Scientists feared the last of Australia’s short-nosed sea snakes died about 15 years ago, which makes this new sighting doubly auspicious: A wildlife official snapped a photo of not one but two of the snakes swimming off the western coast—and they were making googly eyes at each other.
“What is even more exciting is that they were courting, suggesting that they are members of a breeding population,” says researcher Blanche D’Anastasi of James Cook University in a press release.
Photo Credit: Grant Griffin, W.A. Dept. Parks and Wildlife
No such snake had been spotted since the species disappeared from its habitat at Ashmore Reef in the Timor Sea more than a decade ago. Scientists at JCU confirmed that the photos, taken at Ningaloo Reef, captured images of the sea snakes in the journal Biological Conservation. (Read more from “‘Extinct’ Snakes Spotted off the Coast of Australia” HERE)
https://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/logotext.png00Joe Millerhttps://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/logotext.pngJoe Miller2015-12-22 23:48:522016-04-11 10:54:46Must See: ‘Extinct’ Snakes Spotted off the Coast of Australia
Hillary Clinton’s donors say they think Bernie Sanders will raise more money in the fourth quarter than their candidate for the first time ever — a testament to the underdog’s online cash juggernaut and a harbinger of donor fatigue among the front-runner’s backers.
Clinton campaign officials said she remains on track to reach her goal of $100 million for the primary by the end of the year; she had already collected $77 million by the end of the third quarter.
But Sanders nearly matched Clinton in the most recent quarter — raising an eye-popping $26 million to Clinton’s $28 million — and multiple fundraising sources on Clinton’s team told POLITICO they expect the Vermont senator to beat her when the next financial disclosures are filed on Jan. 30, just before the Iowa caucuses.
“People are feeling very complacent — and more reluctant to contribute — because they don’t take Bernie Sanders that seriously,” top Clinton donor Alan Patricof told POLITICO. “They look at the other side and think, how could anyone possibly back any one of them? The attitude of sensible people is that she’s the only one who makes any sense.” None of the donors or campaign insiders POLITICO spoke with Monday disputed the notion that Sanders was on track to beat them in the end-of-year cash race.
Low-balling your candidate’s fundraising totals is a time-honored practice in presidential politics: If Clinton somehow manages to come out on top, her campaign can portray the quarter as exceeding expectations — no easy feat in a race where she is leading Sanders by 20 to 30 percentage points nationally. (Read more from “Clinton Donors Say Sanders Is Raising More than the Front-Runner” HERE)
https://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/logotext.png00Joe Millerhttps://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/logotext.pngJoe Miller2015-12-22 23:45:572016-04-11 10:54:46Clinton Donors Say Sanders Is Raising More than the Front-Runner
Judicial Watch announced today that it filed a lawsuit on December 2, 2015, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia seeking records of communications from National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) officials regarding methodology for collecting and interpreting data used in climate models (Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of Commerce (No 1:15-cv-02088)). The lawsuit sought the same documents unsuccessfully subpoenaed by a House committee. Less than week after Judicial Watch served its lawsuit on NOAA, the agency finally turned over the targeted documents to Congress.
Judicial Watch sued the Department of Commerce after the agency failed to respond to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request submitted on October 30, 2015 – NOAA is a component of the Department of Commerce. The timeframe for the requested records is October 30, 2014, through October 30, 2015, and requests all documents and records of communications between NOAA officials, employees, and contractors regarding:
The methodology and utilization of night marine air temperatures to adjust ship and buoy temperature data;
The use of other global temperature datasets for both NOAA’s in-house dataset improvements and monthly press releases conveying information to the public about global temperatures;
The utilization and consideration of satellite bulk atmospheric temperature readings for use in global temperature datasets; and
A subpoena issued for the aforementioned information by Congressman Lamar Smith on October 13, 2015.
Judicial Watch is investigating how NOAA collects and disseminates climate data that is used in determining global climate change. NOAA collects data in thousands of ways – from temperature gauges on land and buoys at sea, to satellites orbiting Earth. Considered the “environmental intelligence agency,” NOAA is the nation’s leading collector of climate data. In July, Representative Lamar Smith (R-TX) asked NOAA for both data and internal communications related to a controversial climate change study. After the agency refused to comply with the document request, Smith’s committee issued a subpoena on October 13. According to the Science, Space, and Technology Committee:
In June, NOAA widely publicized a study as refuting the nearly two-decade pause in climate change. After three letters requesting all communications from the agency surrounding the role of political appointees in the agency’s scientific process, Chairman Smith issued a subpoena for the information. Smith subsequently sent a letter on December 1st offering to accept documents and communications from NOAA political, policy and non-scientific staff as a first step in satisfying the subpoena requirements.
