Did a nearby supernova cause one of Earth’s mass extinctions?
December 14, 2018
Supernovae are the explosive end stages of massive stars. About 2.6 million years ago, one such supernova lit up Earth’s sky from about 150 light-years away. A few hundred years later, after the new star had long since faded from the sky, cosmic rays from the event finally reached Earth, slamming into our planet. Now, a group of researchers led by Adrian Melott at the University of Kansas believes this cosmic onslaught is linked to a mass extinction of ocean animals roaming Earth’s waters at the time — including the Megalodon. Their work was published November 27 in Astrobiology.
“Supernovae should have affected Earth at some time or another,” Melott said in a press release. However, in the past, it’s been hard to determine exactly how or when such events would have had an effect. But, according to the group’s paper, “a newly documented marine megafaunal extinction” lines up with the arrival of a potentially lethal influx of radiation, indicating they might be able to pin a particular supernova on a particular event.
Sinaloa Cartel Fentanyl Lab Busted in Mexican City Hall Building…
December 14, 2018
The discovery was the result of an investigation by the Attorney General’s Office of Mexico, according to local media. Authorities executed a search warrant inside a building housing the city hall for the Azcapotzalco municipal government, located in the northwest section of Mexico City. The raid took place on the weekend of December 8, but information was not released to the public until days later. One person who oversaw and managed the lab was arrested, according to the Attorney General’s office.
Federal investigators found various chemical substances, numerous bags containing blue fentanyl pills, approximately 50 cans of a liquid, and a pill presser. All were believed to be used for fentanyl manufacturing. Officials also announced the seizure of several vehicles, communication equipment, and ammunition of various calibers. The seizure was believed bound for the U.S. markets.
NZ, other Five Eyes partners met before Huawei arrest…
December 14, 2018
Now, "All of the Five Eyes partners are coming into line", Buchanan says.
The GCSB blocked a Spark proposal to use Huawei gear in its 5G upgrade in a decision made public on November 28. "Significant national security risks", were cited by the GCSB, but not detailed.
British Telecom said on December 5 that it would not use Huawei for core elements of its 5G upgrade and, more strikingly, confirmed an FT report that it would strip Huawei gear from its 4G and 3G networks on security agency advice.
Spy bosses from countries in the Five Eyes network held a secret meeting in July to discuss security concerns regarding China and Huawei. A few months later, all those present in the meeting decided to block Chinese tech giant Huawei from supplying equipment for their next-generation wireless networks. We know Huwai was supplying the Deep State with communications tech. For these moves to have been instigated earlier this year, says a lot about the 5-Eye alliance in terms of who's in control, and their stance on China.
Venezuelans regret gun ban, ‘a declaration of war against an unarmed population’…
December 14, 2018
“Venezuelans didn’t care enough about it. The idea of having the means to protect your home was seen as only needed out in the fields. People never would have believed they needed to defend themselves against the government,” Vanegas explained. “Venezuelans evolved to always hope that our government would be non-tyrannical, non-violator of human rights, and would always have a good enough control of criminality.”
That’s it right there. The Left in this country thinks the government is virtuous and would never turn against its own citizens. The left in this country is bipolar. They want the government to confiscate guns and in the same breath call the president, the government, law enforcement, and border patrol fascist racist nazi dictators. But everything will work out fine if they ban guns and take control themselves. /s
Congress passes bill to make members pay sexual misconduct claims
December 14, 2018
U.S. lawmakers on Thursday passed legislation to crack down on sexual harassment by members of Congress, requiring lawmakers to pay for settlements and some court awards themselves, instead of depending on public funds.
Both the House of Representatives and the Senate approved the bipartisan measure on a voice vote after months of effort produced a compromise between the two chambers. It now goes to the White House for President Donald Trump to sign into law.
Woman Cuts Cousin ‘Into Pieces’ & Barbecues Him On Grill After Drug Deal Gone Wrong…
December 14, 2018
"I cut it up into pieces,” she said, noting the gruesome process of dismemberment and barbecuing took “like maybe two days” because “we weren’t on it; we were doing different things.”
Facebook Says Bug May Have Exposed Unshared Photos of 6.8M Users…
December 14, 2018
Facebook revealed on Friday that a bug in its platform may have allowed third-party apps to have access to a broad range of user photos, including pictures that users uploaded to Facebook but did not share.
