from a 2008 Think Progress article:
Hersh: There was a dozen ideas proffered about how to trigger a war. The one that interested me the most was why don’t we build — we in our shipyard — build four or five boats that look like Iranian PT boats. Put Navy seals on them with a lot of arms. And next time one of our boats goes to the Straits of Hormuz, start a shoot-up.

sounds like some old ideas have been revived

I believe Fire On Ice will be available for free tomorrow only on HBO Now & HBO Go if you don't have HBO.

It shows the destruction of the rain forest to make palm oil and features a orangutan

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Supreme Court on Friday blocked lower court rulings ordering Republican legislators in Michigan and Ohio to redraw U.S. congressional maps ahead of the 2020 elections, dealing a blow to Democrats who had argued that the electoral districts were intended to unlawfully diminish their political clout.

The justices granted requests from Republican lawmakers in both states to put those decisions on hold, halting further action in the cases and the need to rework electoral district boundaries. The justices did not provide any explanation for their brief orders.

The lower courts found that the electoral maps in the two states had been drawn to entrench Republicans in power by manipulating boundaries in a way that reduced the voting clout of Democrats - a practice known as partisan gerrymandering - in violation of the U.S. Constitution.

While both disputes involve U.S. House of Representatives districts in the two states, the Michigan case challenges districts in the state legislature as well.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-gerrymandering/u-s-supreme-court-blocks-redrawing-of-ohio-michigan-electoral-maps-idUSKCN1SU292

Source: CBS

President Trump ordered the intelligence community to cooperate with Attorney General William Barr's investigation into surveillance activities surrounding Mr. Trump's 2016 campaign, according to a memo from the White House. The memo also said Barr has been "delegated full and complete authority to declassify information" related to the investigation.

"Today's action will help ensure that all Americans learn the truth about the events that occurred, and the actions that were taken, during the last Presidential election and will restore confidence in our public institutions," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement.

In congressional testimony last month, Barr said he believes "spying did occur during the campaign," a belief shared by Mr. Trump. "I just want to satisfy myself that there were no abuse of law enforcement or intelligence powers," Barr told a Senate panel.



Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-orders-u-s-intelligence-to-assist-in-surveillance-issues-around-2016-campaign/

Source: businessinsider

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday called on the country to "make a new start" and signaled that the trade war with the US is far from over.

During a speech in China's southeast Jiangxi province, Xi told cheering crowds that the nation was embarking on a "new Long March" and encouraged the country to remain resilient in the face of hardship.

"Now there is a new Long March, and we should make a new start," Xi said Monday during his first national tour since the US-China trade war intensified this month with a series of tit-for-tat tariffs on billions of dollars worth of imports.

Xi's remarks had cultural significance for residents of Jiangxi, historically known as the starting point for the 6,000 mile trek referred to as the Long March of 1934, which eventually led to the ousting of the Nationalist forces by the Communist Party and the emergence of Mao Zedong as China's leader.

The Chinese president's recent actions have been interpreted attacks on US President Donald Trump as the trade war between the two nations rages on. On Monday, Xi was photographed at a rare earth magnet factory in eastern China, a highly publicized stunt that suggests China may be planning to weaponize its rare earth materials, which are used in a wide range of hi-tech US products such as smartphones and electric cars.

Read more: https://www.businessinsider.com/xi-jinping-china-is-ready-long-march-us-trade-war-2019-5

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This is basically China calling for a no holds barred trade war with the US. NYT had the latest on this but subscription was needed

Mark Strauss
filed on 8/22/14

Throughout the "war to end all wars," cats were a common sight in the trenches and aboard ships, where they hunted mice and rats. Beyond their "official" duties, they were also embraced as mascots and pets by the soldiers and sailors with whom they served.

An estimated 500,000 cats were dispatched to the trenches, where they killed rats and mice; some were also used as gas detectors. At sea, cats had the run of the ship — a tradition dating back thousands of years. As the U.S. Naval Institute explains:

It is likely that the ancient Egyptians were the first seafarers to realize the true value of having cats as shipmates. In addition to offering sailors much needed companionship on long voyages, cats provided protection by ridding ships of vermin. Without the presence of cats, a crew might find their ship overrun with rats and mice that would eat into the provisions, chew through ropes and spread disease. The more superstitious sailors believed that cats protected them by bringing good luck. It was also common for crews to adopt cats from the foreign lands they visited to serve as souvenirs as well as reminders of their pets at home.


Ship's cat aboard the HMAS Encounter. [Wikipedia]


A gunner with the regimental cat in a trench. Cambrin, France, February 6th, 1918. [IWM]


Feline mascot named "Spark Plug." [Library of Congress]


"Pincher," the mascot of the HMS Vindex, sitting on the propeller of one of the sea planes carried by the ship. [Wikipedia]


Two men of the 9th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders (15th Division) with their pet cat. "Martinpuich," August 25th, 1916. [IWM]


More pics & original article here:
https://io9.gizmodo.com/a-gallery-of-cats-who-served-in-world-war-i-1624713212

in 1975. Along with breaking up unions the CIA was financing the Prime Ministers opposition. Rupert murdoch weaponized his press to break unions & help oust Whitman. This crap is going on yet today, does Venezuela ring a bell?
UK's MI6 was also involved.

Source: Washington Post

The sun had just dipped below the horizon Wednesday evening when the lights flicked off inside the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington.

Waves of cheers rolled up and down the ordinarily quiet street in the elite Georgetown neighborhood at the center of an intensifying standoff between backers of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó and left-wing activists who oppose U.S. intervention and support President Nicolás Maduro.

With no electricity, the activists who have been living inside the building are adjusting to the latest challenge in their month-long occupation of the embassy. Organizers with Code Pink, a left-leaning organization known for its theatrical and provocative protests, said the utility bills had been paid in full by the building’s owners: the Maduro-led Venezuelan government.

The group has been inside the embassy since April 10 at the invitation of Maduro government officials. About two weeks into Code Pink’s residency, Venezuelan and Venezuelan-American protesters began to gather outside. They have not left since.

Read more: Venezuelan Embassy goes dark as standoff intensifies on streets of Washington