Real News Mashup–Feb 11, 2019

Bayard & Holmes

~ Piper Bayard

Real News Mashup is a compilation of articles that I consider to be interesting, informative, or both. Please feel free to share articles of your own in the comments. Perhaps if we work together, we can remember that the world is bigger than the propaganda storm.

 

Things That Might Make You Want to Slap Someone

Apple and Google Accused of Helping “Enforce Gender Apartheid” by Hosting Saudi Government App That Tracks Women and Stops Them Leaving the Country

 

Midterm Assessment: Hezbollah

 

Hezbollah Parade in Beirut
Image by Voice of America, public domain

New Gun Bill Would Require Buyers to Reveal Social Media History

 

They Got “Everything” Inside a Demo of NSO group’s Powerful iPhone Malware

 

Text of Green New Deal

IMHO, it reads like a lovely letter to Santa Claus, or perhaps a Utopian Manifesto.

It’s worth noting that the text does not specify that taxpayers should guarantee “economic security for all who are unable or unwilling to work,” as many sources are quoting. Rather, it does say “providing all people of the United States” with “economic security.”

The following document, taken by NPR from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s website, does actually endorse providing “economic security for all who are unable or unwilling to work,” or, in other words, “all people of the United States.” This document was taken down and disavowed by Ocasio-Cortez after an uproar.

 

Green New Deal FAQ

 

Stepping Back from the Edge . . .

Colorado Man Kills Mountain Lion with Bare Hands in Self-Defense

And an Idaho woman say, “Hold my beer!” . . .

 

Idaho Woman Accidentally Grabs Mountain Lion in Attempt to Break Up “Dog Fight”

Bad week to be a mountain lion.

 

One Woman’s Selfless Act Spurs Group to Rent 60 Hotel Rooms to Keep Homeless People Off Chicago Streets During Historic Cold

 

Woman Becomes First Black Female Pilot in Georgia Air National Guard

 

1st Lt. Andrea Lewis
Image public domain

 

CIA Paid This Soviet Traitor Millions–But Got Billions in Return

 

And These are Just Fun . . .

This Army Wife’s Wedding Dress is Made from the Parachute That Saved Her Husband

 

Study Finds Those Who Read Books Live Longer Than Those Who Don’t

 

El Paso Zoo Will Name a Cockroach After Your Ex and Feed It to Their Meerkats

Now that’s a fundraiser!

 

What Did Ancient Babylonians Eat? A Yale-Harvard Team Tested Their Recipes

 

Rare Century-Old Images of the Inuit People

 

Incredible Photos of Freezing Penguins, Waterfalls, and Isolated Communities Reveal Earth’s Stunning Natural Beauty

 

All the best to all of you for a loving Valentine’s week.

 

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Rules of Engagement:

We want comments.

Feel free to disagree with us and with each other in comments as long as arguments are rational and not things like “It scares me so it should be banned.” Thoughtful disagreement fosters intellectual growth for all of us.

Civil Discourse is strictly enforced. That means you can say anything as long as you focus on the concepts and say it with respect, free of personal insults.

No arguing or advocating for or against Trump or any other politician, no matter what your position. We are all inundated with too much of that already, so please focus comments on the issues and not the personalities.

Bayard & Holmes reserve the right to remove comments for any reason.

Real News Mashup–January 24, 2019

Bayard & Holmes

~ Piper Bayard

News Finds is a compilation of articles that I consider to be interesting, informative, or both. Please feel free to share non-political articles of your own in the comments. Perhaps if we work together, we can combat the overwhelming propaganda we are bombarded with by mainstream media.

This post is a bit long, as I’ve been stacking up articles for a while.

 

General Interest

 

Tony Mendez, “Argo” CIA Officer Who Smuggled US Hostages Out of Iran During Crisis, Dies at 78

A master of forgery and disguise, Tony Mendez was an outstanding professional and an outstanding human being. Rest in peace. #Respect

How the Media Convinces Us All the We’re Outraged — Even When No One Cares

Someone posted a video online of youngest senator Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez dancing. Social media exploded with outrage at the “conservative outrage” over her video. I noticed, though, that I didn’t actually see any of the conservative outrage that was the supposed source of all of this leftist outrage. Apparently, I’m not the only one who noticed.

Police Have No Duty to Protect You, Federal Court Confirms Yet Again

Something to keep in mind when considering personal security issues.

