sour grapes!

Paraguay was one of just three countries to move their embassy to Jerusalem, but they have now issued a dramatic reversal. In response Israel has shuttered its embassy in Paraguay.
sour grapes!

Paraguay was one of just three countries to move their embassy to Jerusalem, but they have now issued a dramatic reversal. In response Israel has shuttered its embassy in Paraguay.
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| Credit NOAA |
#13,481
Three weeks ago, in NOAA Investigating Unusual Seal Strandings & Deaths In New England we looked at reports of an unusual spike in seal mortality along the Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts coastlines, which was reminiscent of a 2011 event caused by a novel H3N8 avian flu (see New England Seal Deaths Tied to H3N8 Flu Virus).
That 2011 outbreak caused considerable stir, both in the press and the scientific community, because the virus was shown to have acquired significant mammalian adaptations (see Nature Communications: Respiratory Transmission of Avian H3N8 In Ferrets).
Roughly two weeks ago, avian influenza (subtype not specified), along with Phocine Distemper virus, was confirmed as being present in at least some of the seals recovered in this latest die off (see NOAA: Seals in New England Test Positive for Avian Flu & Phocine Distemper Virus).
Last Friday NOAA Fisheries declared a UME (Unusual Mortality Event) among penipeds in the Northeast, along with a second UME among bottlenosed dolphins in Southwest Florida linked to a Red Tide outbreak.
We’ve a 51 minute audio file of a press conference held by NOAA Fisheries, followed by a brief written statement (below).
The $64 question still outstanding is what subtype of avian influenza was detected in these seals? And for that, we still have no answers. During the 2011 outbreak it took roughly 6 weeks after influenza A was announced before we learned it was due to H3N8.
Although the risk is likely low, the public is being urged not to approach within 100 yards of dead, sick, or stranded seals, and to keep all pets on a leash to prevent contact.
2018 Pinniped Unusual Mortality Event along the Northeast Coast
Since July 2018, elevated numbers of harbor seal and gray seal mortalities have occurred across Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. This event has been declared an Unusual Mortality Event (UME).
New England/Mid-AtlanticSince July 2018, elevated numbers of harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) and gray seal (Halichoerus grypus) mortalities have occurred across Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. This event has been declared an Unusual Mortality Event (UME).
Why are seals stranding?
Full or partial necropsy examinations have been conducted on several of the seals and samples have been collected for testing. Preliminary testing has found some seals positive for either avian influenza or phocine distemper virus. We have many more samples to process and analyze, so it is still too soon to determine if either or both of these viruses are the primary cause of the mortality event.
As part of the UME investigation process, an independent team of scientists (Investigative Team) is being assembled to coordinate with the Working Group on Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events to review the data collected and provide guidance for the investigation.
How can I help?
Report a stranded or floating seal
The most important step members of the public can take to assist investigators is to immediately report any sightings of live seals in distress or dead seals. Make the report by calling the NOAA hotline at 866-755-NOAA (6622) or by contacting your local marine mammal stranding network member by visiting our Stranding Network web page for local contact information.
Please, do not approach or touch the seal.
For some past blogs on influenza in seals, you may wish to revisit:
Marisa Treviño LatinaLista The upcoming midterm elections are viewed as a ‘pivotal’ election for the nation. For one side, it’s about protecting the GOP majority and the Trump adm…
As a potential offensive into the remaining Syrian rebel strongholds in Idlib from the Assad government becomes more likely, Russian propaganda outlets like RT (formerly known as Russia Today), their various embassies, and their network of friendly media outlets have started pushing stories of potential chemical attacks in Idlib and Hama.
Various stories spread by Russia, particularly its Ministry of Defense, claim that phone calls were made to the Russian Reconciliation Center supposedly warning a number of nefarious activities. These claims from Russian government bodies and outlets connected to Russia’s media network have accused a range of groups, including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and the Syrian Civil Defense (White Helmets), of readying false flag operations to blame Russia or Syria. However, while there is no evidence of any actual preparations for “false flag attacks”, on the 26th of August, RT’s Ruptly video service uploaded footage of a government Volcano missile launcher being deployed to Idlib. This comes five years after chemical weapons variants of this launcher were used in the 2013 Ghouta attack.
Sputnik, another Russian state-funded media outlet, has also pushed a story by the Russian Ministry of Defense claiming that specialist groups trained by the British Olive group were preparing to conduct a possible attack. The Olive group ceased to exist in 2015 following a merger with Constellis group.
