Wednesday 29 June 2016
Photo, left:
JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW
Co-hosts: Gordon Chang, Forbes.com & Daily Beast. Dr. David M. Livingston, The Space Show.
Hour One
Wednesday 29 June 2016 / Hour 1, Block A: Fraser Howie, co-author of Red Capitalism: The Fragile Financial Foundation of China's Extraordinary Rise, in re: In the UK a reverendum is not legally binding; for it to be put into effect, Pariament must invoke Article 50. There’s a surge of anger against economic inequality and immigration policy, but many peope are shocked ot see how vague the whoel thing was. If London;s financial center gets gutted, that’ll drive down ealestate; and he natur of Brexit is that it's not clear. How about French elections next year – the Eurosceptic LePen? Would the EU survivive that?
It used to be said: “The British are th first to ask difficult questions and the first o come up with a compromise.” UK Leave campaigners were at least looking at a very difference relationship with Europe. Brexit in Asia? Short term: cheap shopping in London; but also, puzzlement: what have you done to yourself? WConcern in SIngaore an Hong Kong. The English-language connnection was a good base; now thrown up in the air. How can anyone plan for anything yet?
Scots wanted Remain; are they suddenly loyal to the City? No. They want to remain in the EU, which is very unwealcoming to them — fear about other breakaways such as Catalunya or Basques.
http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-trump-trade-speech-20160628-snap-story.html
http://www.forbes.com/forbes/welcome/#fa55a1de1ebc
Wednesday 29 June 2016 / Hour 1, Block B: Charles Burton, professor at Brock University, in re: Mindon Hils, Ontario, by the lake. Chna has decided to bully Canadians: many Canadian passport-holder (300K) in HK; Beijing decided not to recognize Canadians of Chinese origin but demand Beijing-issued docs and not be under the protection of Canada. Trend not to recognize foreign protection of home countries. Imperial Beijing demands that everyone with Chinese DNA be a subject of Xi. Gordon Chang’s wife is HK-born and Gordon, whose father passed away last year and Gordon wants to visit with family in Mainland, daren’t do so under this villainous regime. There are more than one million Canadians of Chinese origin; it's powerful ans resourceful and have absolute rights under international law and the Vienna Conventions. Beijing is obliged to notify consuls of any possible arrest and allow visitors – sacrosanct principles. Will Mainland thugs invade Mott Street in New York? Yikes. How about Justin Trudeau, who promised to enter better relatons with China? He also said, “A Canadian is a Canadian is a Canadian” -- waiting for his response.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/06/29/china-bans-lady-gaga-after-the-pop-superstar-meets-with-the-dalai-lama/
Wednesday 29 June 2016 / Hour 1, Block C: Aaron Klein, Middle East Bureau Chief, Breitbart, in re: Two claims of a stand-down order (initial claims); no evidence in any public document of an official stand-down order from Clinton or Pentagon. Two assaults, 1.2 miles apart, the second being the CIA annex. Said that the fellow there who wanted to go rescue people in the other venue were told to stand down. Unicom CIF, a C1 special ops force, were in Croatia; in the middle of the night the commander was transferred from Euro command to African command. Very very odd.
Who were deployed to rescue on the morning after? Bombshell:
There was a secret force – even the CIA said it didn't know it existed — led by former mil ofcrs of Gaddafi’s regime; one of them called the Americans to say, “We can't protect them; we’re leaving” When the US officer called the Libyan natl police begging for help, he was sent to Libyan Natinal Intelligence (what's that?) – and former Gaddafi generals personally showed up in a “30-vehicle motorcade, then with fifty heavily-armed security vehicles,” evacuated Americans after most of the fight and took them to the airport.
Why did the US not send air cover during the night? Also, why was a C17 medicanl airplane deployed at Tripolui, not Benghazi? The threat of manpads which can take down aircrfaft?
The largest looting of Gaddafi’s manpads . . . The last person Stephens saw . . .
