Online map helps Great Lakes region deal with climate change

Online map helps Great Lakes region deal with climate change | Detroit Free Press | freep.com:
"ANN ARBOR — The University of Michigan and an independent research group have developed an interactive map designed to help local officials in the Great Lakes region deal with climate change.
...The map provides social, economic and demographic statistics on 225 counties in the eight-state region.
It includes data about municipal spending, land use and climate-change characteristics such as temperature patterns.
Information tables cover topics such as employment trends in climate-vulnerable sectors such as farming, timber and tourism.
There’s also data on local population groups that might be susceptible to extreme heat, including the elderly and people below the poverty line."

ISIS "is driving mass migration from Africa to send jihadists into Europe," "Syria was bad, but wait until a region with 500 million people is destabilised' - Geller Report

ISIS "is driving mass migration from Africa to send jihadists into Europe," "Syria was bad, but wait until a region with 500 million people is destabilised' - Geller Report:
"In February, the Islamic State warned us that they would send half a million Muslim migrants into Europe — an army against the West. 

...Leftist elite authoritarians, responsible for the ongoing catastrophe, scoffed at our warnings. Instead, they defamed and libeled my colleagues and me, while fictionalizing what was/is essentially the invasion of Europe.
Clear-thinking Americans saw what was happening in Europe, saw that the Democrats wanted that same horror for us, and took action — President Trump. 
...Pay heed, 2020 is just around the corner, and the Democrats have declared war. 
What better way to achieve their goals than by importing an army?

ISIS ‘is driving migration from Africa to send jihadists into Europe’: Senior UN figure warns – ‘If destabilising Syria was bad, wait until a region with 500 million people is destabilised’

• Fleeing ISIS leaders are ‘joining forces with fanatics in Africa’s Sahel region’
• Head of UN World Food Programme said extremists could drive a migration wave
• David Beasley warned jihadists could then ‘infiltrate’ Europe ‘and cause chaos’
• Sahel spans 3,360 miles across Africa from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea

Read all!

Inside the Cunning, Unprecedented Hack of Ukraine’s Power Grid

Inside the Cunning, Unprecedented Hack of Ukraine’s Power Grid | WIRED
"IT WAS 3:30 p.m. last December 23, and residents of the Ivano-Frankivsk region of Western Ukraine were preparing to end their workday and head home through the cold winter streets.
Inside the Prykarpattyaoblenergo control center, which distributes power to the region’s residents, operators too were nearing the end of their shift.
But just as one worker was organizing papers at his desk that day, the cursor on his computer suddenly skittered across the screen of its own accord.
He watched as it navigated purposefully toward buttons controlling the circuit breakers at a substation in the region and then clicked on a box to open the breakers and take the substation offline. A dialogue window popped up on screen asking to confirm the action, and the operator stared dumbfounded as the cursor glided to the box and clicked to affirm. 
Somewhere in a region outside the city he knew that thousands of residents had just lost their lights and heaters.
The operator grabbed his mouse and tried desperately to seize control of the cursor, but it was unresponsive.
Then as the cursor moved in the direction of another breaker, the machine suddenly logged him out of the control panel..."

Catalan referendum: Region's independence 'in matter of days' - BBC News

Catalan referendum: Region's independence 'in matter of days' - BBC News:
"Catalonia will declare independence from Spain in a matter of days, the leader of the autonomous region has told the BBC.
In his first interview since a disputed vote on Sunday, Carles Puigdemont said his government would "act at the end of this week or the beginning of next".
Meanwhile, Spain's King Felipe VI said the vote's organisers had put themselves "outside the law".
He said the situation in Spain was "extremely serious", calling for unity.
Tensions between Spain and the north-eastern Catalonia region continue to mount, days after the vote was marred by violence involving national police.
The Spanish High Court said it had begun an investigation into key Catalan figures on Wednesday on suspicion of sedition - inciting rebellion against the state - including the head of Catalonia's regional police..."
Read on!

UK to Ban Health Supplies from China's Slave Labour Xinjiang Region

UK to Ban Health Supplies from China's Slave Labour Xinjiang Region: 

The British parliament is set to ban the country’s socialised healthcare system from purchasing supplies and medical equipment from the concentration camp Chinese region of Xinjiang.

In an amendment tabled by the government to the upcoming Health and Social Care Bill, the National Health Service (NHS) will be barred from buying materials produced by or involving the use of modern slavery, as has been credibly and frequently alleged of the Xinjiang region of Communist China.

Lansing-East Lansing region posts 7th-highest job gains in U.S.

Lansing-East Lansing region posts 7th-highest job gains in U.S. lansingstatejournal.com Lansing State Journal
"'This is further evidence that Lansing is competing to win in the new global economy and leading the entire state in putting people back to work,' Mayor Virg Bernero said in a news release.

