Photo, left: 
 
JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW
Co-hosts: Malcolm Hoenlein, Conference of Presidents.
 
Hour One
Thursday  28 January 2016 / Hour 1, Block A:  Dan Henninger, WSJ, in re: http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-humbling-of-the-west-1453939225
Thursday  28 January 2016 / Hour 1, Block B: Mary Anastasia O'Grady, WSJ, in re: Cuba's Democrats Need U.S. Support
Thursday  28 January 2016 / Hour 1, Block C: Gene Marks, Washington Post, in re:  U.S. Consumer Confidence Increases  http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-consumer-confidence-increased-in-january-conference-board-says-1453821254?mod=pls_whats_news_us_business_f
The 10 Best Cities for Young Entrepreneurs Right Now http://www.forbes.com/pictures/ggji45efef/no-1-austin-round-rock/
Why More Employers Are Focusing on Employees' Overall Financial Well-Being http://feeds.huffingtonpost.com/c/35496/f/677048/s/4d24b786/sc/24/l/0L0Shuffingtonpost0N0Clenny0Esanicola0Cwhy0Emore0Eemployers0Eare0Efo0Ib0I90A72550A0Bhtml0Dutm0Ihp0Iref0Fbusiness0Gir0FBusiness/story01.htm
Big jump in Colorado jobs; unemployment dips to 3.5% http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2016/01/26/big-jump-in-colorado-jobs-unemployment-dips-to-3-5.html
How One Fast-Food Chain Keeps Its Turnover Rates Absurdly Low https://hbr.org/2016/01/how-one-fast-food-chain-keeps-its-turnover-rates-absurdly-low
Crabbers boiling about delayed payments for 2016 catchhttp://www.dailyastorian.com/Local_News/20160127/crabbers-boiling-about-delayed-payments-for-2016-catch#.Vqkr3EZSqQl.twitter
Escaping the Restaurant Industry's Motherhood Trap  http://www.eater.com/2016/1/27/10835270/restaurant-industry-women-chefs-paid-maternity-leave?
Strategies
The Google Tool That Helps You Make Better HR Decisions http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/269946
Twitter's stopped showing ads to its favorite users http://www.pcworld.com/article/3026339/software-social/twitters-stopped-showing-ads-to-its-favorite-users.html#tk.rss_all
How Jeff Bezos ruined your financial statements http://www.foxbusiness.com/features/2016/01/26/how-jeff-bezos-ruined-your-financial-statements.html
Small businesses could pool retirement plans under Obama proposal   http://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/washingtonbureau/2016/01/small-businesses-could-pool-retirement-plans-under.html
Trade Groups Tell Businesses to Keep Quiet on Spending   http://time.com/4195334/campaign-finance-disclosure-trade-groups/
Uber Planet Segment
Uber will start using smartphones to check if its drivers are speeding  http://mashable.com/2016/01/26/uber-driver-tracking-safety/?utm_campaign=Mash-Prod-RSS-Feedburner-All-Partial&utm_cid=Mash-Prod-RSS-Feedburner-All-Partial
Uber wants to pacify drunk passengers with a kids' toy http://www.theverge.com/2016/1/26/10832698/uber-drunk-riders-play-bop-it-calm-down
Uber has a plan to take over your phone  http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-trip-experiences-want-to-take-over-your-phone-2016-1?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=referral
Transit and School Workers Mount Anti-Uber Strikes in Paris http://time.com/4193969/paris-workers-strike/
Uber continues China expansion, adds 18 more cities next month http://mashable.com/2016/01/26/uber-china-18-cities/?utm_campaign=Mash-Prod-RSS-Feedburner-All-Partial&utm_cid=Mash-Prod-RSS-Feedburner-All-Partial
Beijing Blames Uber for Its Obscene Traffic Problem http://gizmodo.com/beijing-blames-uber-for-its-obscene-traffic-problem-1755161197
Thursday  28 January 2016 / Hour 1, Block D: Gene Marks, Washington Post (2 of 2)
Hour Two
