Stories below the fold

For later reading on my tablet, after my second cup of coffee:

StrategyPage on Syria.

. Another embarrassment is the success of Russian air power and ground forces (mainly special operations and artillery) to help the Assad forces win back territory. Until 2016 Iranian forces were seen as the key to Assad survival and the Assads were not shy about praising their Iranian saviors. But that changed in 2017 as the Iranian alliance with Turkey and Russia began to come apart. Iran blames this on Israel which, in this case, is partially correct.

Israel knows that Iran wants to establish a pro-Iranian militia in Syria similar to Hezbollah in Lebanon. The Assads know this would mean they would have to share power in Syria with Iran. Most Syrians don’t care for this, just as most Lebanese don’t care for the Hezbollah presence since the 1980s. No one, including Russia, Turkey and Israel, want another Hezbollah established in Syria. Iran will not back down on this and that has damaged their relationships with their allies.

Meanwhile Iran continues to suffer embarrassing setbacks in Syria.

Didn't  Obama back the Iranians, the State Dept backed the Sunni rebels (who morphed into ISIS) and now Trumpie boy is backing the Sunni/Israeli anti ISIS axis...

One of these days I'll get things right.

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I was watching a video yesterday on the Sahara desert, and they mentioned the earth's wobble, that caused the monsoon rain cycle to move south.



Wikipedia on the Milankovitch cycle.

More here at Space.com

related item at richochet,  via  Instapundit.

there is a difference between being a science denier and distrusting computer simulations that might not have all the variables into account.


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Did Obama hack the election? Watergate redux,

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The Great Reef is dying. Global warming is the cause. The Crown of thorn starfish is to blame.

Key points: Crown-of-thorns starfish can strip a reef of coral during an outbreak when the number of predators explodes Analysis of their DNA and proteins in water-borne plumes when they spawn reveals the molecules they use to attract other starfish Researchers say the molecules could be used to make baits to control the predator's spread

these cycles occur every 17 years.

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battle of the artists.

Charging bull was a symbol of the aggressive free market..

fearless girl changed that theme to make the bull a symbol of toxic masculinity, essentially changing the art work's message.

The original artist sued but will likely not win due to free speech.

So round three: Pissing dog.

So here comes another sculptor Alex Gardega adding another sculpture to the Bull + Girl set. He's installed "Pissing Pug" at the girl's feet:

“I decided to build this dog and make it crappy to downgrade the statue, exactly how the girl is a downgrade on the bull,” said Gardega....

my only comment is that "fearless girl" is dressed in a 1950's style dress. Why?

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