These claims continue a narrative pushed by Russia and the Assad government that British special forces are somehow involved in Syria. A similarly bizarre, and unverifiable, claim was made earlier that British troops were captured in Ghouta by pro-government forces.
Russia’s official government bodies and media outlets also continue to promote images from a pro-government movie funded by the Syrian government. The plot of the movie, Revolution Man, portrays an international journalist who fakes a chemical weapons incident with the help of terrorists.
Russian Defence Ministry: English-speaking “foreign specialists” have arrived in #Syria to attempt staging chlorine chemical attack early this week. Latest intel indicates the hoax is planned to take place in the village of Kafr Zita (Hama province) #HoaxAlert pic.twitter.com/JfK5eveca7
— Russia in RSA
(@EmbassyofRussia) August 27, 2018
The images, sometimes claimed to be from a White Helmets film set, are often posted in conjunction with stories or tweets “predicting” upcoming chemical attacks. The same images and claims were used in Russian media when questioning government responsibility for the Douma chemical weapon attack.
Such claims are not always connected to or in anticipation of any specific attacks by pro-government forces. Rather these claims seem to come at times when Russia needs to muddle the conversation regarding attacks, or going into preemptive damage control for an ally it struggles to control.
Coinciding with these claims, the United States, United Kingdom, and France have stated they will act in the event of a government chemical weapons attack in Idlib. However, there is little reason to expect actual action if a chemical attack were to occur.
With over 200 documented chemical weapons incidents in Syria, most of which have been committed by the Assad government, the actual response by countries who have threatened action in the past has been largely symbolic and limited.
Following the first major use of Sarin on Ghouta in 2013 by pro-government forces, the United States backed down from the now-infamous “red line” against chemical weapons usage. Instead, chemical weapons stockpiles were allegedly destroyed with the help of international bodies. Pro-government forces continued to use chlorine and Sarin following the Ghouta attack, with the vast majority of chlorine attacks having gone largely unnoticed or ignored by the countries threatening military action. Though some military actions have taken place following flagrant chemical attacks carried out by pro-government forces, most of these strikes were relatively limited and Russian forces were warned in advance of incoming strikes.
Accusations against rebels, the White Helmets, and various other bogeymen created by government supporters and propaganda have generally pushed the narrative that because the pro-government forces are winning, there is no need for them to use chemical weapons that draw heavy international scrutiny. The most likely reasoning for these attacks, according to this logic, is the desire of the rebels, whom they believe are fully funded and backed by foreign enemies of Assad, to draw in outside intervention. Seven years into the Syrian Civil War and with no sign of serious military intervention after hundreds of chemical attacks, this logic seems weaker than ever.
Whether or not the government plans to use chemical weapons during an offensive in Idlib has yet to be seen. Chemical weapons were successfully used by the Syrian Army in Douma to advance the government’s demands over Russia’s plans and agreements with groups like Faylaq al-Rahman, thus making this route more attractive for Assad to use again.
However, the presence of Turkish soldiers along the borders of Idlib impedes the government’s use of chemical weapons in Idlib. Despite a relatively tame response to previous attacks, new U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton could see Assad’s use of chemical weapons in a highly-scrutinized battle as an opportunity to strike government forces in order to project what the administration may see as strength.
While the potential response of the U.S. and Europe is unclear in the event of a chemical attack in Idlib, it is clear that Russia and its allies are intent on muddling the media landscape in the event that Assad yet again uses chemical weapons during a future Idlib offensive.
The post Russia Ramps Up Chemical Weapon Disinformation Leading-Up to Idlib Offensive appeared first on bellingcat.
www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-homeless-9th-circuit-20180904-story.html
Not against law to sleep outside – how could it ever been? When humans started, it was not in a ranch home duh 🙄
melt down

Female assault victims may not go to police in country where an estimated 90% of rapes are unreported
A major police academy in Thailand has announced it will ban women from enrolling , sparking accusations of gender discrimination.
The Royal Police Cadet Academy (RPCA), on the western outskirts of Bangkok, accepts about 300 applicants a year. But from 2019 it will admit only men. Worawut Sripakhon, an RPCA captain, did not offer a reason for the new rule, saying: “It’s policy. We’re not allowed to give any more information than that.”