Facebook said in a statement on its website that the bug may have affected 6.8 million users and up to 1,500 apps between Sept. 13 and Sept. 25. The company did not say when it discovered the issue.
“When someone gives permission for an app to access their photos on Facebook, we usually only grant the app access to photos people share on their timeline,” Facebook wrote. “In this case, the bug potentially gave developers access to other photos, such as those shared on Marketplace or Facebook Stories. The bug also impacted photos that people uploaded to Facebook but chose not to post..."
Entire floor at D.C. federal courthouse sealed off for mystery case…
December 14, 2018
Journalists were kept away from a secret federal appeals court hearing on Friday in Washington, D.C., as officials sealed off an entire floor for over an hour during arguments in a mysterious grand jury case which some believe could be related to the Special Counsel investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 elections.
The case – known officially as “In re: Grand Jury Subpoena” – has been sealed in its entirety when it comes to public records, as it moved from the district court to the appeals court level in recent months.
Reporters at the courthouse – which is just down the hill from the U.S. Capitol – at first tried to gather outside the courtroom where the secret arguments were going to take place, but then security officials sealed off the entire fifth floor of the building, making it nearly impossible to find out who was involved in the matter.
Judicial Watch: Hillary Clinton Files New Answers Under Oath about Email System – Used It for the ‘Purpose of Convenience’…
December 14, 2018
Judicial Watch announced today Hillary Clinton submitted additional written answers under oath about her email system. Clinton testified that she used the controversial email system for the “purpose of convenience.” Clinton initially objected and refused to answer the questions but was ordered to do so last month by U.S. District Court Judge G Emmet Sullivan.
The court ordered Clinton to “[D]escribe the creation of the clintonemail.com domain name and the decision to set the domain up on the existing server, the date it was decided to create the domain and set it up on the existing server, who made those decisions, and when the domain became operational...
1984 Run-off election envelopes found in wine shop basement…
December 14, 2018
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - It was just a normal day of business for Domaine South, a Downtown Huntsville wine shop. An employee said he was doing some stocking in the cellar when he discovered a shelf with a "false back."
...what he found, struck a history-loving nerve. A box, full of election envelopes from 1984. The Democratic Primary run-off election to be specific.
While they appeared to be sealed absentee ballots from 1984, Madison County Probate Judge Frank Barger said all of the envelopes had canvassing statements inside.
"The building's been around since the late 1800s. So, who knows how many offices and businesses have been in here," Dennis said...
Federal judge rules Obamacare unconstitutional…
December 14, 2018
A U.S. federal judge in Texas ruled on Friday that the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, is unconstitutional, a decision that was likely to be appealed to the Supreme Court.
U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor in Fort Worth agreed with a coalition of 20 states that a change in tax law last year eliminating a penalty for not having health insurance invalidated the entire Obamacare law.
O’Connor’s decision was issued the day before the end of a 45-day sign-up period for 2019 health coverage under the law.
As I predicted all along, Obamacare has been struck down as an UNCONSTITUTIONAL disaster! Now Congress must pass a STRONG law that provides GREAT healthcare and protects pre-existing conditions. Mitch and Nancy, get it done!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 15, 2018
Johnson & Johnson knew for decades that asbestos lurked in its Baby Powder…
December 14, 2018
Facing thousands of lawsuits alleging that its talc caused cancer, J&J insists on the safety and purity of its iconic product. But internal documents examined by Reuters show that the company's powder was sometimes tainted with carcinogenic asbestos and that J&J kept that information from regulators and the public.
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A Reuters examination of many of those documents, as well as deposition and trial testimony, shows that from at least 1971 to the early 2000s, the company’s raw talc and finished powders sometimes tested positive for small amounts of asbestos, and that company executives, mine managers, scientists, doctors and lawyers fretted over the problem and how to address it while failing to disclose it to regulators or the public.Severe Mental Health Side Effects Of Contraceptive Pill Revealed In New Bbc Documentary…
December 14, 2018
The contraceptive pill has been sparking controversies since it became available in the UK in 1961.