(Read more from “Judicial Watch Sues for Documents Withheld from Congress in New Climate Data Scandal” HERE)
https://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/logotext.png00Joe Millerhttps://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/logotext.pngJoe Miller2015-12-22 23:45:002016-04-11 10:54:46Judicial Watch Sues for Documents Withheld from Congress in New Climate Data Scandal
Western Journalism reported Monday on emcee Steve Harvey’s blunder during Sunday’s Miss Universe pageant. The incident occurred when Harvey misspoke and announced Miss Colombia as the winner of the pageant when, in fact, it was Miss Philippines who earned the title.
Former pageant owner Donald Trump, who was quick to mention that he made a lot of money off of the sale of the pageant, tweeted out a response that it would have never happened had he still been the owner of the pageant . . .
To his credit, Harvey was very apologetic, but the damage was done. It is unclear whether there will be any lawsuits for damages as a result of announcing the wrong winner of the pageant. Harvey took full responsibility for his actions and reminded everyone not to “take it out on the ladies.” Western Journalism is now getting a look at the cue card from which Harvey was reading when he made the mistake.
https://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/logotext.png00kathleenhttps://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/logotext.pngkathleen2015-12-22 23:44:042016-04-11 10:54:46Here’s What the Card That Caused Steve Harvey’s Epic ‘Miss Universe’ Blunder Looked Like
From the Vulcan mind meld to Professor Dumbledore’s Pensieve, there are countless ways in which people share memories in fictional films and TV shows.
But such fantastical ideas could soon become a reality, using electrodes implanted in the brain.
Neuroscientists have already begun trialling implants that boost memory loss, and in the future they believe these implants could be used to replicate memories in the brains of others.
Research teams from the University of Southern California and University of Pennsylvania have been testing the technology on epilepsy patients.
These patients already have electrodes implanted in their brains, which means the experts didn’t need to insert the prostheses in new patients through risky brain surgery. (Read more from “Could We Soon IMPLANT Memories into Other People?” HERE)
https://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/logotext.png00Joe Millerhttps://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/logotext.pngJoe Miller2015-12-22 23:43:452016-04-11 10:54:46Could We Soon IMPLANT Memories into Other People?
By Patrick Goodenough. Leaders of several American Muslim organizations warned Donald Trump and other presidential candidates Monday that if they engage in bigotry and “Islamophobia” they will pay a political price because Muslim voters – in the words of one – will mobilize and “make sure you are out of there.”
“Let it be heard, and clear, to all political candidates, be it Donald Trump or whoever else, that indeed, if you engage in Islamophobia, if you engage in demagoguery and bigotry, you will pay a political price,” American Muslim Alliance director Mahdi Bray said at the National Press Club.
“Because we’re going to register our people and we’re going to use our ballot and we’re going to ‘take our souls to the polls’ and make sure you are out of there,” he continued.
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) national executive director, Nihad Awad, standing alongside Bray, quickly clarified that the organizations on the platform – members of the U.S. Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO) – were not endorsing any candidate.
“There will be another organization that might be formed from the community that will make that decision, but we are – most of us are 501(c)(3) organizations,” Awad said. (Read more from “American Muslim Organizations Release Dire Warning to ‘Islamophobic’ Candidates” HERE)
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Democrats Criticize Trump, Other Republicans on Islam
By David Roach. In the final Democratic presidential debate of the year, all three candidates said the U.S. government should partner with Muslims in the fight against terrorism and accused Republicans of demonizing adherents of the world’s second largest religion.
Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton’s suggestion that Republican front-runner Donald Trump’s statements on Islam are used as recruiting tools by the terrorist group ISIS drew both media attention and calls by Trump for an apology.
“We also need to make sure the really discriminatory messages that Trump is sending around the world don’t fall on receptive ears,” Clinton said during the Dec. 19 debate. “He is becoming ISIS’s best recruiter. They are going to people showing videos of Donald Trump insulting Islam and Muslims in order to recruit more radical jihadists. So I want to explain why this is not in America’s interest to react with this kind of fear and respond to this sort of bigotry.”
Clinton apparently was referencing Trump’s Dec. 7 call for a temporary ban on Muslim immigration to the U.S. in response to the threat of Islamic terrorism.