'Our job growth over the last year has outperformed every region in Michigan and nearly every other region in America.

That tells me we are on the right track and that our pro-business policies and pro-growth strategies are working.'"

All government employees all the time is turning our state into Greece without the nice weather, the Mediterranean or the moussaka.

The man is dilusional!

The New Cold War’s Arctic Front

The New Cold War’s Arctic Front - WSJ:
G-7 leaders gathering in Bavaria on Monday vowed to extend sanctions if Russia doesn’t dial back its aggression against Ukraine. 
Previous sanctions haven’t deterred Kremlin land-grabs, and the question now isn’t if Russian President Vladimir Putin will strike again but whom he’ll target next.
Mr. Putin considers Europe’s eastern periphery, stretching from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea, part of Russia’s imperial inheritance.
Yet in recent years the Russian leader has also turned his attention northward, to the Arctic, militarizing one of the world’s coldest, most remote regions. 
Here in Finland, one of eight Arctic states, the Russian menace next door looms large.
“That is a tough nut to crack, to know exactly what the Russians want,” newly appointed Finnish Foreign Minister Timo Soini says.
“But I’m sure they know.
Because they are masters of chess, and if something is on the loose they will take it”—a variation on the old proverb that “a Cossack will take whatever is not fixed to the ground.”
...These changes have implications not just for trade but also for the ability to exploit the vast energy resources beneath the Arctic. 
Energy fields in the region have to date produced some 40 billion barrels of oil and 1,100 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
The U.S. Geological Survey estimates the region also holds 13% of the world’s undiscovered conventional oil, a third of the world’s undiscovered conventional gas and a fifth of the world’s undiscovered natural-gas liquids.
No wonder Moscow has been racing to reopen old Soviet bases on its territory across the Arctic and develop new ones. 
Mr. Putin wants by the end of 2015 to have 14 operational airfields in the Arctic, according to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, and he has increased Russia’s special-forces presence in the region by 30%.....

Encouraging violence!-----Ontario region unanimously votes to publicly shame those who violate COVID-19 restrictions | The Post Millennial

Ontario region unanimously votes to publicly shame those who violate COVID-19 restrictions | The Post Millennial: 

"The region of Niagara will start to publicly shame those who break COVID-19 restrictions by publishing the names of violators on their website. 

This is being done to discourage people and establishment from defying the rules. 

 Thorold News reported that the proposal received
unanimous consent from the Niagara Regional Council at a special Wednesday night meeting, as part of a motion to ramp up the enforcement against those who do not adhere to the imposed restrictions...Read all.

More sovereignty votes: Sunday referendum may see Venice elect to secede from Italy

More sovereignty votes: Sunday referendum may see Venice elect to secede from Italy | National Post:

"Voting begins Sunday on a referendum on whether Venice and its surrounding region should secede from the rest of Italy, in an attempt to restore its 1,000-year history as a sovereign republic.

La Serenissima — or the Most Serene Republic of Venice — was an independent trading power for a millennium before its last leader was deposed by Napoleon in 1797. The republic encompassed not just Venice but what is now the surrounding region of Veneto and it is there that the vote will take place from tomorrow until Friday.

Campaigners have been inspired by the example of Scotland, which will hold its referendum on independence in September, and Catalonia, where around half the population say they want to break away from Spain.

Activists say that the latest polling shows that 65% of voters in the Veneto region, which includes historic cities such as Treviso, Vicenza and Verona, are in favour of cutting ties with Rome."

Boomtown: Lamborghini Moves North American HQ to D.C. Region

Boomtown: Lamborghini Moves North American HQ to D.C. Region
"n a disturbing indicator of how wealthy the D.C. political class is becoming by extracting taxpayer money from the rest of the country, Lamborghini moved its North American headquarters to the D.C. region because it saw the city as having the most potential for growth."

Michigan's "taxpayer black hole"

"What can the REGION afford.....?"
Well now.
Detroit is bankrupt. Michigan is bankrupt. Just what "region" is he talking about?

Keep the next Cobo proposal simple: "What can the region afford and who's willing to pitch in? Those involved in the Cobo talks say a project in the $400 million to $450 million range -- everything included -- would be saleable."

War?!!-----China sets Aug. 19 deadline before it will ‘annihilate’ Indian troops over disputed territory in Bhutan | American Military News

China sets Aug. 19 deadline before it will ‘annihilate’ Indian troops over disputed territory in Bhutan | American Military News:
"China has reportedly set an August 19 deadline before it “annihilates” India’s troops over a disputed region on the Doklam plateau in Bhutan, a very small country that borders both India and China.
China has demanded that India withdraw its troops from the area, and allow China to invade and annex the region.
...Both India and China have military troops in the region right now, which China is trying to annex.
Chinese troops were sent there earlier this summer, as well as construction workers, who were reportedly beginning road construction.
When Bhutan tried to stop the Chinese troops, they were overrun..."