Davos Billionaires Keep Getting Richer

The world’s billionaires and their political minions are meeting in Davos, Switzerland this month.

My own observation:

In the past, the richest people were visible and had the responsibility of ruling nations. We called them kings and queens. Since democratic forms of government came along, the richest people have been able to outsource public appearances and the daily headaches of governing the masses to minions known as “world leaders.” We like to believe that media is above it all and holds these world leaders and their largely invisible billionaire backers accountable for their actions, but mainstream media is owned by those billionaire backers, so mainstream “news” reduced to agenda-driven propaganda.

And the rest of us? The handful* who own the world see us as the barnyard animals to be herded and juggled for their money-farming needs, i.e. “We need more cheap labor in Europe. Let’s get our minions there to push open immigration.” Sort of like, “We need more plow horses. We’ll introduce another twenty to the herd. It will take some time for the herd to adjust, but it will.”

Where in the past the owners of the world used religion to inspire the outrage necessary to get the mob going the right direction, now they use social buzzwords and politics.

Conspiracy? Not at all. Simply the organic alignment of personal interests.

*When I say handful, I mean handful. According to a recent report by Oxfam, only 26 people now own as much as 50% of the entire world’s poorest.

 

 

Military/Intelligence Articles

 

Defense Intelligence Agency (“DIA”) Chinese Military Power Report

An excellent report on Chinese Military Power published by the US Naval Institute.

Does the US Face an AI Ethics Gap? 

This article explores the Artificial Intelligence Ethics Gap in the Western world that impacts military defense. In other words, Communist China and other countries develop AI technologies in ways that are ethically prohibited in Western societies. Does this put Western societies at a disadvantage? It poses an interesting dilemma.

On Nobility and the CIA’s War in Afghanistan

Setting the record straight.

The US Intelligence Community Wants Disruptive Change as Long as It’s Not Disruptive

An excellent piece on how collecting facts without thought is like doing steps without dancing.

OSS Training in the National Parks and Service Abroad in WWII

A fairly intense downloadable book on the history of the OSS and its relationship with the National Parks.

 

Now let’s lighten up!

 

Man “Marries” Laptop, Sues for State Recognition and a Wedding Cake

Yes. Really. Can’t make this up.

Bring It On! New Taliban Video Shows Intense Training for New Cheer Squad Competition

Likely hilarious to anyone who has served in the US Armed Forces.

Photos from the Moon’s Far Side: China’s Chang’e 4 Lunar Landing in Pictures

First pictures from the dark side of the moon. *queues up Pink Floyd*

Florida Couple Run Over by Patrol Car While Lying in Road to Watch Lunar Eclipse

A Darwin Award near miss, for sure.

Natural Beauty of Wildlife Beneath the Waves Revealed in Stunning Pics

The word “stunning” is generally overused these days, but it applies in this instance.

 

The Tank Chair

 

 

 

All the best to all of you for a week of stunning beauty.

Piper

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Rules of Engagement:

1. We love comments.
2. Feel free to disagree with me and with each other in comments as long as arguments are rational and not things like “It scares me so it should be banned.” Thoughtful disagreement fosters intellectual growth for all of us.
3. Civil Discourse is strictly enforced. That means you can say anything as long as you focus on the concepts and say it with respect, free of personal insults.
4. No arguing or advocating for or against Trump or any other politician, no matter what your position. We are all inundated with too much of that already.
5. Bayard & Holmes reserve the right to remove comments for any reason.

The End is Near (and we deserve it) . . . The Clap-Off Bra

Clap-Off Bra

No, this does not ward off diseases. It’s simply for the extremely impatient.

To learn more about this Syrian specialty item, including a slightly risque demonstration video, click on the title above.

For a less risque video, here’s a contest most high school boys would love to enter . . .

My thanks to Jenny Hansen of More Cowbell for her extensive chronicling of undergarments that produced this gem.

Blogs and Articles in No Particular Order

Fantastic advice from Hope Avenue on How to Talk to Your Daughter about Her Body.

Burglers Return Stolen Computers to Nonprofit with Heartfelt Apology Note

The most beautiful thing about being an author is having people read our work and love it. We really can’t express how wonderful it is, but Susan Spann, author of outstanding historical mystery CLAWS OF THE CAT, tries. Deb Susan Doesn’t Know Who She Loves

A MUST SEE! Amazing animal photos via Alicia and Roy Street. 36 Perfectly Timed Animal Shots

Mary Jaksch asks, The Seven Types of Bloggers: Which One are You?

