Definately see these atypical movies.

Don't go see to see "Gravity" just because it is 3D. Go because it is not Hollywood. It is unique. It was directed by the Mexican Alfonso Cuaron. This is a film that challenges the American senses.

And if you went to "Nebraska" realize as you leave the theater after the end of the film, you don't remember the movie was in black and white.

China needs to check the genetics for inbreeding.

Updated: 2014-02-18 09:14
By Yang Yang in Zhengzhou, Hu Yongqi and Wu Wencong in Beijing (China Daily)
On Valentine's Day, (click here) Longsheng, a giant panda at Zhengzhou Zoo, climbed down from his wooden bed to the window and reached out slowly with his right paw to grasp a red carrot from his feeding tray. He seemed lonely without his female companion, Jinyi, who had died on Feb 9.

Seemingly oblivious to the loss, visitors thronged the zoo as usual to see the panda exhibit. They busily snapped photos and talked loudly with their families and friends. Some even knocked heavily on the glass wall to arouse Longsheng's attention. He seemed not to notice as he slowly nibbled his carrot.

Keepers had sanitized the enclosure from top to bottom after Jinyi's death from what zoo officials reported as "heart and lung failure", and the lingering odor of disinfectant still pervaded the panda house.

The cause of Jinyi's death is under investigation. A panda is normally expected to live up to 25 years, and Jinyi was only 7, a panda adolescent.

Questions have been raised whether management practices at the zoo contributed to her death. Scrutiny intensified when the zoo gave contradictory accounts to explain why Jinyi was not in the compound....

China is having internal problems.

By William Wan

Saturday, March 1, 6:06 PM 

BEIJING – A group of knife-wielding assailants (click here) burst into a train station in southern China late Saturday night and slashed to death at least 28 people and injured more than 100 others, according to state media.
The government-run Xinhua News Agency described the Kunming train station assault as a “premeditated violent terrorist attack,” but authorities have not identified the attackers or a their motive....

However, it was observant enough to bring the USA to task regarding it's human rights record.

Interesting, Beijing reflects many problems Americans complain about. But, it forgot to mention the Climate Crisis.

Updated: 2014-02-28 11:13
(Xinhua) 
...Posing as "the world judge of human rights," (click here) the US government "made arbitrary attacks and irresponsible remarks" on the human rights situation in almost 200 countries and regions again in its just-released reports, the report says.
"However, the US carefully concealed and avoided mentioning its own human rights problems," it adds.
The report calls the US tapping program, code-named PRISM, which exercises long-term and vast surveillance both at home and abroad, "a blatant violation of international law" and it "seriously infringes on human rights."
The US also faces rampant gun violence, according to the report. "In 2013, 137 people died in 30 mass killings, which caused four or more deaths each, in the US."
The report also cites figures to show that frequent drone strikes by the US in countries including Pakistan and Yemen have caused heavy civilian casualties.
The US has carried out 376 drone strikes in Pakistan since 2004, causing deaths of up to 926 civilians, according to the report.
"The US still faces grave employment situation with its unemployment rate remained high," the report says.
Rates of unemployment for the lowest-income families have topped 21 percent. The homeless population in the US kept swelling and it had climbed 16 percent from 2011 to 2013, it added.
"There are also a large amount of child laborers in the agricultural sector in the US and their physical and mental health was seriously harmed," the report says.
To date, the US remains a country which has not ratified or participated in a series of core UN conventions on human rights, such as the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, according to the report.

China can't use ethanol?

Updated: 2014-03-02 05:08
 (Xinhua)

BEIJING - China has returned 887,000 tonnes of US corn (click here) shipments tainted with a genetically-modified (GM) strain not approved by the country's agriculture ministry since last October.
These corn shipments were found to contain the unapproved MIR162, a strain of insect-resistent transgenic corn, according to the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.
China detected the first batch of MIR162 tainted corn shipment from the US in last October in Shenzhen, and found several batches at the country's different ports after that.
The administration urged local entry-exit inspection and quarantine bureaus to step up detection of the imported farm produce and return or destroy those tainted with unapproved GM components.

