Anti-Ballistic Missile Off Coast of Hawaii - Pentagon

"WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The US military successfully intercepted a medium-range ballistic missile with its Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) during a test in the Pacific, the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) said in a release on Friday.

"[The MDA] and US Navy sailors aboard USS John Finn (DDG-113) successfully conducted an intercept of a medium-range ballistic missile target with a Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA missile during a flight test off the west coast of Hawaii," the release said..."

at https://sputniknews.com/military/201810261069249628-sm-3-anti-missile-test/

AI-Generated Portrait Sells For $432,500 At Auction, Blowing Away All Estimates

"A portrait created by an artificial intelligence brought in $432,500 at Christie's in New York on Thursday in what was the first piece of computer-generated artwork for sale by a major auction house..."

at https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-10-25/ai-generated-portrait-sells-432500-auction-blowing-away-all-estimates

Military Risks in Black Sea Region Grow Due to US, NATO Activities - Moscow

"MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Board of the Russian Foreign Ministry has noted the increased military risks in the Black Sea region caused, in particular, by the US and NATO activities, the ministry said in a press release following the board's meeting.

"The board has noted the serious deterioration of the situation in the Black Sea region over the past years, the increased number of risks in the military field, including due to the actions of the United States and its NATO allies, the region's fragmentation and remaining negative trends in relations among the regional states. The need to maintain stability and security in the Black Sea region solely by coastal states, including by the means of enhancing mutual trust and using the existing formats of cooperation in the political and military fields, has been stressed," the press release read..."

at https://sputniknews.com/russia/201810261069243713-russia-black-sea-region-nato/

"Undeclared war" forces Russia to boost defense spending — minister

"MOSCOW, October 26. /TASS/. Russia should include defense spending in its budget planning in the circumstances of the current geopolitical conditions and anti-Russion sanctions policies, head of Russian State Duma's Budget and Tax Committee Andrey Makarov told Rossiya 1 TV channel on Friday.

Russia plans to spend 2.9 trillion rubles on defense in 2019, 3 trillion rubles in 2020, and 3.2 trillion rubles in 2021, according to the explanatory note to the draft budget for 2019-2021.

"I think everybody understands that an undeclared war against us is underway. Not to spend money on defense is madness, only a madman can suggest such a thing. Nobody has forgotten the main thing - who does not want to feed his own army, will feed somebody else's army," Makarov said..."

at http://tass.com/economy/1028115?_ga=2.231485215.1081409840.1540626120-1467044846.1540626119

A new arms race has begun – Gorbachev on Trump's INF pullout plan

"Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has lashed out at American plans to withdraw from the crucial INF Treaty that he signed with Ronald Reagan 30 years ago. It means a new arms race is on, he says, and Russia must not give up.

Gorbachev criticized the planned US withdrawal from the milestone Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, which was announced last week. On Thursday, the retired leader offered his take on what is currently happening between the US and Russia, and what is likely to come next in an op-ed published in the New York Times..."

at https://www.rt.com/news/442405-gorbachev-arms-race-trump/

Europe, U.S. Escalate Trade War With New Disputes at the WTO

"China and the EU have joined a group of countries asking the World Trade Organization to investigate the Trump administration’s decision to impose metals tariffs on national security grounds. In a separate filing, the U.S. asked the WTO to review those nations that retaliated against its duties.

The move sets the stage for a showdown at the Geneva-based trade arbiter that some fear could either lead to a U.S. exit or a flood of new protectionist measures invoking what has until now been a rarely used national security loophole in global trade rules..."

at https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-18/wto-members-request-an-investigation-into-trump-s-metal-tariffs

China Unveils World's Largest Transport Drone

"China has successfully tested the world's largest commercial drone developed and manufactured by the China Academy of Aerospace Electronics Technology (CAAET) made its first successful test flight at Baotou Airport in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region on Tuesday, reported Ecns.cn, the official English-language website of China News Service..."

at https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-10-18/china-unveils-worlds-largest-transport-drone

Putin Lays Down The Law At Valdai

"There is a limit to your provocations and attempts to undermine Russia.  So don’t cross that line.

Peace Through Strength

The big quote from his talk is the one everyone is focusing on, and rightly so, Russia’s policy about using nuclear weapons.

It’s not that Putin’s stance was any different than in the past. Russia will strike back at an aggressor under any circumstance where the future of Russia is at stake.  It was his assurance that in doing so 1) it would be just and righteous “dying like martyrs” and 2) so swift and brutal the aggressors would “die like dogs” bereft of the chance to ask for salvation.

Those are strong words.  They are the words of a meek man.  And the word meek, as Jordan Peterson reminds us, describes someone who has weapons, knows how to use them and keeps them sheathed until they have no other option.

The reaction from the audience (see video above) was nervous laughter, but I don’t think Putin was having one over on anyone.