Why no security at the residence? And the Martyrs of February 17 — what was State thinking when it hired a group with that name to stand security over Americans?
Massive firing; then accelerants: security officers entered the residential compound with gas masks; ARV investigation. They left gas cannisters at the doors. Enormous flames. The smoke was so bad one man couldn't even see his gun.
http://www.breitbart.com/jerusalem/2016/06/29/pentagon-provided-
incomplete-maps- assets-stationed- near-benghazi- attacks/
http://www.breitbart.com/jerusalem/2016/06/29/revealed-americans-
benghazi-rescued- ex-qaddafi- generals-ousted- hillarys-libya- war/ - note,
http://www.breitbart.com/jerusalem/2016/06/28/benghazi-security- team-
member-claims- told-stand/
http://www.breitbart.com/jerusalem/2016/06/28/pentagon-officials- anti-
aircraft-weapons- prevented-possibility- air-force- aid-benghazi/
http://www.breitbart.com/jerusalem/2016/06/28/benghazi-security- officer-
warned/ (1 of 2)
Wednesday 29 June 2016 / Hour 1, Block D: Aaron Klein, Middle East Bureau Chief, Breitbart, in re: Concerning Benghazi, manpads were being shipped to the Middle East via Turkey. On 12 Sept 2012, John Batchelor spoke on Larry Kudlow’s CNBC program: This was a long-planned attack in retaliation for a drone strike killing the brother of a leader of Ansar al-Sharia.
In the event, the CIA didn’t even have decent maps. The research committee on the current Behghazi report said the maps were deeply deficient, didn't even include the C17 deployed to Tripoli. DoD didn’t know? Is DoD hiding info? Note also gravely inadequate security at the real US embassy in Tripoli. In Tripoli they were so alarmed they — a clerk-secretary—smashed hard drives, armed themselves and evacuated the bldg.
ISIS is an outgrowth of the disorder in the region. Recruits fom the Caucasus, Azerbaijan, even from nearby China; Turkish intelligence is running a great deal of this. Is this because Erdogan intends to take over the megaregion, incl Sunni jihadists from Syria to Libya to beyond? Turkey is playing both sides. (2 of 2)
Hour Two
Wednesday 29 June 2016 / Hour 2, Block A: James Holmes, professor of strategy at the Naval War College and a former surface warfare officer, in re: The PLA navy contest against the US NAVY, with cooperatin of the Russian navy? Neither individually is ready to challenge the US Navy, but perhaps together . . The Mediterranean incident: the Russian vid n its news oulet – USS Gravely incident– it looks as though the US was at fault, since the ship on hteeft was supposed ot give way and it did not . Why do we not have vid or an explanation? Russian frigate Yaroslava (Mudley?). . . . [a great deal of information in this segment; please listen to podcast.]
Chna is very clear about what it wants, but is tactically unpredictable. Does the PLA navy want a clash? The PLAN does what its Beijing masters tell it to do. Clausewitz: even aggressors love peasce – let the other side stand down and acquiesce. / The Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague will issue its decision on 12 July. Is the US ready ot protect the Filipino Thomas Shoal?