The oil and gas really isn't anything new, is it? These maps have existed a long time, some go back to the late 1970s. The deposits are within historic earthquakes zones, right? Think ethanol. Seriously. It will extend the oil supply for generations. Ask Saudi Arabia how important it is to manage the oil fields with the future as a focus.

Updated: 2014-03-02 05:05
(Xinhua)
BEIJING - China discovered (click here) nearly 1.1 billion tonnes of oil deposits and 616.4 billion cubic meters of natural gas reserves in 2013, said the Ministry of Land and Resources.
Of the new discoveries, 202 million tonnes of oil and 381.9 billion cubic meters of natural gas can be exploited with the current technologies, according to the ministry.
The production of oil and natural gas last year stood at 210 million tonnes and 117.6 billion cubic meters, rising 1.4 percent and 9.1 percent year-on-year, respectively.
"Oil and natural gas discoveries maintained a strong momentum in 2013 with steady production increase as China strengthened its exploration efforts and made breakthroughs," said the ministry.
China is one of the world's largest energy consumers, and a large part of its demands, especially in oil and natural gas, depends on imports.

I'll be darn, China is starting to grow it's service industry. It must advice from Clin-ton.

Updated: 2014-02-26 11:40
By Amy He in New York and He Wei in Shanghai (China Daily USA)

US companies in China (click here) are shifting their focus to the service sector in line with China's transition from being the world's factory floor to a knowledge-driven economy, a survey has found.
For the first time, services accounted for more than half, or 52 percent, of US companies' revenue in China in 2013, up 11 percentage points from the previous year, according to the annual China Business Report released on Tuesday by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai (AmCham Shanghai).
China continues to be a key profit center for US companies, the survey also found, with 74 percent of respondents reporting profits in 2013. Three out of four saw positive cash flows in their China operations, up 3 percent from a year ago...

Ukrainians need to avoid conflict with other citizens and police. Buildings are not important. They mean nothing to the country. Buildings can be rebuilt and rebuilt better than they were in the first place.

The people should be in their homes with their families and attend work if it is safe. Life is going on, there is no reason to change it unless there are safety issues that come first.

The Ukraine are the great people that live within it's borders. I hope there is humanitarian aid and medical aid on the way to these people. They are a great nation and should not fear the future.

I have other things to do today. The weekend, ya know?

Tension A Pro-Russia demonstration in Simferopol, Crimea, Ukraine on Tuesday. Across Ukraine, the divided allegiances between Russia and the West were on full display as fistfights broke out between pro- and anti-Russia protesters.

But, I'll say this. If I lived in the Crimea I would hoist any flag of any nation if they arrived with troops. I hope everyone has a good day.

California received some rain, does it still have top soil? That is no joke, agriculture in California is a large part of the California economy, the USA and a fair share of the global economy.

By ADAM NAGOURNEY and IAN LOVETT 

FEB. 28, 2014

...More rain fell (click here) here in Los Angeles over the course of 12 hours on Friday — 1.53 inches — than had fallen over the last eight months, according to the National Weather Service....

Vladimir this is not a good idea. Forget the G8 in Sochi. It isn't going to happen if this is Russian policy.

Posted February 27, 2014 6:25 (GMT)
By FX Empire Analyst - Barry Norman

Russia military action (click here) turned up the heat on geopolitical tension on Wednesday, pushing traders towards risk aversion and safety. Gold touched a recent high, but the US dollar became the favored safe haven trade. The greenback climbed against most of its crosses. The US dollar held near a two-week high against a basket of major currencies on Thursday, as heightening tensions in Ukraine helped support safe-haven demand for the greenback....

It is easily said that Russia is spending any political capital it may have gained during the Olympics. This is such a sour note after the games. Sorry to see all this occur. Russia got tired of being threatened by The West and it's missile shield.

Ukraine says Russia sending 'thousands' of troops to Crimea (click here)

By Bertrand De Saisset and Dmitry Zaks in Kiev (AFP) – 32 minutes ago 

Masked men calling themselves members of a local militia rest at their checkpoint on a highway that connect Black Sea peninsula to mainland Ukraine near the city of Armyansk, on February 28, 2014 (AFP, Viktor Drachev)

Simferopol — Ukraine accused Russia on Saturday of sending thousands of extra troops into Crimea as the Kremlin vowed to help restore calm on the flashpoint peninsula and Washington warned of "costs" to Moscow should it use force.