He was serious.  This is the very definition of meek.

It is really no different than the attitude of Secretary of State James Mattis who said, “I come in peace. I didn’t bring artillery. But I’m pleading with you, with tears in my eyes: If you f$*k with me, I’ll kill you all.”

at https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-10-20/putin-lays-down-law-valdai

"Complete Chaos": Russia Slams "Dangerous" U.S. Pullout Of INF Treaty As "Blackmail"

"Washington’s planned withdrawal from the international Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, announced by President Trump on Saturday, has been slammed by Russia as "a very dangerous step" which is ultimately part of "continuing attempts to achieve Russia’s concessions through blackmail" in statements made by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov on Sunday.

And Russian lawmaker Konstantin Kosachev, who chairs the Russian Parliament’s Upper House Foreign Affairs Committee, warned the move could create a domino effect endangering other landmark deals like the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START). The lawmaker said such an outcome pits mankind against “complete chaos in terms of nuclear weapons.”

at https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-10-21/russia-slams-us-pullout-inf-treaty-seeking-concessions-through-blackmail

"Big-Ass Fight On The Horizon": Nearly Half Of All U.S. Troops Think Major War Is Coming

"A new poll conducted by Military Times and Syracuse University has found that nearly half of all active duty American troops believe the next major war is just around the corner. 

The poll results show about 46% of respondents think the U.S. will be drawn into a new war at some point in the next year, which is a significant 5% leap above the same category in the Military Times poll taken last year.

Analysts who looked at the numbers believe military personnel fear global instability and the heightened rhetoric of the Trump administration especially related to world powers like Russia and China..."

at https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-10-19/big-ass-fight-coming-nearly-half-all-us-troops-think-major-war-coming

Pentagon Chief: US ‘Cannot Accept’ China’s ‘Militarization’ in South China Sea

"United States Defense Secretary James Mattis reiterated Washington’s position on the South China Sea Friday, calling for Japan and South Korea to work with America in the sea to prevent a singular power from dominating its waters.

"I think that all of us joining hands together — ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] allies and partners — and we affirm as we do so that no single nation can rewrite the international rules to the road and expect all nations large and small to respect those rules," the secretary of defense said Friday after meeting with Japanese and South Korean officials in Singapore, The Hill reported..."

at https://sputniknews.com/asia/201810201069046623-pentagon-us-cannot-accept-china-militarization-south-china-sea/

Russia surpassed rivals with precise hypersonic weapons & will deploy more within months – Putin

"New Avangard hypersonic glider warheads are just months away from entering military service, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, adding that Russia is the first in the world to develop the breakthrough technology.

A hypersonic glider is a type of projectile that can fly and maneuver in the upper atmosphere at speeds of over Mach 5. This makes them harder to intercept than regular warheads, which approach the target over a predictable ballistic trajectory. Russia’s variant of the system is called Avangard and will be ready for military service in a few months, according to Putin.

“Responding to the development of anti-ballistic missile systems by the US, we are improving our strike capabilities. Some are already in service, others will be deployed soon,” he said during a Valdai Club session in Sochi. The Avangard deployment will happen “within several months,” Putin said..."

at https://www.rt.com/news/441655-hypersonic-avangard-deployment-putin/

Apocalypse in 2019: Is Russia-US war possible?

"Nearly half of US military troops believe America will be drawn into a major war next year and see Moscow and Beijing as main threats, according to a recent poll. But is there any basis for this anxiety among soldiers?

Almost a half of soldiers and commanders in the US Armed Forces (46%) believe that their country will be drawn into a large-scale armed conflict in 2019, reveals a new Military Times' poll of active-duty troops. They didn't clarify though what kind of war with Russia they expect. Neither have they presented any analysis of a potential strategic armed conflict between Moscow and Washington. US servicemen didn't consider the latest trends and changes in the way our countries will do combat in the near future. They have briefly mentioned cyberattacks, but only the ones that took place this year..."

at https://www.rt.com/op-ed/441741-apocalypse-military-ww3-russia-us/

Trump's Debt

"As a candidate, Donald Trump promised to get rid of the entire national debt “over a period of eight years.” When this promise was made, the national debt stood at $19 trillion; it has since risen to $21.7 trillion. In the fiscal year ending September 30, it grew by $779 billion, up 17 percent from $666 billion in fiscal 2017. This year, after the Trump tax cuts take full effect, another $1 trillion worth of government IOUs will be issued.

“The deficit is absolutely higher than anyone would like,” says Kevin Hassett, chairman of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers. “Historically unprecedented,” adds Jason Furman, who occupied Hassett’s position in the Obama administration. He feels that with unemployment virtually non-existent, and the economy growing at annual rate of at least 3 percent, we should be paying down debt, not spilling more red ink over the national ledger. Indeed, in 2000, the last time the unemployment rate dipped below 4 percent, tax revenues rose 11 percent and the government ran a large budget surplus.