The vote to leave the EU made me take action. We now have Volt, a party offering a different kind of politics
Before Brexit I never thought deeply about Europe. I benefited from the European Union, studied its shortcomings and achievements, yet it had always seemed to be a given. But 23 June 2016 changed everything. On the morning of Britain’s vote to leave the EU I was on the phone to my partner, Andrea Venzon, and felt devastated. I grew up in France and studied law in the UK. Andrea and I had always planned to move to London some day. It just made sense: I’m French, he’s Italian, and we’d first met there. We represent the generation who have been able to study across Europe as part of the Erasmus scheme. Suddenly we had to rethink everything. I was 22.
During that call, Andrea said something that struck me: “Let’s stop complaining and actually do something.” Since bad politics had brought us here, good politics might be the answer. He had the right idea: to start a progressive, pan-European movement. We called it Volt: a word that’s understood across borders and shows we want to bring new energies to Europe.
Meet Ben Jealous – the Democratic Nominee for Governor of Maryland.

If you can give, please do. Even if you can’t, pass this info onto others.
Ben Jealous is a civil rights leader, community organizer, investor in startups for good, educator, former investigative journalist and a Rhodes Scholar who has spent his life bringing people together to get big things done.
He specializes in building diverse coalitions for change and holding government leaders accountable to the needs of everyday people.
Ben’s Maryland roots go back generations. His grandparents lived in Baltimore, where Ben’s grandfather worked on the B&O Railroad and his grandmother at Planned Parenthood. Ben’s mother grew up in the McCulloh Homes public housing complex in West Baltimore and helped to integrate Western High School in 1954 as a member of the NAACP’s Youth and College Division. Ben’s father was one of a small number of white men jailed during the Congress of Racial Equality’s efforts to desegregate Baltimore’s downtown business district.
Ben grew up spending summers in West Baltimore and has lived in Maryland throughout his career as a civil rights leader and businessman.
Ben has extensive experience as a non-profit executive, serving as the past president of the Rosenberg Foundation, and the founding director of Amnesty International’s U.S. Domestic Human Rights Program.
At age 35, Ben was named the youngest ever National President and CEO of the NAACP. During the depths of a national recession, Ben guided the NAACP through an unprecedented era of growth, nearly doubling the organization’s revenue in just five years. Online activists grew from 175,000 to more than 600,000 while donors increased from 16,000 individuals per year to more than 120,000. The NAACP’s membership increased three years consecutively for the first time in 20 years under Ben’s leadership.
Ben used his background as a community organizer and executive to press the NAACP forward in expanding and protecting the civil rights of all Americans. The NAACP opened national programs focused on education, health and environmental justice and worked on issues related to the economy and voting rights.
In 2013, Ben was named Marylander of the Year by the Baltimore Sun because of the role he played in leading the effort to abolish the death penalty, helping assure the effort to pass marriage equality was successful, chairing the effort to pass the DREAM Act, and expand voting rights.
Ben JealousThroughout his NAACP tenure, Ben worked with governors from California to Iowa, developing plans to help end mass incarceration and expand civil rights, and helped to pass numerous landmark pieces of legislation during President Obama’s first term in office.
As a community organizer Ben helped lead successful campaigns to abolish the death penalty for children, stop Mississippi’s governor from turning a public historically black university into a prison, and pass federal legislation against prison rape.
While working as a journalist in Mississippi, Ben’s investigations were credited with helping save the life of a white inmate who was being threatened for helping convict corrupt prison guards, free a black small farmer who was being framed for arson, and spur official investigations into law enforcement corruption.
Ben JealousBen currently works as an investor for Kapor Capital, an investment firm that invests in companies working to create progressive social change. At Kapor, Ben manages the firm’s Baltimore office where he has invested in several Maryland companies working to make our state stronger.
Ben is a graduate of Columbia and Oxford University and comes from a long line of activists. He is also the proud father of two children who attend public schools.

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