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/jun/27/china-threatens-drag-away-phiippine-naval-base/
Wednesday 29 June 2016 / Hour 2, Block B: J. Michael Cole, senior non-resident fellow, China Policy Institute, University of Nottingham, based in Taipei, in re: Beijing has abrogatd the 1992 consensus allowing Beijing and Taipei to talk. Ver the years Beijing expressed anger whent ht Taieawanese president wouldn't says what it wanted. What’s been suspended in the 2014 hotline set up by Ma Ying-jeou, but dialogue hasn’t completel ceased communication. Note times past hen Ma called Beijing and Bejing wouldn't answer. [Shades of tempestuous teenagers.] Pres Tsai was inauguratd on 20 May; Beijing said that if she refused to acknowledge Beijing’s point —there’s one China — then Mainland would sulk. Pres Tsai was elected with a mandate not to say that. Xi Jinping - the Big Man, the cult of personality – echoes of Maoism. But even China is not run by a single individual. Pressures and counterpressures in the CCP may cause Xi to take a more rational line anent Taiwan. Xi takes policies in South China Sea that hurt China. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-paraguay-taiwan-idUSKCN0ZF0CN
Wednesday 29 June 2016 / Hour 2, Block C: David Feith, WSJ Hong Kong, in re: Editorial: South Korea’s Brexit Example Seoul’s top diplomat pursues a new bilateral trade deal with London.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/south-koreas- brexit-example- 1466960252
Wednesday 29 June 2016 / Hour 2, Block D: Kori Schake, Hoover, in re: [a tremendous anmount of information here on China’s appr oach to its intended domaination of Filipino and Indonesian waters; its probable reaction to the 12 July ruling of the Hague Court {“This could get sporty, as the Navy says.”} and substantial commentary on the larger situation and America’s weak response to China’s occasinalpanic and general predation.]
http://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2016/06/28/an_easy_primer_on_th...
Hour Three
Wednesday 29 June 2016 / Hour 3, Block A: Monica Crowley, Fox, & Washington Times Online opinion editor; in re: Oh dear! One hundred and sixty missing emails from Mrs Clinton’s list. Huma bedin says she doesn't know of anything issing . . Long history of animosty between Obamas and Clintons, plus an ideological abyss between them. MEC always thought Obama doidnlt want Mrs Clinton to succeed him. There were 18 email exchanges – that we know about - between Pres Obama and Mrs Clinton on her illicit server. He’s shielded thses emails on privacy/security grounds. However, he didn’t classified them as that would make him guilty, too. They thus have each other in a political death grip. More . . . Huma Abedin is everywhere, says under oath she was not aware if Mrs Clinton intentionally deleted any email. This is a runaround of a runaround – they’re laughing at us. They don’t think we're bright enough for them to need to lie well. Everyone understands what was done. More . . .
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/disclosures-of- new-clinton-emails-raise- questions-about- her-transparency/2016/06/28/5e78b0bc-3d3c-11e6- a66f-aa6c1883b6b1_story.html?hpid=hp_special- topic-chain_clinton-11am- camp%3Ahomepage%2Fstory
Huma Abedin:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/clinton-aide- not-aware- of-any-email-deletions- by-boss/2016/06/29/39216738- 3e35-11e6- 9e16-4cf01a41decb_story.html
Move to Benghazi:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/move-on- from-benghazi-republicans-say- its-unlikely/2016/06/29/05c8bed8- 3dcf-11e6- 9e16-4cf01a41decb_story.html (1 of 4)
Wednesday 29 June 2016 / Hour 3, Block B: Monica Crowley, Fox, & Washington Times Online opinion editor; in re: Mrs Clinton says of Benghazi, Were moving on. No we aren’t. She created the unsolved failed state in Libya and if she becomes president she inherits a nightmare. Obama’s effort to reorganize the whole Arab Spring into something congenial to the Muslim Brotherhood, the Ikhwan – his dream of his legacy. Mrs Clinton and Obama have unwequivocaly supported the Ikhwan and Iran. It's terrifying, She advocaeted for the overthrow of Mubarak in Egyot and Gaddafi in Libya. Mubarak, not a nice guy, always told Washington: It’s me or the Ikhwan. Obama and Clinton sold the Ikhwan F16s and arms – she’ll try to restore the Ikhwan. Mrs Clinton’s VP choice: someone boring but importatnt – maybe Sherrod Brown from Ohio. Battleground sates of Pennsylvania and Ohio. (2 of 4)
Wednesday 29 June 2016 / Hour 3, Block C: Monica Crowley, Fox, & Washington Times Online opinion editor. (3 of 4)
Wednesday 29 June 2016 / Hour 3, Block D: Monica Crowley, Fox, & Washington Times Online opinion editor. (4 of 4)
Hour Four
Wednesday 29 June 2016 / Hour 4, Block A: Restless Creatures: The Story of Life in Ten Movements, by Matt Wilkinson (1 of 4)
“….From sprinting cheetah to spinning maple fruit, soaring albatross
to burrowing worm, crawling amoeba to running human—all are the
way they are because of how they move. There is a famous saying:
“nothing in biology makes sense unless in the light of evolution.” As
Wilkinson makes clear: little makes sense unless in the light of
locomotion. A powerful yet accessible work of evolutionary
biology, Restless Creatures is the essential guide for understanding
how life on Earth was shaped by the simple need to move from point
A to point B.”