How did candidate Trump intend to pay off the debt? First, he said he wanted to renegotiate trade deals that he believed were destroying the American economy. Second, drive the economic growth rate to 6 percent annually by reducing taxes and the weighty burden of regulations Barack Obama loaded onto businesses..."

at https://www.weeklystandard.com/irwin-m-stelzer/national-debt-under-trump-rises-to-21-7-trillion

Saudi Arabia pays UK firms millions to boost image

"London has become a hub for global Saudi public relations and media influence campaigns, with British firms earning millions of pounds from efforts to improve the image of the kingdom and its regional allies in recent years, a Guardian investigation has found.

The reputation of Saudi Arabia, always controversial due to its record on human rights and involvement in the ongoing Yemeni war, has taken a battering in the past fortnight following the apparent murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi..."

at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/19/saudi-arabia-pays-uk-firms-millions-to-boost-image

Multi-Polar Political Project Pushed Forward By Putin In India

"Authored by Tom Luongo,

I have to wonder when Russian President Vladimir Putin sleeps.  He’s busier than any other leader, traveling the globe while consistently changing the board state geopolitically..."

at https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-10-12/multi-polar-political-project-pushed-forward-putin-india

International Relations: The Calm Before The Storm?

"Authored by Thierry Meyssan via The Voltaire Network,

All international problems are currently suspended, awaiting the results of the US mid-term elections. The partisans of the old international order are gambling on a change of majority in Congress and a rapid destitution of President Trump. If the man in the White House holds fast, the protagonists of the war against Syria will have to admit defeat and move on to other battle fields. On the other hand, if Donald Trump should lose the elections, the war on Syria will immediately be revived by the United Kingdom..."

at https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-10-13/international-relations-calm-storm

The Self-Defeating US Empire

"Via The Strategic Culture Foundation,

Trump is trying to square a globalized world through a national-based American capitalism. It won’t work..."

at https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-10-12/self-defeating-us-empire

Dramatic Footage Captures Hypersonic Nuclear Aircraft Streaking Across China Sky

"According to Metro, the footage is of a hypersonic plane. The paper said the plane is owned by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) and is capable of Mach 10 (7,672 mph) while carrying a nuclear warhead.  Although there has been no official statement by Chinese, military bloggers claim the footage was caused by a hypersonic glide vehicle (known as DF-ZF)..."

at https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-10-12/incredible-footage-captures-hypersonic-nuclear-aircraft-streaking-across-china-sky

Bolton: US Sees China as 'Major Issue' of Century

"WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - White House National Security Adviser John Bolton during a radio interview said the major issue of the 21st century for the United States is China due to its ability to build economic and military power while violating international norms..."

at https://sputniknews.com/us/201810131068848707-usa-china-bolton-threat-issue-tension/

US needs a space force because Russia is ahead on it, Trump says

"Keen as ever on the idea of having a fighting force in space, US President Donald Trump says it’s a necessity for Washington because its perceived top adversaries – Russia and China – are beating it to the punch.

Trump was speaking at one of his Make America Great Again rallies, this time in Richmond, Kentucky. He boasted about his record $700bn+ military budget that would “fully rebuild the American military,”and decided to top it off with a promotional line for the Space Force, whose creation is already underway.

“It’s very popular,” he said. “One of the biggest applause I get wherever I go is when I talk about the Space Force.”

He then proceeded to explain why it’s so necessary: because those nations the US defense establishment calls its ‘main adversaries’ have a head start..."

at https://www.rt.com/usa/441195-trump-space-force-russia-ahead/

Ganging up on Beijing? Five Eyes intel network now looks at China

"The intelligence agencies of the US, Australia, Britain, Canada and New Zealand have been cooperating closely on countering China’s “foreign activities” since the start of the year, Reuters reports.

The so-called Five Eyes network is also sharing intelligence with allies such as Germany and Japan, in what has become a multinational coalition against Beijing’s alleged foreign meddling. Washington and its partners have accused China of using foreign investments to pull political strings – an accusation that Beijing denies..."

at https://www.rt.com/news/441104-five-eyes-intelligence-china-alliance/

Is The U.S. Using Force To Sell Its LNG To The World?

"The Trump Administration trade policy is nowhere so clear as in the energy area. For years it was thought that the younger Bush Administration was one of the most energy industry friendly in history. But the Trump Administration has gone far beyond that.

Hiring Ray Tillerson, the former CEO of ExxonMobil, as U.S. Secretary of State, sent a strong signal to the entire industry, even though his tenure proved to be temporary.