Done deal-----------Crimea Names Ruble Currency; Applies To Join Russia, Expects To Become Region Of Russian Federation By Thursday

Crimea Names Ruble Currency; Applies To Join Russia, Expects To Become Region Of Russian Federation By Thursday | Zero Hedge:
"And here is the latest :
just hours ago, Crimea's parliament officially applied to become part of Russia.
The parliament "made a proposal to the Russian Federation to admit the Republic of Crimea as a new subject with the status of a republic," according to a statement on its website.
A Crimean parliamentary delegation was expected to arrive in Moscow on Monday to discuss the procedures required for the Black Sea peninsula to become part of the Russian Federation.
"If everything’s signed we’ll become a fully fledged region of the Russian Federation Wednesday or Thursday,” First Deputy Prime Minister Rustam Termigaliyev says in interview at govt headquarters in Simferopol. "

Russia executes de facto takeover of Crimea region

My Way News - Russia executes de facto takeover of Crimea region
KIEV, Ukraine (AP) - Russia executed a de facto military takeover of a strategic region in Ukraine as the parliament in Moscow gave President Vladimir Putin a green light Saturday to proceed to protect Russian interests. 
The newly installed government in Kiev was powerless to react to the swift takeover of Crimea by Russian troops already in Ukraine and more flown in, aided by pro-Russian Ukrainian groups.
Putin's move follows President Barack Obama's warning Friday "there will be costs" if Russia intervenes militarily, sharply raising the stakes in the conflict over Ukraine's future and evoking memories of Cold War brinkmanship. 
The explicit reference to the use of troops escalated days of conflict between the two countries, which started when Ukraine's pro-Russian president was pushed out by a protest movement of people who wanted closer ties to the European Union.

How Much Longer Does South Florida Have Until The Real Estate Apocalypse Begins? | CleanTechnica

How Much Longer Does South Florida Have Until The Real Estate Apocalypse Begins? | CleanTechnica:
"How much longer does southern Florida have until real-estate values in the region collapse on the back of flagging demand?
At some point the reality that the region is not long for this world will have to sink in, and when it does, demand for homes in the region will crater to a degree that not many living there now probably fully comprehend … so, when will that be?
...That article noted that events such as Hurricane Irma are slated to make it abundantly clear to all of those who aren’t senile that South Florida is in an incredibly vulnerable position with regard to sea level rise and climate change.
...The piece from Bloomberg provides more: “It’s too soon to know how Irma affected the market, says Aaron Terrazas, a senior economist at Zillow.
But there’s anecdotal evidence that it’s taking a toll on property values: A company that assesses flood risks is booming, and workshops for municipal leaders to deal with the impact are drawing sold-out crowds..."
Read on.

These NCAA Tournament Schools Are Anti-Free Speech Dumps | The Daily Caller

These NCAA Tournament Schools Are Anti-Free Speech Dumps | The Daily Caller:
"America’s college and university campuses are brimming with vast multitudes of bureaucrats and strong contingents of students who want to limit speech they find offensive.

Alliance Defending Freedom, a civil rights organization which sues college and universities for violating students’ First Amendment rights, has meticulously put together a Bracket of Shame to showcase the absurd and frequently egregious censorship currently occurring on America’s college campuses.

courtesy of Alliance Defending Freedom

The rules are simple: Only March Madness teams are eligible. America is oozing with colleges and universities which infringe heinously on student speech rights. However, their basketball teams are also terrible, so they don’t make the cut here.

West Regional

In the West region, Gonzaga University certainly stands out for hiring Melissa Click, the disgraced University of Missouri professor last seen calling for “muscle” to remove a student journalist who was trying to film an anti-free speech event.

There’s also Virginia Commonwealth University, which authorizes dorm staffers to remove students’ speech expressions on their own doors if the speech doesn’t reflect the taxpayer-funded school’s values. And there’s taxpayer-funded West Virginia University, which, according Alliance Defending Freedom, maintains a bizarre policy allowing complaints against students for “abuses of social justice principles.”

Vanderbilt University wins the West region, though, because it has violated federal law by trying to require nursing school students to submit to abortion training, and because of its strangely hostile stance toward Christian groups.

Midwest Regional

In the Midwest region, several schools stand out for their embarrassing lack of commitment to First Amendment rights.

Michigan State University became a national laughingstock just last month when school officials outlawed whiteboards from doors in dorm buildings because it’s possible that someone could scrawl some offensive message or image on them. Also, until just months ago, the taxpayer-funded school maintained a women’s study lounge in its main student union in which male students could not trespass..."
Read on!