Despite research linking it to everything from breast cancer and blood clots to low libido and weight gain, it remains the most popular form of contraception for women today and is taken by more than 100 million women worldwide.
But countless studies have identified strong links between taking the pill and poor mental health, and a new BBC Two documentary sheds light on the severity of the problem, revealing how it’s left some women suffering from depression and experiencing suicidal thoughts.
Trump Names Mick Mulvaney Acting Chief of Staff…
December 14, 2018
President Trump announced on Friday that he had selected Mick Mulvaney, his budget director, to serve as his acting chief of staff, temporarily halting a week of speculation about who would take over one of the most important positions in the federal government.
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“There’s no time limit. He’s the acting chief of staff, which means he’s the chief of staff,” the official said. “He got picked because the president liked him — they get along.”19 Defendants Charged For The Sex Trafficking Of Minor Girls And Young Women In New York State’s Child Welfare System…
December 14, 2018
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the unsealing of five indictments and three superseding indictments charging a total of 19 with participating in the sex trafficking of minor girls and young women. As alleged, the defendants trafficked or recruited to engage in prostitution at least 15 minor girls in the child welfare system, including at least nine minors who resided at a particular non-incarceratory residential treatment facility located in Westchester County (“Facility-1”). Facility-1 provided housing for at-risk and troubled children and adolescents on behalf of departments of social welfare for certain counties in New York State.
Eight of the 19 charged defendants were arrested yesterday, two are in state custody on unrelated charges, and eight other defendants were previously charged. One remains at large. These defendants were identified as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into the sex trafficking of minor victims, some of whom were as young as 13 years old, in the social welfare system. As detailed below, the charges are set forth in a total of eight separate indictments.
Macron urges calm, Paris police prepare for more violence…
December 14, 2018
French President Emanuel Macron called Friday for calm as authorities prepared to deploy armored vehicles and thousands of security forces for a possible fifth-straight weekend of violent protests on the streets of Paris.
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“Our country needs calm. It needs order. It needs to function normally again,” Macron said in Brussels, where he attended a European Union summit.
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He insisted he had heard the protesters’ concerns and defended his promises to speed up tax relief. He has ignored calls for his resignation, which is now among the protesters’ various demands.Indonesian officials to step up against human trafficking…
December 14, 2018
An Indonesian official vowed on Friday to do more to combat human trafficking after an investigation by The Associated Press revealed that scores of trafficked girls have quietly disappeared from one of the nation's poorest regions.
Josef Nae Soi, the vice governor of East Nusa Tenggara province, said officials will work with police to try to find the missing girls cited in AP's report. He said officials also are strengthening checks at airports and seaports to block attempts by traffickers to smuggle migrant workers abroad. In the past two months, officials have rescued 386 people who were in the process of being smuggled, he said.
Toulouse airport is closed after disabled protesters storm the runway in electric wheelchairs as part of Yellow Vest protests…
December 14, 2018
Disabled people, accompanied by Yellow Vests protesters, managed to invade the runway at Toulouse-Blagnac airport on Friday afternoon causing all inward bound flights to be held or diverted.
They were protesting against the plight of people with disabilities and demanding better accessibility and a decent income.
The demonstrators are also highly opposed to the new ELAN law, which was adopted by the Senate on 16 October, as it lowers the standards of accessibility in new housing in order to build more homes more quickly.
Sandy Hook Elementary School evacuated after bomb threat on 6th anniversary of shooting
December 14, 2018
Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, was evacuated Friday morning after receiving a bomb threat on the sixth anniversary of the mass shooting that left 26 students and teachers dead.
The Newtown Police Department said it received a call around 9 a.m. ET that a bomb was at the school. Officers were sent to the school and conducted a search as a precaution, but do not believe the threat was credible.
Georgia man sentenced to 20 years prison for spearheading interstate pimping ring…
December 14, 2018
According to Charles Peeler, the United State Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, 39 year old Jesse Lee Hall plead guilty in May to several charges including sex trafficking, transportation for illegal sexual activity and inducement to travel to engage in criminal sexual activity.
According to Hall’s plea agreement, Hall acted as a pimp for several victims. According to a press release from the United State Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia’s Office, two victims told authorities that Hall forced them to perform sex acts in hotels throughout Central Georgia.