Trump demanded an apology Dec. 21, calling Clinton’s statement “a disgusting story she made up about me,” according to Politico. The Washington Post said Clinton’s claim that ISIS utilizes videos of Trump “doesn’t appear to be true.” (Read more from “Democrats Criticize Trump, Other Republicans on Islam” HERE)
https://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/logotext.png00Joe Millerhttps://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/logotext.pngJoe Miller2015-12-21 23:40:202016-04-11 10:54:47Watch: American Muslim Organizations Release Dire Warning to ‘Islamophobic’ Candidates
Senator Lindsey Graham is ending his presidential campaign, he told CNN during an exclusive interview airing Monday.
“I’m going to suspend my campaign. I’m not going to suspend my desire to help the country,” the South Carolina senator said in a wide-ranging and candid discussion in which he acknowledged: “I’ve hit a wall here” . . .
Graham is known for his quick wit and famous for his one-liners (just ask Princess Buttercup about his retort from the last debate), but he was sober, serious and emotional as he described his decision to leave the race just weeks before the voting begins. (Editor’s note: RINO Graham is also known for being a total, in-the-tank Establishment politico)
One thing is clear: Graham still wants his voice heard on the direction his party is headed, especially with regard to the Middle East.
“Here’s what I predict. I think the nominee of our party is going to adopt my plan when it comes time to articulate how to destroy ISIL,” he said. “We’ve fallen short here, but the fight continues. To those who are doing the fighting, I want to be your voice. To those in the Republican Party who want to win, check my plan out. Hillary, if you get to be President, I’ll help you where I can. I hope you’re not. But if you are, I’ll be there to help you win a war we can’t afford to lose.” (Read more from “Major: GOP Candidate Drops out of Race” HERE)
A federal judge in California has ordered pro-life and faith-based pregnancy centers to promote abortion, because “the public interest would be served.”
But the ruling from U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White is a long way from the end of the conflict. Several parallel cases in other jurisdictions challenge the constitutionality of the state demand that pro-life centers post a sign promoting the state’s abortion services.
The pro-life care centers sued, arguing the Freedom, Accountability, Comprehensive Care and Transparency Act was a blatant violation of the constitutional principle that government cannot force individuals to convey government-mandated speech.
White determined, nevertheless, that “the public interest would be served by denying the stay pending appeal and allow the development of government policies generated through legislation or regulations developed through presumptively reasoned democratic processes” . . .
Focusing on its aim of recognizing “human life from the moment of conception and to minister in the name of Jesus Christ to women and men facing unplanned pregnancies,” the care centers said the mandated state notice “is inconsistent with their religious commitments as they believe that ‘abortion is wrong and have never referred, nor would they refer, a client to have an abortion.’” (Read more from “Judge Orders Pro-Lifers to Promote Abortion” HERE)
Former Wyoming Sen. Alan Simpson tells Newsmax TV he is “spooked” by Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and that he should be removed from his job.
“Anybody that calls a majority leader a liar on the floor of the U.S. Senate ought to be canned and thrown out of the Senate,” Simpson said Monday on “The Steve Malzberg Show.”
Cruz’s comments came after the Senate passed the $1.1 trillion budget deal against the wishes of conservative members of the Republican Party, including Cruz.
“What we just saw today was an absolute demonstration that [contradicts] not only what he told every Republican senator, but what he told the press over and over and over again, [it] was a simple lie,” Cruz told his colleagues. “We know now that when the majority leader looks us in the eyes and makes an explicit commitment, that he is willing to say things that he knows are false. That has consequences for how this body operates.” (Read more from “Ex-Senator Alan Simpson: Senate Should Throw Cruz out, Send Him Back to Texas” HERE)
https://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/logotext.png00Joe Millerhttps://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/logotext.pngJoe Miller2015-12-21 23:33:122016-04-11 10:54:47Ex-Senator Alan Simpson: Senate Should Throw Cruz out, Send Him Back to Texas
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said Monday that the 2016 GOP nomination contest is likely to come down to a one-on-one battle between himself and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.
“Ultimately, it’s probably going to come down to me against him,” Mr. Trumpsaid on NBC’s “Today” program. “I have a very, very big lead right now. You know I like to win, and you know I win. Let’s see what happens.”
Mr. Trump had been asked whether there was any sort of deal with Mr. Cruz where the two candidates would avoid criticizing one another. Mr. Trump said there was not a deal, that the two “just get along” and that Mr. Cruz has backed him on issues like illegal immigration. (Read more from “Here’s Who Donald Trump Says Will Be the Last Standing in GOP Race” HERE)
https://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/logotext.png00Joe Millerhttps://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/logotext.pngJoe Miller2015-12-21 23:32:372016-04-11 10:54:47Here’s Who Donald Trump Says Will Be the Last Standing in GOP Race