Prior to that, the Administration withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement, a long-held priority of Exxon and the entire oil industry. Following hard upon that, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reduced or eliminated regulations limiting carbon and other pollutants.

Exxon has for more than a decade underwritten the now discredited, right wing attack on climate change as a hoax. Although the energy industry has now publicly acknowledged climate change as a global threat, in practice the subject is still largely ignored.

Going further, the Trump Administration has removed and reduced regulations that hampered the industry expansion, including allowing drilling on both ocean coast, while easing safety regulations that were brought into effect after BP’s Gulf of Mexico disastrous spill, the worst in U.S. history.

Government protected nature preserves are being opened to exploration and drilling for the first time in generations. Added to that was the dropping of regulations that for many years prohibited export of U.S. crude. Since then, the U.S. has become a major player in the global energy industry..."

at https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-10-08/us-using-force-sell-its-lng-world

Vehicle-mounted laser weapon could help Marines knock down UAVs on the move or at forward-operating bases

at https://www.militaryaerospace.com/articles/pt/2018/10/laser-weapons-vehicle-mounted-uavs.html

Air-to-air hypersonic missile intended for Russian SU-57 jet fighter has range of 200 miles

at https://www.militaryaerospace.com/articles/pt/2018/10/hypersonic-missile-russian-su-57-air-to-air-missile.html

U.S. Navy Proposing Major Exercises Aimed at China

"The U.S. Navy is considering a major flexing of fleet muscles designed to send a message to China. The show of force, reported by CNN, would involve ships and aircraft operating in China’s backyard, in a demonstration to the Beijing that the U.S. is prepared to operate wherever it is legally allowed to do so. Planning for the “show of force” coincides with last weekend’s “unsafe and unprofessional” intercept of a U.S. Navy destroyer in the South China Sea.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

According to CNN, the goal of the exercises would be to “carry out a highly focused and concentrated set of exercises involving US warships, combat aircraft and troops to demonstrate that the US can counter potential adversaries quickly on several fronts.” The exercises would see U.S. forces operating in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait, “in freedom of navigation operations to demonstrate the right of free passage in international waters.”

The operation, which has already been given a code name, would involve several missions squeezed into just a few days. It would take place during a single week in November. The Pentagon and U.S. Pacific Fleet refused to comment to CNN on the potential operation..."

at  https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/navy-ships/a23601914/us-navy-proposing-major-exercises-aimed-at-china/

U.S. and Chinese Destroyers Involved in 'Unsafe' Encounter at Sea

U.S. Navy photo

"A Chinese destroyer came within 45 yards of an American destroyer in the South China Sea. The encounter, which U.S. officials described as “unsafe and unprofessional," took place in a part of the Pacific Ocean that China considers Chinese territory. The Chinese destroyer swerved in front of the American ship in an apparent attempt to harass it into leaving..."

at https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/navy-ships/a23570437/us-and-chinese-destroyers-involved-in-unsafe-encounter-at-sea/

Russia’s MiG-31 Spotted With Possible Anti-Satellite Missile

at https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a23549729/russias-mig-31-spotted-with-possible-anti-satellite-missile/

Military's Top Spy: AI May Enhance Tradecraft, Prevent Geopolitical Surprises

"The Pentagon's top spy said Monday that he hopes advances in artificial intelligence can prevent defense analysts from being surprised when global conflicts ignite overnight.
"My core mission is to make sure that the secretary of defense is never surprised," Army Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley Jr., director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, told an audience at the Center for Strategic and International Studies..."

at https://www.military.com/defensetech/2018/09/17/militarys-top-spy-ai-may-enhance-tradecraft-prevent-geopolitical-surprises.html

Army, Air Force Fielding Drone-Hunting System That Can Fit on a Pickup Truck

"NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. -- A lightweight system designed to hunt down and neutralize enemy unmanned aerial systems of any size can be modified to fit on a tactical vehicle or even a commercial-model pickup truck, staff with research and development company SRC Inc. said this week.
SRC's Silent Archer counter-UAS technology began to deploy to undisclosed locations overseas with the Army earlier this year as part of the service's existing Counter-Rocket, Artillery, Mortar (C-RAM) Low-Slow-Small UAS Integrated Defeat System (LIDS) program, said Bob Alger, the company's director of business development. The Air Force is expected to receive the technology this fall for use stateside with its air defense-focused MEDUSA project, with a requirement to deploy it downrange shortly, he added..."

at https://www.military.com/defensetech/2018/09/18/army-air-force-fielding-drone-hunting-system-can-fit-pickup-truck.html

Hypersonic Weapons Could Transform Warfare. The U.S. Is Behind.

"Machine guns. Fighter jets. Nuclear weapons. When a new facet of military technology gains operational capability, sometimes it changes the rules of the game. Hypersonic weapons—that travel over five times the speed of sound—are difficult to detect and harder to intercept, offer that potential.