Thursday  28 January 2016 / Hour 2, Block A: Matthew Levitt,  Fromer-Wexler Fellow & Washington Institute's Stein Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence director; in re: Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) under Treasury. Some superfacilitators are moving money from more than one bad actor. Hezbollah has really improved its game, picking up pace. Merely since yesterday, alone, another designation. Also DOJ action; people in Lithuania; Colombia; Also banking mandate: backs that want to do business in the US have to guarantee that [they’re not in any way helping illegal funds transfers].  Hezbollah’s two problems: geographic – fighting in Syria, Muslim vs Muslim; and taking losses at the rate of all the losses they’ve suffered in all skirmishes with Israel. Also, facing major financial shortfalls – related to the sharp drop in the price of oil, where Iran had to cut back. Now Hezbollah is running criminal enterprises with drugs, anything.  Buying weapons, financing terrorism. . . . Nasrallah is worried that Lebanese people will be upset that he’s undermining the stability of the Lebanese financial system, which has held itself safe over many years. Money follows terrorism and terrorism follows money. http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/the-crackdown-on-hezbollahs-financing-network  ; https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/uploads/Documents/opeds/Levitt20130515-JISA.pdf
Thursday  28 January 2016 / Hour 2, Block B:  Steven A. Cook, Eni Enrico Mattei senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa studies, Council on Foreign Relations;  in re: Russia is backing the Syrian Kurds (YPG), who opposed Assad, but both oppose Turkey’s Erdogan. Common cause in an effort to bring Erdogan down a peg or two.   The US and Turkey are coming in for a significant dipl clash.  US claims that the YPG is the same as the PKK in Turkey.  However, YPG are dong well in fighting ISISI and also are deeply embroiled in the Syrian civil war.  Russia doesn't much gain from an independent Kurdistan, but can play them as pawns and send a tough message to Erdogan. Putin will ride the Kurds as hard as he can then abandon them at the end, just as the US done in the past. JCB:  The Kurds and other minorities (Yazidis, et al.) have by their settled presence held together the dominant groups for the last millennium.  Iran has a history of good relations with the Patriotic Group of Kurdistan.  However, with Iraq failing, Iran will use the troubles to extend its influence throughout the region.  IS Turkey stable enough to survive for ten years? Actually, Turkey is a contrivance: the imagination of Ataturk. Can imagine, Iraqi Kurds going their own way; Erdogan messing up; Turkey could break up. Yes, at least it’s in for a big fight with the Kurds. http://www.wsj.com/articles/russian-foreign-minister-sergei-lavrov-says-syrian-kurds-must-be-invited-to-talks-1453807972  ;  http://www.thetower.org/2863-syrian-opposition-kerry-threatened-to-cut-aid-unless-we-agreed-with-irans-terms-for-talks/  ;  http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/sisis-fracturing-regime
Thursday  28 January 2016 / Hour 2, Block C: Jonathan Schanzer, Vice President for Research, Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), in re: . . . Financiers aren't dedicated to on group; will work with =multiple terrorist to achieve gas.  Abbas; Qataris; Palestine 194 campaign: to become the 194th country in the UN even though it’s specifically forbidden by UN rules.  Abbas is old, unwell, falls asleep at meetings, smokes a pack a day; body winding down, cold cease functioning in hours, days, months. Dunno.   FDD just issued a report: could have conclave where a few people pick the most powerful leader and he’ll then get voted un as president by default; or a more protracted struggle where PLO aristos can't agree; or maybe revert to elections – where Hamas will win.  Ask State: are you preparing for these possibilities?  Straightforwardly; No.   Dahlan is in UAE working on alliances.