“Students of evolution are well aware of the beauty inherent in
the process. Matt Wilkinson captures this splendor in Restless
Creatures, a book that views evolution through the lens of
locomotion.” —The Scientist
“It would be hard to find a more companionable guide to the
marvels of locomotory evolution than Matt Wilkinson. In Restless
Creatures, the zoologist and writer rehearses twice-told tales of
animals becoming bilateral, exiting the sea for the land and
evolving flight, but makes them fresh. These are wonderfully
adept and informed explanations of locomotory modes —
whether in birds, gliding snakes, eels, sharks or a host of fossil
vertebrates — and there is not a single vignette that I failed to
learn something from.”—Kevin Padian, Nature
“[I]ntriguing.... With the help of his locomotory worldview, Mr.
Wilkinson goes on to provide [an]...enlightening perspective on
such major evolutionary developments as the transition from
wriggling spineless marine organisms to the first vertebrates, the
movement of fish out of the water and onto dry land, and the
evolution of flight.”—Richard Conniff, Wall Street Journal
“Tracing the evolutionary history of locomotion from single-celled
animals to humans, Wilkinson demonstrates how the need to
move has shaped the living world.... [T]his work deeply
investigates the importance of locomotion to all life forms.”—Library Journal
“Through all of this lucidly detailed narrative, readers see how
evolution endowed life with powers of movement, and how those
powers opened dramatic new possibilities for evolutionary
metamorphoses. An illuminating survey of the evolutionary
dynamics of locomotion.”—Booklist
“[Wilkinson] walks (and swings, and crawls, and swims) through
the history of directed movement.... Wilkinson builds a coherent
historical narrative while touching on a wide variety of biological
topics. Lay readers with some general biology background will
find that he’s managed to connect the dots in a way that makes
sense.”—Publishers Weekly
“[An] ingenious but not-dumbed-down history of life’s 4-billion-
year progress in getting from one place to another.... [Readers]
will come away with a deep understanding of an essential basis
of life.”—Kirkus Reviews
“This marvelous book looks at life from an angle that is novel,
revealing and has been fundamental in evolution: how organisms
move. Writing in an engaging style, Wilkinson explores
movement in everything from pterosaurs to Portuguese men o'
war, showing how movement is organized, and its role in species
diversity. If you want to know how sponges sneeze, why all large
aquatic predators have similar shapes, and how physics affects
the lives of the smallest of organisms, turning water into glue,
this is the book for you. Highly recommended!”—Matthew Cobb, Professor of Zoology at the University of Manchester and author of Life’s Greatest Secret
“Restless Creatures proves that the ‘60’s song was right,
everybody is doing the locomotion. In his original and insightful
book, Matt Wilkinson explains how from whirling bacteria to
wayfaring humans, the three-billion-year journey of life has
depended on the invention of many ways of moving.” —Sean B. Carroll, author of Brave Genius and The Serengeti Rules
Wednesday 29 June 2016 / Hour 4, Block B: Restless Creatures: The Story of Life in Ten Movements, by Matt Wilkinson (2 of 4)
Wednesday 29 June 2016 / Hour 4, Block C: Restless Creatures: The Story of Life in Ten Movements, by Matt Wilkinson (3 of 4)
Wednesday 29 June 2016 / Hour 4, Block D: Restless Creatures: The Story of Life in Ten Movements, by Matt Wilkinson (4 of 4)
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