Phoebe of LittleGreyBox tells us about the Seven Deadly Colleagues you find in the workplace.

Why Writers Write When They Write It by International Best Selling Author and Graceful Lady Vicki Hinze.

M.J. Wright tells us why Suddenly, New Zealand Can’t Be Mistaken for a Kardashian.

And in honor of Shark Week on the Discovery Channel, a cat dressed as a shark chasing a duck on a robotic vacuum. Yes, really. Shark Cat.

Campaign Style Poll Daddy Question of the Week:

All the best to all of you for keeping it all in place.

Piper Bayard

The End is Near (and we deserve it). . . . Is Pole Dancing an Olympic Sport?

I realize I ran a similar End is Near recently, but with the Olympic Badminton Teams from China, South Korea, and Indonesia exhibiting such poor sportsmanship in trying to lose to each other (see below), I’m reconsidering the merits of Olympic Pole Dancing. At least these ladies are ready to bring it.

Photo by Lululemon Athletica

In case you’re not familiar with the athleticism of this competitive dance form, below is a world champion pole dancer, Jenyne Butterfly. She starts with more interpretive dance elements, but after about a minute, she begins a genuinely amazing performance.

Blogs and Articles in No Particular Order

London Olympics Badminton Scandal Raises Ethical Issues

In the face of copyright lawsuits against bloggers, Best Selling Author Kristen Lamb offers a solution. WANA Commons–Beautiful Blog Images without the Worry  

Great chance to catch up on your reading with New York Times Best Selling Author and Heckuva Guy James Rollins. ALMOST ALL of his books are on sale for $3.99 for a limited time. Get the scoop here. James Rollins Hot Summer Deal

Olympic Sports that Didn’t Quite Make It by Ellie Ann.

Lonny Dunn of ProNetworkBuild explains Texting in Politics. Check out his new happening site SocialInDC and watch there for Bayard & Holmes postings other great articles.

Great food for thought from Tami Clayton. Being a Genius vs. Having a Genius: Creativity and the Tormented Artist Construct

Renee Jacobson asks, Is It Wrong to Type Thank You Notes?

I know I can use this. From Donna Newton, Words are Words, But Grammar is Grammar.

If you watched Olympic coverage in America, you likely missed this beautiful tribute to terrorism victims. Can’t imagine why NBC found Ryan Seacrest more compelling. Abide with Me with Scottish singer Emeli Sande.

Now for our Pole Daddy Poll Daddy campaign style question of the week.

All the best to all of you for a week of dancing to your tune.

Piper Bayard–The Pale Writer of the Apocalypse

Mike the Photo Law Suit Scammer Caught!

By Piper Bayard and Jay Holmes

Recently, National Best Selling Author Roni Loren published an article about being sued for a blog photo that shook the blogging world right down to its ellipsis. Suddenly, bloggers came out of the woodwork, telling stories of unknown photographers popping up from nowhere, demanding exorbitant amounts for their forgotten, mediocre pictures that were plucked from obscurity and given a life on blogs.

This led Holmes and I to surmise that in actuality, some of these photographers aren’t photographers at all, but professional Courthouse Crawlers who, unable to make a living at photography, throw their photos out like bait, waiting to catch unsuspecting bloggers in their nets of infringement litigation.

Sure enough, with a minimal amount of research, we turned up proof.

Meet Mike of Mike’s Photos R Me.

This is Mike’s best self-portrait, but he calls himself a professional photographer. We went to Mike’s web site, and this is what we found.

Hi, Bloggers. Here are my photos. I never check to see who is using them, even though they are my best work, and this is how I make my living. I will never look to see who takes them at all. Why, if you took my work to use on your page (just double click and ‘Save Image’) I would never know it. Not at all.

This is a small sampling of my famous, award-winning* photography that I never, ever google.

Art Photo: ‘Rock on a Log’

Wildlife Photo: ‘Crouching Dog, Hidden Canine’

I stalked this wild mutt through the back yard for at least ten minutes to catch this perfect shot.