http://www.newsweek.com/ten-years-hamas-palestinians-divide-peace-israel  ;  http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/7302/palestinians-abbas-control  ; http://www.defenddemocracy.org/media-hit/grant-rumley-abbas-strives-to-project-palestinian-stability-but-threats-to-his-rule-rema/ ; http://www.defenddemocracy.org/media-hit/schanzer-jonathan-ankaras-failure/
Thursday  28 January 2016 / Hour 2, Block D: Mohsen Sazegara, Iranian journalist and pro-democracy political activist; in re; when Rouhani went to Italy his delicate aesthetics obliged the Italians to cover ancient nude statues and remove wine from dinner.  The French declined to knuckle under, cancelled their dinner.  Based on a “ridiculous belief” that Muslims may not participate in a banquet with spirits; in fact, Rouhani simply refuses to respect others, and also is terrified of IRGC opinion of his travels.  Parliamentary “elections” – appointments – are coming up while the Supreme Leader Khamenei is gravely ill and is now thought to be able to survive for months.  Rouhani has no cover for his factions.  Of all his proposed candidates(?), only 30 approved. Larijani had a similar problem. Assembly of Experts vets candidates: looked at 800, accepted 166 to run.   In six of the 31 provinces, there’s only one candidate for a seat; and when there are several, it's tricky, Not an election, a selection.  Ergo, Larijani won't be Speaker and thus cannot implement Rouhani’s policies; Rouhani can remain president but for technical has pretty much zero chance to be Supreme Leader, although he urgently wants to be; i.e., he’s not knocked out but don't bet on it.   http://www.wsj.com/articles/iran-disqualifies-most-candidates-in-election-for-clerical-body-1453825693 ; http://www.defenddemocracy.org/media-hit/n-korea-iran-nuclear-ties-probably-deep-report/ ; http://www.defenddemocracy.org/media-hit/saeed-ghasseminejad-france-just-formally-welcomed-the-iranian-president-and-his-checkbook/
Hour Three
Thursday  28 January 2016 / Hour 3, Block A:  Malcolm Hoenlein.  In re:  Palestinian “knife-ifadah” is fed by PLO TV, which features the most hair-raising incitement; and ISIS videos; the fact is, that there’s amazing violence: a i5-year-old boy murdered a young mother who was painting her front door – and killed her in front of her children.   Meanwhile, Abbas is ageing poorly. Hamas is building vast numbers of new tunnels (one collapsed yesterday); is importing metal sheets for tunnel-lining.  Hamas is almost out of cash –gun-running, sex –trafficking, cigarettes, drugs, al reduced business; so it's looking for money from Iran, Turkey, anyone. They've rebuild rockets and drone capacity have trained frogmen, many tunnels, air-launched rockets and mortars.  Cooperate politically with ISIS but have military competition. Hamas thinks it could win a pan-Palestinian election. Hamas’s first target in war would be Jordan, which is now permeated by Ikhwan. Cannot separate Israel, Jordan, et al., as targets. Today Mexico and Canada intell services announced that Iran is operating across South America, in Colombia, Chile, Mexico, multiple countries 
Thursday  28 January 2016 / Hour 3, Block B:  Chief Inspector Micky Rosenfeld, foreign press spokesman for the Shin Bet, Israel police; in re: In the last two weeks, attacks have continued, shift began in October, in Jerusalem, then by December more in Judea and Samaria; in the last two weeks, attacks inside Jewish communities, which is how terrorists are causing as much damage as possible, incl psychological.  Brainwashed killers chatting on Facebook and social media.  Daily new roadblocks at different site; 24/7 patrols of police: half of the police success is to happen to be at the right place at he right time, as we have almost no advance notice but by cyber research can endeavor.  Tunnels from Gaza:  IDF is trying to find the. Using search eqpt; when we find one we explode and completely destroy it.  Kibbutzim and residences: tunnels, explosive devices on ground to bring in IDF troops, which we managed to stop. http://www.timesofisrael.com/stop-the-incitement-stop-the-killing/  ; http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=31233  ; http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/UN-chief-Ban-condemns-terror-wave-but-says-it-is-human-nature-to-react-to-occupation-442846  ; http://www.jta.org/2016/01/27/news-opinion/israel-middle-east/8-hamas-members-missing-in-gaza-tunnel-collapse
Thursday  28 January 2016 / Hour 3, Block C:  Bill Whalen, Hoover, and Gene Countryman, consummate Kansan; in re: the just-completed Republican debae in Iowa.
Thursday  28 January 2016 / Hour 3, Block D:  Thaddeus McCotter, WJR, the Great Voice of the great Lakes; David Drucker, Senior Congressional correspondent, Washington Examiner; John Fund, NRO; in re: Rubio is going for a strong third. Cruz will say he’s taking nothing for granted, but both are playing to win.  Cruz for first, Rubio for third: a strong third-place finish with Trump in one and Cruz second is – obtainable.  Nay, Rubio might be second; 122,000 Republicans voted in 2012; and have not registered many new voters. Can do at caucus, but that’s tough. No evidence that Trump has ground game.  No vans hired? Very few that we can find, Every other candidate has phone banks that go automatically; Trump’s volunteers have to use cell phones and dial ten digits for every call.  . . . County GOP Party offices are getting a lot of calls from newbies; some are registered Democrats or independents, want to register on site (which can be done but is cumbersome). Look at Saturday Des Moines poll coming out, the best in the business.  In a normal caucus turnout, Trump is either tied or ahead; his ace in the hole is new voters. 