The impending promise of hypersonic weapons is so great that Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Dr. Michael Griffin recently explained: “I’m sorry for everybody out there who champions some other high priority, some technical thing; it’s not that I disagree with those. But there has to be a first [priority], and hypersonics is my first.”

This sense of urgency is driven by two key variables: burgeoning capability gaps the American military seeks to close and the very real risk that China and Russia may field this technology in advance of the United States.



From a military perspective the desire to field hypersonic weapons makes sense. First, these weapons travel in excess of 3,600 miles per hour (6 miles per second) and currently, no military possesses a credible defense. Finding, tracking and intercepting something that fast is unprecedented. Given that Russia and China have invested heavily in advanced defensive technologies that now hold most of our traditional forms of power projection at risk, this is a significant advantage—it’s one that would impose major costs upon a defending nation.

Second, hypersonic weapons will allow commanders to close the window between identifying a target and striking it faster than historically possible. Potential future conflict will involve targets deep inside enemy battlespace, some mobile and difficult to find, so speed will provide a significant advantage. Standard flight speeds involve hours of transit time, allowing targets to slip away. Hypersonic weapons reduce hours of flight required for weapons today to minutes tomorrow.


However, America is not alone in recognizing these advantages. Russia and China have long recognized the benefits afforded by hypersonic weapons and have spent considerable time and money advancing their own capabilities. Putin has been testing nuclear-capable hypersonic weapons since 2016. Similarly, China recently tested the experimental “Starry Sky-2” and publicly lauded its ability to travel at Mach 5.5 for 400 seconds..."

at https://www.forbes.com/sites/davedeptula/2018/10/05/faster-than-a-speeding-bullet/#40e574585ca6

“China’s Big Hack”: The US Has Its Own Reasons For “Saving the World” From China’s Supposed Big Tech Spying

"If Bloomberg’s bombshell report is to be believed, then the US just blew the whistle on what might be the world’s most expansive espionage operation of all time, but America is exposing China at this specific moment three years after its hardware spying devices might have infected tens of thousands of motherboards in some of the main Big Tech companies because it hopes to leverage this jaw-dropping revelation to its favor in the global “trade war”.
Bloomberg took over the global news cycle earlier today after it published an extensive report titled “The Big Hack: How China Used a Tiny Chip to Infiltrate U.S. Companies”, which alleges that Chinese intelligence compromised the integrity of the global supply chain on which the country’s economy is dependent by clandestinely inserting hardware spying devices in tens of thousands of motherboards that eventually infected the likes of Amazon, Apple, the CIA, and many others. The piece deserves to be read in full in order to grasp the magnitude of what China’s being accused of and ultimately draw one’s own conclusions about the matter, but while it can’t be known for sure whether everything contained within it is true or not, it’s unquestionable that its publication at this point in time serves a tacit strategic purpose for the Trump Administration in its global “trade war” with the People’s Republic..."

at https://www.globalresearch.ca/chinas-big-hack-the-us-has-its-own-reasons-for-saving-the-world-from-chinas-supposed-big-tech-spying/5656227

Oblivious to Our Military Industrial Empire

"As it was in films like Hitchcock’s, it seems that our general public has always been, to a great extent, oblivious to our Military Industrial Empire. The only time the majority of our fellow Americans seems to wake up from their self imposed slumber is when they feel threatened… personally threatened.

As Goebbels did so masterfully from the 1930s-early 40s in Germany, propaganda can and will coerce the masses to march along with the empire into battle. This has always been the case throughout history, as our US ‘foreign entanglements’ can surely attest to. The cement that keeps this the public in place is their oblivious nature to facts and outright truth. A con man can only be successful if his pigeons are not focused enough. When the overwhelming majority of the mainstream media falls in line with the empire, well, the lemmings follow.

The Soviet Union sacrificed 25+ million of its people to defeat the German onslaught and turn the tide of WW2, only to become our enemy in the Cold War not more than a year or two later. Think of how many of our citizens followed the drumbeat of this empire’s minions and believed ‘Better Dead than Red’. And it goes on and on through the Korean and Vietnam debacles that they called wars, right into Iraq Wars 1 and 2 and this Goebbels-like War on Terror….

This empire spends over half or your and my federal taxes on military spending, for close to two decades. How many out there care? Just shoot them up with the ‘legal narcotics’ of 24/7 sports, electronic gadgets and excessive consumerism, daily ‘breaking news’ on sex scandals, Republican vs. Democrat ‘food fights’, and the natives won’t get too restless. Meanwhile, the empire’s corporate sponsors suck out the very air from the lungs of we working stiffs…"

at https://www.globalresearch.ca/oblivious-to-our-military-industrial-empire/5656296

The CIA Finger in Brasil’s Elections?

