Author Archives: Richard Fernandez

A confidential assessment issued this week by the Norwegian Shipowners’ Mutual War Risks Insurance Association (DNK) concluded that the attack was likely to have been carried out by a surface vessel operating close by that despatched underwater drones carrying 30-50 kg (65-110 lb) of high-grade explosives to detonate on impact. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-iran-oil-tankers-exclusive-idUSKCN1SN1P7

The weird thing is nobody knows why. NYT

How many people died in this incident is the single greatest mystery of modern times. AP

The advertisement in The Lantern described his clinic as offering “prompt treatment of common genital/urinary problems,” as well as providing examinations for rashes, lumps, pain/burning, checkups, testing, sexually transmitted diseases and “answers to questions.” Lantern

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A now-dead Ohio State team doctor sexually abused at least 177 male students over nearly two decades, and university officials knew what he was doing and did little to stop him, according to an investigative report released by the school Friday. Dr. Richard Strauss committed the abuse from 1979 to 1997 …

Continue reading “Now-dead Ohio State doctor accused of abusing at least 177”

Speech and the control of speech is part of hybrid war Modern War Institute

Unlicensed nurse may have killed a thousand grannies. Nothing deadlier than the trusted killer. KRLD The suspect may be an illegal alien.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday promised that efforts to regulate social media in Canada would include “meaningful financial consequences” for online platforms that fail to counter disinformation. Reuters

Masking won’t help. China has body biometric and gait recognition. The only escape is to partly disempower the State Twitter

The question is always who will bell the cat. Sometimes the truth is not in vogue. NYT

New at the Belmont Club If the globalization meant China could turn off your fridge would you still like it?

Max Boot, remarking on Duterte’s midterm poll victory in the Philippines tweeted “undermining democracy is popular”. It’s more than’undermining’ but rather fake democracy. The new tactic in hybrid warfare is for strongmen to make dictatorship look like democracy. Just as politicians have learned the art of making war in secret they have perfected the skill …

Continue reading “CGI Democracy”

Attorney General William Barr has appointed a U.S. attorney to examine the origins of the Russia investigation and determine if intelligence collection involving the Trump campaign was “lawful and appropriate,” a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Monday. AP

Family and colleagues mourned Sunday the deaths of the first woman to lead Massachusetts’ university system and her husband,a retired MIT professor, after the couple were found Friday in their Florida home overcome by carbon monoxide from a car they had purchased for its modern safety features, family members said .. accidentally left running in …

Continue reading “Too quiet”

Hotel staff discovered the bodies in a room alongside two crossbows, the German news agency DPA reported. …“There was no evidence to suggest that another person was involved in the deaths.” BBC Although it is little remembered now, the OSS developed a crossbow called Big Joe for covert assassinations.

New at the Belmont Club

“What’s he worried about?” Giuliani told NBC News in a text message in response to Murphy’s call for an investigation NBC

Iran’s probably think it’s in their interest to try pull US forces back to the Middle East by engaging in asymmetric provocation. It is something Trump will resist. But some damn fool thing can always happen. History shows that once escalation occurs it becomes unpredictable. The semi-official ISNA news agency quoted hardliner Ayatollah Tabatabai-Nejad in …

Continue reading “Chicken in the Gulf”

As the world continues through a conflict that has yet to receive history’s name the fight — between whom and whom — continually intensifies. The culture wars have become vicious, uncompromising. The antipathy is open. A new stage may be starting.

By blocking certain users social media assumed the responsibility of publishers. This may destroy them. The law bans falsehoods that are prejudicial to Singapore or likely to influence elections and requires service providers to remove such content or allows the government to block it. Offenders could face a jail term of up to 10 years …

Continue reading “Singapore outlaws fake news, allows govt to block, remove it”