 
Hour Four
Thursday  28 January 2016 / Hour 4, Block A: Tyler Rogoway, FoxtrotAlpha, in re: Tu-22 is dropping from 18,ooo to 20,00o feet – not effective. Kills a lot of civilians, not useful for targeting ISIS.  B1 bomber is massively effective, dropping GPS-guided and laser-guided munitions – same as from an F15 but a lot more of them, and doesn’t need tanker support. SU24 fencer (same type as was shot down by Turkey) – use radar bombing, no clear idea where it’ll land. Dropping in a flat line, can easily be a mile off target.  Drops bomb as though in a milk run; 15-minute missions, can fly hundreds of miles and back.  High sortie rates but what are they hitting? Gulfies – Qatar  winning clearance for F15 Strike Eagles, most advanced that we can export.  Can do all different missions; Israelis are the first to say. The White House is slowing down sales by years to humor the Iranians, so they're going to France and Russia to buy.   F15 and F16: the F15 is really a deep strike-fighter – can go far into enemy territory and low; the F16 has a shorter range. F15 can almost be a command and control plane.
Thursday  28 January 2016 / Hour 4, Block B:  Tyler Rogoway, FoxtrotAlpha, in re: F22, deployed in Japan. F22 can strike deep inside enemy airspace using stealth tech; and can hit surface-to-air sites Enemies fear this weapon because it cannot be countered. Moved from Hawaii to an unknown place in Europe after Russia deployed the S400. Sent 4 jets to Europe, six to the Middle East.  Bush and Obama said that we don't need more F22s – but Air Force brass desperately want many more.  The best weapon on he Taiwan Strait is the F22. North Korea is afraid – cannot se them. The showing of 12 just outside of Tokyo is a show to the whole region that the Air Force can . . .   It floes clean because it's stealthy; all weapons are internal. Low radar signature. Sad hat we spent $40 billion and built only (187?) of them.   Cold-weather testing: 
Thursday  28 January 2016 / Hour 4, Block C:  Robert Zimmerman, behind the black, in re:  Blue Origin to increase New Shepard launch rate   The competition heats up: Blue Origin expects to increase the rate of test flights for its New Shepard reusable rocket in 2016.  “We expect to shorten that turnaround time over time this year, and fly this vehicle again and again,” [Blue Origin President Rob Meyerson] said. Those upcoming tests will use the same New Shepard vehicle that flew the previous two flights, with hardware and software modifications as needed between flights. Meyerson said the company still plans to perform “dozens” of test flights of New Shepard over the next couple of years before the company is ready to carry people on the vehicle. “It really depends on how the flight test program goes,” he said. “It could be a little faster than that, or it could be a little longer than that, depending on what we learn.”
I expect that by the end of 2016, the U.S. will have two proven reusable first stage rockets and two operational orbital cargo spacecraft. And that doesn’t count the likely first demo flight of Falcon Heavy.
Thursday  28 January 2016 / Hour 4, Block D:   Robert Zimmerman, behind the black, in re:  Antarctic fungi survive Martian conditions on ISS   A European experiment on ISS has found that fungi from Antarctica can survive in a Mars-like environment.  For 18 months half of the Antarctic fungi were exposed to Mars-like conditions. More specifically, this is an atmosphere with 95% CO2, 1.6% argon, 0.15% oxygen, 2.7% nitrogen and 370 parts per million of H2O; and a pressure of 1,000 pascals. Through optical filters, samples were subjected to ultra-violet radiation as if on Mars (higher than 200 nanometres) and others to lower radiation, including separate control samples. “The most relevant outcome was that more than 60% of the cells of the endolithic communities studied remained intact after ‘exposure to Mars’, or rather, the stability of their cellular DNA was still high,” highlights Rosa de la Torre Noetzel from Spain’s National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA), co-researcher on the project.
Does this prove that life exists on Mars? Not at all (though I wouldn’t be surprised if we see news articles in the mainstream press over the next week suggesting exactly that). It does show us once again that life is resilient and could develop in many very extreme environments.
 
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