"There is science behind this manipulation.
Some people think that elections are won or lost only in rigorously rational debates about policies and proposals. But things don’t really work that way. In reality, as Emory University Psychology Professor Drew Weston says in his book “The Political Brain: The Role of Emotion in Deciding the Fate of the Nation”, feelings are commonly more decisive in defining the vote.
Weston says that, based on recent studies in neuroscience on the theme, contrary to what is commonly understood, The voters strongly base their choices on emotional perceptions about parties and candidates. Rational analysis and empirical data normally plays a secondary role in this process.
This is why there is great manipulative power in the production of information with strong emotional content and fake news.
The documents revealed by Edward Snowden suggest that the US and UK intelligence services have specialized and sophisticated departments that are dedicated to manipulating information that circulates on the internet to change the direction of public opinion. For example, the Joint Threat Research Intelligence Group of the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), a British intelligence agency, has a mission and scope that includes the use of “dirty tricks” to destroy, negate, degrade and run over its enemies.
The tactics are, in short:

1) To disseminate all kinds of false information on the internet to destroy the reputation of its targets; and

2) Use social sciences and other psycho-social techniques to manipulate the online discourse and activism, with the goal of generating desirable results.

But this isn’t just any type of information. The information is chosen to cause great emotional impact, not to promote debate or rebut concrete information. One of the most common techniques is the manipulation of photos and videos, which has a strong and immediate emotional effect and tends to quickly go viral. Vice Presidential candidate Manuela D’Àvila, for example, has been the constant target of these manipulations. Fernando Haddad has also been a constant victim of absolutely false declarations and manipulated images and discourse..."

at https://www.globalresearch.ca/the-cia-finger-in-brasils-elections/5656286

How Globalists Plan To Use Technology And Poverty To Enslave The Masses

"Tyranny is often seen as a sudden and inexplicable development in a society; the product of a singular despot that rockets to power for a limited window of time due to public fear or stupidity. This is one of the great lies of the modern era.
The truth is that for at least the past century almost every historically despised “tyrant” was merely a puppet of a larger managerial cabal, and the construction of each totalitarian state was accomplished slowly and quietly over the course of decades by those some financial elitists. From the Bolsheviks, to Hitler and the Third Reich, to Mao Zedong, to most tin-pot dictators across the Middle East and Africa, there has always been an organized group of money men and think tanks fueling the careers of the worst politicians and military juntas of the epoch.

The rise of a tyrannical system takes extensive time, planning and staging. Human beings do not simply jump right into the arms of a dystopian nightmare regime impulsively at a moment’s notice. We have been told by popular media that this is how it works; that during hard economic or social conditions men with charismatic personalities and evil intentions suddenly rise to the surface and take power by promising a better world in exchange for public fealty. But where did those economic and social crises come from to begin with? Were they a natural consequence of the era, or were they deliberately engineered?..."

at https://www.activistpost.com/2018/10/how-globalists-plan-to-use-technology-and-poverty-to-enslave-the-masses.html

Privacy experts alarmed by Five Eyes demand for 'backdoors' on tech devices

"Canada joined its intelligence allies recently in demanding that technology companies co-operate with law enforcement agencies in allowing access to encrypted communications, like Facebook and text messages, heating a long-simmering controversy.
Cyber security experts, privacy advocates and even the companies themselves insist there’s no way to build “backdoors” into consumer electronics without compromising the overall security of the device.
“Any backdoor that’s there for good guys can always be exploited by bad guys,” said Matthew Dubé, the NDP critic for public safety.
The issue has been making headlines since 2016 when Apple successfully pushed back against an FBI request to circumvent iPhone security features on a device belonging to one of the perpetrators of the San Bernardino shooting. The FBI eventually cracked the phone using other methods. Intelligence agencies have been demanding this kind of access since the early ’90s.
In late August, the Five Eyes intelligence alliance — comprised of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States — issued a renewed call for “lawful access to information” to keep its citizens safe..."

at https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/privacy-experts-are-alarmed-about-the-five-eyes-demand-for-backdoors-on-tech-devices

Construction and Farmer Robots Are The Latest A.I. Coming For Human Jobs

"If Japan’s Advanced Industrial Science and Technology Institute has its way, human construction workers might not be needed anymore. Meanwhile, a robot named Angus is being billed the farmer of the future.
Researchers have built HRP-5P, a humanoid robot that can handle several construction tasks. The prototype uses environment detection, object recognition, and sophisticated movement to install drywall by itself.
The construction bot is able to both hold up boards and fasten them with a screwdriver.