• Chart: The World's Largest Cities By Area | Statista

• Chart: The World's Largest Cities By Area | Statista:

Even though the Tokyo-Yokohama metropolitan area boasts a population of 38 million people, it isn't the world's largest urban region by area.
...While Tokyo-Yokohama comes first in the population stakes, it comes third in land area with 3,300 square miles. 
The New York-New Jersey-Connecticut metro region claims the title as the largest urban area in physical size, sprawling out over 4,585 square miles..."
Read all!

Our president is a moron. He appoints morons. Those morons pretend to protect America and our troops-------In Geographic Gaffe, Obama Official Misplaces Syria on Map

In Geographic Gaffe, Obama Official Misplaces Syria on Map

The senior Obama administration official, who was not identified by name under well-established rules, was speaking about 6 p.m. on a conference call with reporters about ISIS, also known as ISIL or the Islamic State, when he made the geographic gaffe. He said:

ISIL has been, I think, a galvanizing threat around the Sunni partners in the region. They view it as an existential threat to them. Saudi Arabia has an extensive border with Syria … So what we have here is a galvanizing threat from ISIL that is, I think, leading our Sunni partners in the region to join us along the range of potential capabilities that my colleague mentioned.

Commentary: What Obama Got Right—and Wrong—in His ISIS Speech

In fact,  Syria — home base for the brutal terrorist group — borders on five countries: Iraq, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon and Turkey.

Tom Anderson, director of the Government Integrity Project at the National Legal and Policy Center, originally spotted the “extensive” blunder.

The internet NEVER lies....right?-------Top 16 Small Cities in Michigan

This article would be funny if it wasn't so sad.
And inaccurate.....
Top 16 Small Cities in Michigan | City Described
6. Muskegon

The name Muskegon comes from the Ottawa Indian word ‘Masquigon,’ which means swamp or marshy river. The area’s history dates to the Paleo-Indian era seven to eight thousand years ago. The Ottawa tribe lived in the Muskegon region approximately two-thousand years ago, according to the Muskegon-Michigan website.

The fur trade made the Hudson Bay Company rich and Chicago used Muskegon lumber to rebuild after the fire of 1871. More millionaires lived in the Muskegon region during that era than any other city in the United States, the Muskegon-Michigan website states.

Muskegon sits on the shores of Lake Michigan and has picturesque beaches that bring tourists to the area for sightseeing, fishing and swimming. 

The city known as the Riviera of the West continues to prosper with community renovation projects to beautify and restore some of the historic buildings in the city, as related to the Muskegon-Michigan website.

Muskegon produced a music industry innovator in James Newell Osterberg, Jr. Known to the world as Iggy Pop, James changed the Punk rock world. Iggy played drums in a number of high school bands before moving to Chicago to study the blues. Iggy formed the Psychedelic Stooges and his career began as stated on the Outdoor-Michigan website.

Well-known televangelist Jim Bakker grew up in Muskegon. Since his divorce from Tammy Faye, he remarried to Lori Beth Graham in 1998. Jim Bakker appeared on television for ten years in support of the PTL Ministries and fans loved him and his wife Tammy Faye. Unknown to Tammy and the viewers, Jim had diverted money from the PTL and stolen viewer’s money to support his hidden lifestyle, found on the Hall of Infamy website.

The Pyrotechnics Guild International (PGI) Convention comes to Muskegon every August. More than 10-thousand people attend the convention every year even PGI members flock to the small town. Only PGI members are allowed into the convention but the convention’s public displays draw huge crowds, reports the Atlas Obscura website.

Climate “emergency” means house arrest | CFACT

Climate “emergency” means house arrest | CFACT

• 

"A regional transportation agency in California recently approved a far-reaching societal makeover plan that offers a glimpse into the very near future of America, if such absurdities take hold under the ruse of dealing with a “climate emergency.”
The coronavirus pandemic has revealed the inner-tyrants of many politicians across the country...
...Under the pretense of a “climate emergency,” politicians and bureaucrats will increasingly impose 
...Not surprisingly, the once Golden State is leading the way.
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission, a government agency in the San Francisco Bay area, recently voted 11-to-1 to proceed with a multi-billion dollar, 30-year plan to remake the region’s transportation network, housing arrangements and much more to reduce carbon emissions.

...The adopted plan also recommends billions of dollars for job training, affordable housing, high-speed internet, adaptions for “sea-level rise” (est. cost: $19 billion), “retrofit” residential buildings ($15 billion), and “enable carbon neutrality” for all existing public and commercial buildings ($18 billion).
This central planning scheme also includes this doozy: “allow a variety of housing types at a range of densities” including in areas “with the region’s best schools and economic opportunities.” 

Translation: public housing projects are coming to suburban communities...Read all.