Defence Minister Igor Tenyukh told the Ukrainian government's first cabinet session that Russia's armed forces had sent in 30 armoured personnel carriers and 6,000 additional troops into Crimea in a bid to help local pro-Kremlin militia gain broader independence from the new pro-EU leaders in Kiev.
Tenyukh accused Russia of starting to send in these reinforcements on Friday "without warning or Ukraine's permission."

The defence chief spoke as dozens of pro-Russian gunmen in full combat gear patrolled outside the seat of power in Crimea's capital Simferopol, a day after similar gunmen seized control over airports and government buildings in the territory....

The so called Prime Minister of the Crimea never existed until Russia indulged their aggression dreams. 

Aksyonov is playing Russia for a fool. He has no standing with any international body. He has no government and is playing with power that doesn't belong to him. The power he is counting on is becoming a territory of Russia. Is Russia going to occupy this land forever? There is no preparation by any Crimean to be an autonomous nation. The Crimea is unable to stand on it's own. Russia can remove him from being a Prime Minister as soon as they recognized him.

Sergei Aksyonov is in the photo left.

Originally Published at 13:20

SIMFEROPOL, March 1 (RIA Novosti) – The Crimean Prime Minister (click here) said Saturday that Russian troops are operating on the Ukrainian peninsula and made a personal appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin for more assistance.

The Kremlin said in a subsequent statement that it would not ignore the request for help.

Sergei Aksyonov, who was appointed prime minister after a parliamentary vote Thursday, said that an agreement was in place with Russia’s Black Sea Fleet for Russian soldiers to perform guard duties at strategic locations.
“We have established cooperation with the Black Sea Fleet to protect vitally important sites,” Aksyonov said during a Cabinet meeting.

There have been widespread reports of significant Russian military activity, including the movement of tanks, troops and helicopters, across the Crimea in recent days. But Russia has insisted that all the movements are allowed within the framework of a 1997 agreement with Ukraine about the use of naval bases....

From Pravda.

Russian scientists develop stealth technology for submarines (click here) 
12.02.14  

Anti sonar coating for submarines that will allow them to become virtually invisible during combat service is being developed in St. Petersburg. In fact, we are talking about application of stealth technology in the submarine fleet. While the development of Russian scientists is unique, in fairness it should be noted that this was conceived by the Third Reich designers.

 According to media reports, as a result of the development by specialists of St. Petersburg Shipbuilding Research Institute named after Krylov, the Russian Navy will receive a tool that would allow it to make its submarines stealth. The new material will feature embedded active sensors neutralizing sonar search signals of the likely opponent, like they used to say back in the day.

 While maintaining the noise indicators of the fourth generation nuclear strategic submarines and multipurpose projects "Yasen" and "Borei" being built at Europe's largest military shipyard "Sevmash" in Severodvinsk, the new construction will allow to reduce their so-called sonar visibility by at least three times. This know-how is truly world class....
          

This is all staged aggression backed by propaganda by Russia and has lead to occupation of the Ukraine.

There is no doubt Yanukovych will be escorted back to his mansion and Russia will stand guard to prevent his arrest. As soon as his arrest, as currently declared by the Ukraine legislature through a legitimate vote, is stopped by Russia, the Ukraine will be permanently occupied by Russia. The West needs to decide where it stands with all this and now the USA has a missile ship in Cuba. Russia is not playing games.

What follows in the Ukraine will be more and more imposition of the Russian military as if Yanukovych were their dictator including executive orders to round up and arrest all the current leaders.Russia expects no opposition from the Ukraine military and if there is it will kill people until 'the rebellion' is suppressed.

It is Iraq all over again. The West had their chance before Yanukovych took over and put Tymoshenko in prison. The West turned their back on them when it could have turned the Ukraine economy around. Now, there is conflict and the people of the Ukraine still don't have their problems solved. Prepare for refugees. 

