Sunday, June 18, 2017

In the news, Thursday, May 25, 2017


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MAY 24      INDEX      MAY 26
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Information from some sites may not be reliable, or may not be vetted.
Some sources may require subscription.

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from Anglican Journal

Let’s ask the hard questions
The story of Thomas, asking to see the Risen Christ for himself, always makes me think of the axiom that you shouldn’t hold back from asking a question because, if you need it answered, chances are that someone else does, too. Thomas might have been the only one to ask to touch the wounds—but surely he wasn't the only one who needed some tangible evidence. I suspect the other disciples were secretly rather relieved that Thomas was honest enough to share his doubts and bold enough to ask for what they wanted but couldn't quite find the words for. I think the church is called to be Thomas for the world—willing to be honest about our doubts and ask the hard questions and test the claims made on God's behalf while letting everyone else watch what comes of it. 

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from Asia Times Online

Hypocritical Trump fans fires of sectarian conflict
Hassan Rouhani was re-elected as president of Iran by a very comfortable reformist majority plainly enthusiastic about their country ceasing to be an international pariah. After all, it was on Rouhani’s watch that the nuclear accord was reached. Donald Trump, on his first foreign visit as president, extolled the virtues of Saudi Arabia and made Riyadh the platform for trumpeting his criticism of Iran for fuelling “the fires of sectarian conflict and terror.”

Why US energy bonds are up while their stocks tank
Energy sector stocks in the S&P have dropped 11%, while the corporate bonds are up 3%. The crude prices have stabilized at a level that allows companies to service debts, but not meaningfully bolster profits.

What Iranian women want: rights, jobs and a seat at the table
Despite the re-election of moderate President Hassan Rouhani, the status of females in Iran continues to be stagnant. Issues affecting women were conspicuously absent from Iran’s 2017 presidential election.

Xi’s ‘Chinese dream’ being threatened by imperial overreach
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s tenure has been marked by high ambition. His vision – the “Chinese dream” – is to make his country the world’s leading power by 2049, the centenary of communist rule. But Xi may be biting off more than he can chew.

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from EUobserver

EU to Trump: Defend Western values, not your interests
The EU and the US should defend common Western values rather than their own interests, European Council president Donald Tusk said on Thursday (25 May) after meeting US president Donald Trump in Brussels.

Nato to join Trump's anti-IS coalition
Nato will join a US-led coalition against Islamic State (IS) in a non-combat role, its secretary general has said.

Trump expected to make Nato pledge
Nato mutual defence and the fight against jihadist group Islamic State are expected to take centre stage as US leader Donald Trump meets Nato and EU allies in Brussels.

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from FEE (Foundation for Economic Education)
[Information from this site may not be reliable.]

India Should Be More Like Hong Kong
India’s economic reforms over 25 years have transformed it from a low-income country to a middle-income one. But to become a high-income country, India must liberalize the economy much further.

Any of These 3 Bubbles Could Be about to Burst
Historically, easy money and cheap credit have never produced good results. One would think that the 2008 credit crisis, whose effects have not quite withered away, would teach politicians, bankers, and consumers something about the causes of meltdowns. Think again. The US has seen an unhealthy growth of subprime credit, and credit in general, in three markets – credit cards, auto loans, and student loans. It would not be a surprise if one of these brought about the next credit crunch.

Thirteen Other Reasons Why Schools Are Creating a Lost Generation
The Thirteen Reasons’ portrait of how a stifling, bureaucratic system progressively cuts this teenage girl to pieces, eventually driving her to death, provides a dramatized, insightful reflection on (another) emerging lost generation.

Sorry Crony Cabs, You Have To Compete Just Like Everyone Else
In a unanimous decision, the state Supreme Court ruled in favor of ridesharing by recognizing and upholding a state law that allows these companies to exist within Georgia.

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from First Things

LORD TO LORD
Forty days after Jesus rose from the dead, He ascended into heaven to take His place at the right hand of the Father (Acts 1:3). The New Testament regularly cites Psalm 110 as a prophecy of this event.

PICK YOUR POISON
It is possible that Donald Trump has engaged in criminal activity while president. It is possible that he is abusing his powers in ways that are not provably criminal, but that nevertheless are unacceptable in a president. But all of that remains to be proven, and if Trump is removed from office, as some pundits are urging, we might find ourselves with a shock worse than Watergate—and dependent on an obtuse, sclerotic, and self-righteous political establishment to get us out of the resulting mess. A removal of Trump would, absent some great show of wisdom from our elites, contribute to the embittering of our politics. Would impeaching Trump restore business-as-usual? No. Our situation is poisonous, with Trump or without him.

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from HumanProgress.org  Education Website

Only the Rule of Law Can Break the Poverty Cycle
How do you stimulate economic growth in poor countries with faulty institutions? In the past, some thought foreign aid was the answer. But, as we have found out over the past 60 years or so, foreign aid cannot spur growth in countries lacking the rule of law, property rights and accountable government.

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from Indian Country Today Media Network
[Information from this site may not be reliable.]

Woman Says Redface at Parade Was Just Theater, Not Racism — Natives, ACLU Beg to Differ
Students, riding on a float, wore faux buckskin garb, some 'scantily-clad,' and 'war whooped,' said one onlooker

Trump Proposes Hundreds of Millions in Cuts to Federal Appropriations for Indian Country
Indian country will feel ‘tremendous fiscal pain’ if the Trump budget is passed

Oregon Country Fair Cancels Fake Native Totem Pole Raising
Ritz Sauna story pole ‘worst appropriation I’ve ever seen’ says descendant of carving family

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from Mises Institute
[Information from this site may not be reliable.]

Decentralize the Welfare State
It has long since become a doctrine of the modern American welfare state that the federal government must be the primary administrator of the nation's so-called safety net. Any attempt to devolve the welfare state to the states is routinely treated as backward and reactionary. What if the US welfare state was broken up into 50 pieces and the states doles out all that money to low-income residents instead?

The Trump Budget: Real Cuts vs. the Media Version of "Cuts"
One of the cardinal rules of government accounting and rhetoric is to call any slowdown in the growth rate of government spending a "cut." This gives the impression that less is being spent when more is being spent. It's just that less is being spent than the government had planned on spending otherwise. 

How Washington's Reaction to Trump's Budget Justifies the Rise of Bitcoin
Earlier this week the Trump administration announced their proposed budget for 2018. The plan bears some striking resemblance to Trump’s first budget attempt in three key ways: it contains some legitimate cuts to a number of government programs, it features increases to America’s irrational war budget, and all together it reflects a significant increase in government spending from current levels. It also has zero chance of passing in Washington, which may be the most significant aspect of the budget.

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from The Spokesman-Review

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from Townhall.com
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from The Washington Post

Star Wars at 40: Fans recall the magic of seeing the film during that first summer
Memories of when the original film debuted in fewer than 40 theaters, from L.A.'s Avco to Washington's Uptown.

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from Your News Wire
[Information from this site is not reliable.]

As European nations mourn their dead and prepare for the next wave of “imminent” terror attacks, President Putin warns that the New World Order are in the final stages of their “70 year masterplan for Europe“, and the process will only speed up from here. “The New World Order put hornet nests in your countries,” Putin told a Kremlin tour group. “And now they are poking them.”

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