The farming robot, Angus, is also able to do functions on its own without human assistance. The bionic farmer is strong enough to hoist 800-pound pallets of vegetables and can move them from place to place on his own, Yahoo reported.
The startup behind Angus, Iron Ox, relies on a hydroponic system to conserve water and automation in place of humans..."
at https://www.activistpost.com/2018/10/construction-and-farmer-robots-are-the-latest-ai-coming-for-human-jobs.html

#4 on PROJECT CENSORED’s Top 25 List: “How Big Wireless Convinced Us Cell Phones and Wi-Fi are Safe”

"By B.N. Frank

Activist Post and many others have already reported about The Nation’s February 2018 article, “How Big Wireless Convinced Us Cell Phones and Wi-Fi are Safe.”  It received so much attention that there were follow-up interviews with Mark Hertsgaard by Democracy Now and NPR.
Excerpt:

Lack of definitive proof that a technology is harmful does not mean the technology is safe, yet the wireless industry has succeeded in selling this logical fallacy to the world . . . The upshot is that, over the past 30 years, billions of people around the world have been subjected to a massive public-health experiment: Use a cell phone today, find out later if it causes cancer or genetic damage. Meanwhile, the wireless industry has obstructed a full and fair understanding of the current science, aided by government agencies that have prioritized commercial interests over human health and news organizations that have failed to inform the public about what the scientific community really thinks. In other words, this public-health experiment has been conducted without the informed consent of its subjects, even as the industry keeps its thumb on the scale.  The stakes of this public-health experiment continue to rise with the increasing prevalence of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technologies as well as the development of the “Internet of Things” and anticipated 5G wireless networks.

We’re pleased as punch that the article is getting additional attention now from Project Censored because it also addresses the health risks of 5G wireless technology and the marketing of the “Race for 5G.”

at  https://www.activistpost.com/2018/10/project-censoreds-top-25-list-how-big-wireless-convinced-us-cell-phones-and-wi-fi-are-safe.html

Security threat? China is developing large unmanned submarines that can roam the world’s oceans

"The military superpowers of the world are in a race to develop the most powerful unmanned, AI submarine fleet. After the Second World War, Western naval forces gained the advantageous position in the South China Sea. China seeks to reclaim positions in the South China Sea by being the first country to develop large, fearless unmanned submarines.
The present day arms race is to create the most robust, most intelligent unmanned underwater vehicles (XLUUVs). Lin Yang, marine technology equipment director at the Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, confirms that China is developing a fleet of underwater robots that can reach operational depths beyond 6km. The original producer of the first autonomous underwater vehicle, Lin Yang is now the chief scientist of the highly classified 912 Project, which seeks to build the most advanced AI underwater fleet.
These relatively low cost AI vessels could be sent out on suicide missions to take out Western vessels. China’s advanced AI vessels can learn about their environment and place mines in the most strategic places. These unmanned vessels could be used up front in battle to scout out and charter paths for a fleet of lethal, manned submarines. In the Zhuhai, Guangdong province, China now boasts the world’s largest testing facility for surface drone boats. The Chinese military is teaching submarine commanders how to use AI-assisted support systems so they can make more accurate decisions in the heat of battle..."

at http://www.nationalsecurity.news/2018-10-02-security-threat-china-is-developing-large-unmanned-submarines.html

Sovereignty and economic globalization

"The sovereign state is indispensable – especially in a globalised economy, by Marianne Wüthrich / Safeguarding and expanding rights – securing prosperity / US domestic policy sabotages détente with Russiam by Hannes Hofbauer / Words from Helsinki that the world has been waiting for, by Willy Wimmer / The West’s fury and bitterness about Russia’s successes; Following on from the modest movement towards détente achieved at the Putin-Trump meeting, what next?, by Brian Cloughley / French major enterprises have to abandon their commercial activities in Iran, by Hayat Gazzane / Is “Antifa” the German mainstream? This is no way for the country to come to rest, by Karl Müller / Driving bans for diesel? A plea for more objectivity, by Rainer Schopf / Why I like to be a Swiss, by Wolfgang van Biezen / The value of language teaching for the preservation of the ancient languages, by Thibault Mercuzot, Delphine le Corfec and Patrick Beugnet..."

at http://www.voltairenet.org/article202479.html

UNO : birth of the post-Western world

"The administration of the UNO had been hoping for a clash between the pro- and anti-Trump factions during the General Assembly. What actually happened was very different. While several States, including France, denounced the methods of the resident of the White House, Russia undertook an analysis of the Western alliance. According to Moscow, most of our current problems are due to the desire of the old colonial powers to conserve their domination of the rest of the world - at whatever the cost. In order to overtake them, a formidable coalition has been born..."

at http://www.voltairenet.org/article203234.html

More and more Americans believe socialism will boost equity

"The last time the polling company Gallup asked Americans about their understanding of the word “socialism” was in 1949. At that point, around one-third couldn’t define it, another one-third associated it with government ownership and control of everything from businesses to utilities, and just 12% thought it gestured toward equity among people, particularly in regard to income and rights. Around 6% figured it was a form of modified communism.