Russian actions and continued aggression has only accomplished one thing, The West is now well invested to this growing global problem.

...The State Duma (click here) also said that currently it is impossible to conduct legitimate and democratic elections in Ukraine due to actions of “radical forces.” 

The Upper Chamber of the Russian Parliament admitted a limited number of Russian troops could be brought to Crimea to ensure safety, speaker Valentina Matvienko said. 

“It’s possible in this situation, complying with a request by the Crimean government, even to bring a limited contingent of our troops to ensure the safety of the Back Sea Fleet and the Russian citizens living on the Crimea territory. The decision is for the president, the chief military commander, to make of course. But today, taking the situation into account, even that variant can’t be excluded. We need to protect the people,” Matvienko said.
In their turn, Ukraine’s self-proclaimed authorities urged Moscow to “withdraw troops and comply with bilateral agreements” and “resolve the crisis peacefully and politically,” interim President Arseny Yatsenyuk said.

This comes despite Russia’s repeated statements that all military operations in the region fall within in the framework of the agreement that concerns the Russian naval base in the Black Sea. 

Although Western politicians and the media have expressed concern over Russia’s alleged involvement in Crimea, they have not been able to produce any solid evidence. A US State Department spokeswoman told a press conference they have no confirmation of “intervention” in Crimea.
So far, Moscow and the Crimean authorities have agreed to guard objects belonging to the Russian Black Sea Fleet, whose main base is located in Sevastopol, according to RIA Novosti. 

Crimeans began protesting after the new self-proclaimed government in Kiev introduced a law abolishing the use of other languages in official circumstances in Ukraine. More than half the Crimean population are Russian and use only this language for their communication. The residents have announced they are going to hold a referendum on March 30 to determine the fate of the Ukrainian autonomous region.

The US needs to go to the United Nations.

What is so different than the US invasion into Iraq. The difference is the US had a UN resolution, but, the invasion was illegal anyway, the UN Inspectors barely made it out of Iraq before the bombs started falling.

The returned government needs to address the UN including the former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. The Russian propaganda is stating they are justified as liberators due to a rebel uprising. The Ukraine needs to address the United Nations and begin a record to the lies of Russia.

Russian armored personnel carriers and a truck parked on the side of the road near the town of Bakhchisarai, Ukraine. The vehicles had come to a halt because one apparently had mechanical problems.  

Photo: IVAN SEKRETAREV/AP

By Harriet Alexander
10:52AM GMT 01 Mar 2014 

11.20 AFP news agency are saying that over 10,000 protest in Ukraine's pro-Russia city of Donetsk.(click here)

Remember Donetsk is where Viktor Yanukovych fled when he was deposed, before crossing into Russia.

More photos and video of these pro-Russia demonstrations when we get them....

Russia's so called military exercise may have resulted in Ukraine deaths. There needs to be an accounting for this incident and it's outcome other than Russian propaganda. It is Pakistan all over again. Russia is attempting a change in government even though there was an agreement for elections in May.

Yulia Tymoshenko was never respected by the media in the USA. Her time as Ukraine's leader was marred by economic strife because the country was ignored by The West. She turned to Russia for assistance with the economy and struck a deal with Russia over Gasprom. As soon as the deal was made
Yanukovych charged her with abuse of power and arrested her before her trial was completed.

KIEV – Like many Ukrainian politicians, (click here) prime minister and presidential candidate Yulia Tymoshenko relies on fortune-tellers and TV psychics to bolster her embattled spirit. Several years ago, one such mystical specialist compared birth years, personality types, and other intimate details to confirm what Tymoshenko had suspected since the 1996 release of the movie Evita....

This is from the Daily Beast.

02.23.14
Yulia Tymoshenko (click here) has a record allegedly as shady as any politician’s in Ukraine, and that’s saying something. But, still, she brings her people hope....