Abstract Photo: ‘Meditation on a Yard Sprinkler’

See how the water creates the illusion of lush lawn along the side, in sharp contrast to the harsh brown grass. Now there’s some thought fodder.

Editorial Photo: Guinea Pig World

Note how the guinea pig is like the so many of the world’s people. The cage is open for him to embrace his freedom, yet instead, he prefers the safety of his confinement while simply gnawing the bars in angst . . . I know. I have to pause a moment, too.

And what portfolio would be complete without some beautiful, artistic nudes to remind us of the glory of the human form? I started shooting this type of art when my mother kicked me out of her basement six months ago.

Nude Photo: Back Directory

When my buddies all 86ed me from their houses, too, I met this guy named Alfonse who pointed out the money to be made in this type of photo . . .

Naughty Photo: Fifty Shades of Plastic

Who wouldn’t want this brilliance gracing their blogs? But no worries. I’m not like some of those photographers out there, just waiting to take you to court. No way. I will never know if you just happen to take one of these beauties for your website.

*Voted Best Photography by all of Mike’s Family and Friends.

Don’t be fooled by Mike! While there are many fine and reputable photographers out there who deserve our respect and our dollars to reproduce their materials, there are also these bottom feeders lurking and preying on unsuspecting bloggers who are simply confused about the law.

If you are approached by a ‘Mike,’ keep in mind that license to use most pictures on the internet only costs between one and twenty dollars. If you should run into a stubborn Mike who wants some exorbitant compensation, consider contacting us about our Bayard & Holmes Alternative Out of Court Settlement Service. Our Out of Court Settlement Team has thus far experienced outstanding results in convincing the world’s Mikes to accept reasonable settlements that are favorable to our clients.

All the best to all of you for a week of avoiding life’s bottom feeders.

50 Shades of Lawsuits

By Piper Bayard

National best selling erotic romance author Roni Loren posted a blog this past week that created quite a stir in the blogosphere, and for good reason. Check out what she has to say.

Roni Loren

Bloggers Beware: You CAN Get Sued For Using Pics on Your Blog – My Story

“For those of you who are super observant, you may have noticed some changes on my blog over the last few months. Tumblr posts went away. Fiction Groupie disappeared. I deleted most of my Pinterest boards. The Boyfriend of the Week has changed format. And all my previous posts from the past three years–all 700 of them–now have new photos on them . . .”

“Well on one random post, I grabbed one random picture off of google and then a few weeks later I got contacted by the photographer who owned that photo. He sent me a takedown notice, which I responded to immediately because I felt awful that I had unknowingly used a copyrighted pic. The pic was down within minutes. But that wasn’t going to cut it. He wanted compensation for the pic. A significant chunk of money that I couldn’t afford. I’m not going to go into the details but know that it was a lot of stress, lawyers had to get involved, and I had to pay money that I didn’t have for a use of a photo I didn’t need.”

If you ever post anything on the internet with pictures. you need to click on the link above and read Roni’s story and the comments. She gives a great rundown on what you can and cannot do with pictures on the internet.

That’s the lawsuits part. On to the Fifty Shades part . . .

I had never heard of Fifty Shades of Grey until I was in the hardware store. Some professional painters were complaining about all of the extra, degrading work they were having to do to get their money these days. I asked them what could make them so depressed about their jobs, and they told me about the book-gone-viral.

Me: “You mean Fifty Shades isn’t the latest hair care line from L’Oreal?”

Apparently not. Frankly, after learning about the sadomasochistic nature of the book, I’m far more likely to spend my limited time reading Fifty Shades of Gray Matter by Stephen Hawking. Instead of reading either of them, though, I decided to go for the laugh and search YouTube for the parodies. These were some of my favorites.

We’ll start with Fifty Shades of Grey Karaoke from Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. It includes actual excerpts of the book so we can understand just what we’re making fun of here.

In case you’re still wondering what the book is about, here is Ellen DeGeneres doing a reading for us.

Now that you have the idea, Selena Gomez shows us why those painters were so unhappy.

So what do you say? Have you read Fifty Shades of Grey? Do you intend to? 

We have some exciting news here at Bayard & Holmes. We are now posting at SocialNDC as well as several other SocialN sites. Our debut post is Chasing the Hill: Real Entertainment from Fake Politics, a review of the new internet TV show, Chasing the Hill.

All the best to all of you for a week of keeping your house painters happy.