That was the year before Senator Joseph McCarthy (R-WI) proclaimed he would seek out communists and socialists living in the U.S., which sent people into a frenzy, and socialism even further to the fringes. Gallup stopped asking how people viewed socialism again until this year, when it’s decidedly back in the mainstream discourse.
Following Bernie Sanders’s campaign as a democratic socialist presidential candidate in 2016, and high-profile victories of around 40 socialists, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from New York’s 14^th Congressional District this year, socialism is back in the mainstream political discourse: The Democratic Socialists of America’s membership grew from 7,000 members to over 50,000 since 2016..."

at https://www.fastcompany.com/90246644/more-and-more-americans-believe-socialism-will-boost-equity

What’s Really Going On Behind the “Secret” Saudi-Russia Oil Deal

"On Wednesday, Reuters reported the details of a private and “secret” deal reached between Russia and Saudi Arabia, a deal that was aimed at increasing oil output in order to offset the coming shock to oil prices that will follow U.S. efforts to starve Iran of its oil revenues. Notably, Reuters also noted that the deal was struck with cooperation from the United States, even though Russia had publicly attacked the U.S.’ targeting of Iran via sanctions and had pledged to help protect Iranian trade to help keep the country’s economy afloat.
The private deal was reached in September between Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih and his Russian counterpart Alexander Novak, along with coordination from U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry. One of the sources that spoke to Reuters asserted that “the Russians and the Saudis agreed to add barrels to the market quietly with a view not to look like they are acting on Trump’s order to pump more.” The deal was struck as oil prices began to climb towards $80 per barrel. The oil price currently stands at just over $84.
Russia’s involvement in the deal may seem surprising given that Russia publicly vowed in August to do “everything necessary” to protect its shared economic interests with Tehran — including the estimated $50 billion in Russian investments in Iran’s oil sector that Russia has said will continue despite U.S. plans to sanction the Iranian oil and gas sectors beginning on November 4..."

at https://www.mintpressnews.com/whats-really-going-behind-secret-saudi-russia-oil-deal/250408/

Chinese ‘aggressive industry’ threatens US military complex, ‘stable budget’ needed – Pentagon

"A new Pentagon report calls China the main threat to the US military-industrial complex, sounding alarm at declines in some “critical defense functions” due to actions by Beijing, to workforce shortages and to “unstable” funding.

“While multiple countries pursue policies to bolster their economies at the expense of America’s manufacturing sector, none has targeted our industrial base as successfully as China,” the report, titled ‘Assessing and Strengthening the Manufacturing and Defense Industrial Base and Supply Chain Resiliency of the United States,’ says.
READ MORE: America's next top villain: Is China lined up to replace Russia as the US' default enemy?
The document looks at other problems, such as the decline of certain sectors, namely shipbuilding, as well as the lack of skilled workforce and the unstable flow of contracts for strategic manufacturers, whose highly niche factories sit for years without work. But most of that can be fixed by a “stable and predictable” funding flow to the Department of Defense – which has already secured a record $719 billion budget for the next year..."

at https://www.rt.com/news/440511-pentagon-chinese-aggressive-industry/

John Pilger On ‘Approved News,’ Syria, Iran, Austerity And Julian Assange

"On this episode of Going Underground, legendary journalist John Pilger discusses Syria and it’s ally Iran and the Trump administration’s policies towards the two countries, the Venezuela crisis, Julian Assange, austerity and the concept of ‘approved news’ and unapproved opinions!..."

at http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/50386.htm

How the tentacles of the US military are strangling the planet

"The United States has more than 50,000 troops in Japan as well as a very large contingent of ships and aircraft. Seventy percent of the US bases in Japan are on Okinawa island. Almost everyone in Okinawa wants the US military to go. Rape by American soldiers – including of young children – has long angered the Okinawans. Terrible environmental pollution – including the harsh noise from US military aircraft – rankles people. It was not difficult for Tamaki to run on an anti-US-base platform. It is the most basic demand of his constituents..."

at  http://www.atimes.com/how-the-tentacles-of-the-us-military-are-strangling-the-planet/

China denounces 'ridiculous' US claims of election meddling

"China angrily denounced on Friday renewed US allegations that it was interfering in upcoming American midterm elections. 

In a wide-ranging speech delivered on Thursday night, US Vice President Mike Pence said Beijing was meddling in the vote to counter tough trade policies against China. The comments echoed those by President Donald Trump recently.  

Pence said Beijing's actions add up to a simple message: "China wants a different American president."

China hit back furiously on Friday, branding Pence's accusation "ridiculous"..."

at https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/10/china-denounces-ridiculous-claims-election-meddling-181005025606837.html