Published time: March 01, 2014 09:13
Edited time: March 01, 2014 10:57 

Unknown armed men (click here) from Kiev have tried to seize the Crimean Interior Ministry overnight, and there were several injuries in that attack, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“Thanks to the decisive action of self-defense squads, the attempt to seize the building of the Interior Ministry was derailed. This attempt confirms the intention of prominent political circles in Kiev to destabilize the situation on the peninsula,” the statement added.
"We believe it is extremely irresponsible to further pressure the already tense situation in the Crimea," the ministry stated stressing its concerns over the latest developments in the region... 

Russia doesn't need a spy ship, the USA is opposing the Russian occupation of the Ukraine. The spy ship simply escalates the tensions and acts as a direct threat to the USA. All this mess was initiated by Russia, no one else.

Basically, Russia is now parking missile ships off the USA no different than the USA has with Europe. Actually, it can be said the USA under "W" started this baloney. But, the Ukraine was not in the mix with "W".

And, of course, everything is military exercises and friendly visits right up to the point where it isn't. 

Interesting about Russia, they don't call up aggressions for the sake of Wall Street like the USA does. The Russians actually stands on principle even if the rest of the world disagrees with it.

Bringing back memories: (click here) Tourists in a old American car pass by the Russian Viktor Leonov spy ship that docked in Havana, Cuba, on Wednesday

Americans have forgotten the proper place for privacy. It could be a tragic generational loss, actually.

Something occurred to me while listening to the issue of discrimination demonstrated in Arizona. There is this idea, creative idea, that anything in life is up for religious discrimination. In other words, some religions carry more status to discriminate because of their rules to live by.

In most Free World countries a house of worship is a matter of privacy. Buildings where religion is practiced has the same right of privacy as a home would, in that, activities are private.

Religion is a private matter. While a person has a right to practice their faith they have no right to impose it on anyone else. It is that understanding that is left out of the argument about discrimination in anyway due to religious preference.

The degree of privacy allowed to people is important. Personal space. But, when that person exits areas of privacy and enters a public practice or place, the rights of that person ends as to the type of activities allowed. No one is allowed to have sex in public. That activity is a matter of the practice of privacy rights.

The reason all these 'laws of imposition' are viewed as illegal, including vaginal probes and ultrasounds in abortion clinics, is because it is an invasion of privacy. When a person walks into a place of business the very last thing anyone expects is to be asked to leave because of discriminatory ideas about religion. Businesses where the public seeks services are outside the realm of privacy.

There was a time in the country when everyone understood that unwritten and unspoken law. Private practices applied to private places. Religion is one of those things. It is a personal allegiance to god. Abortion falls into that category of 'personal space' for obvious reasons.

I wondered what would be the answer to the gay community if Governor Brewer signed the bill into law? It would mean the gay community in Arizona would set up services for gays that may or may not be available to others. Then I realized that was segregation. Then I looked at how gays in the past segregated because of discrimination that was not legislated and I thought of Harvey Milk and San Francisco.

The nation has all kinds of arguments coming before the Supreme Court this year that involves exactly these issues. The arguments to the bench have to include the fact that religion is not a public practice in our society whereby it dominates every aspect of life. The arguments have to return the perspective to the laws that puts privacy back inside a sanctuary, be it a house or a place of worship. The arguments also have to put the privacy back into an woman's identity when it comes to carrying a pregnancy to full term or not.

A tent is illuminated as Afghan asylum seekers camp inside the Church of Saint John the Baptist at the Beguinage in central Brussels February 6, 2014.

Credit: Reuters/Francois Lenoir

(Reuters) - Hundreds of Afghan refugees (click here) have set up camp in a Brussels church, protesting against their imminent deportation to their home country, which they say is not safe.
Sitting in the heart of Brussels' trendy Saint Catherine district, with renowned fish restaurants and designer fashion stores, nothing on the outside of Saint John the Baptist at the Beguinage hints at its temporary residents.
Inside, however, half of the church is filled with tents and makeshift beds. People sit on the floor to eat their lunch and children run around the 17th century baroque church's nave.
The refugees say they fear they would be killed or be forced to join terrorist groups if they returned to Afghanistan.
"We are afraid to die, to go back to die or to join a group of Al-Qaeda that is against humanity," said Samir Hamdard, the 29-year-old spokesman for the group....