Jimmied Peace; Rising Hate; EPA Confusion; Marines Sign Up; Touching Sense; 3D Printing Ward; Heating to the Freezing Point; Thin Chip; Long Live the Vaccine; X-Ray Network; Uncanny Assistant; Mastercard's AI; Long Web History; Sanctions for NK; Space War; Cassini of the Rings; and Crushing Crabs

Peace

Jimmy Carter to Obama: Before you leave office, recognize Palestinian state cnn

"I am convinced that the United States can still shape the future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict before a change in presidents, but time is very short, " Carter wrote. "The simple but vital step this administration must take before its term expires on Jan. 20 is to grant American diplomatic recognition to the state of Palestine."

Also see Carter's Op-Ed piece: Jimmy Carter: America Must Recognize Palestine nytimes

Aleppo Crush; Castro Canadian Friend; Holocaust on Ice; Cashless Modi; Uncomfortable Abortion Reality; Computer Programmer; ALVINN; BosTonomy; Photon Converter; and Trash Man...IN SPAAAAAACE

Syria

Syrian forces make sweeping gains in eastern Aleppo cnn v

Government forces and armed paramilitary groups loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad began a renewed push toward eastern Aleppo on November 15, backed by airstrikes following a three-week lull.

Taking the city would mark a turning point in a civil war that has raged in Syria for more than five years.

Also see Syrian rebel forces in Aleppo suffer 'biggest defeat since 2012' theguardian

The Russian Japanese Island; Open Threat; 2nd Peace; Powdered Blood; Mechanical Pixels; Super Japan; Anti-Semitics in Berkley; Not so Climate Changed; and Shared Private Data

Russia-Japan

Japan pledges response to 'serious' Russian missile deployment on disputed islands independent.co.uk

The countries are trying to arrange a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe next month to settle a 70-year dispute over the islands, which were claimed by the Soviets after Second World War and lie just north of Japan.

Also see Military build-up in the Kuril Islands: Bad timing or a signal from Moscow? rbth

Trump TV; Peace Grail; Conservative Hate; Twitter Over Censors; China's Facebook; Catching Poachers with Their Thermals on; and Google's AI Language

Politics

Welcome to Washington’s new normal: One Trump drama after another washingtonpost

Trump summoned two dozen television executives and news anchors to his offices Monday to berate them as dishonest and disobedient. He sought to strong-arm the British government to appoint his Brexit ally, Nigel Farage ukip.org, as ambassador to the United States. He dropped his threat to prosecute Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton, disregarding his “lock her up” campaign chant and incurring the wrath of some reliable supporters.

Then there was Tuesday’s meeting with the New York Times, the newspaper Trump loves to mock as “failing.” It was scheduled, then canceled, then rescheduled. And once the president-elect settled in at the Grey Lady’s wikipedia.org boardroom, he softened his position on climate change, floated the idea that his son-in-law could broker peace in the Middle East, voiced new doubts about the effectiveness of torturing terrorism suspects, savaged Republicans who wavered on his candidacy and left unresolved concerns about how — or even whether — he would disassociate himself from his global business holdings to avoid conflicts of interest.

19,000; Japan Deploys; Chemical Abuse; Lies to Murder; Cutting Bio-fuels; Robot Tongue; Molecular Dance; AI Blends

Economy

Dow eclipses 19,000 for first time in its 120-year history usatoday

After Monday’s record-breaking day, when the Dow Jones industrial average, large-company Standard & Poor’s 500 stock index, tech-dominated Nasdaq composite and the small-cap Russell 2000 all closed at record levels at the same time for the first time since Dec. 31, 1999, the Dow is making fresh headlines and will likely get a big shout out on the evening news.

Born Criminal; Frozen and Lost; Leader Angela; The Philippine Bow; NATO-Russian Missile Dance; Light AI; Electa-Aid; and Weather Chasing Satellite

Society

Troubling Study Says Artificial Intelligence Can Predict Who Will Be Criminals Based on Facial Features theintercept

The bankrupt attempt to infer moral qualities from physiology was a popular pursuit for millennia, particularly among those who wanted to justify the supremacy of one racial group over another. But phrenology britannica, which involved studying the cranium to determine someone’s character and intelligence, was debunked around the time of the Industrial Revolution, and few outside of the pseudo-scientific fringe would still claim that the shape of your mouth or size of your eyelids might predict whether you’ll become a rapist or thief.

Not so in the modern age of Artificial Intelligence, apparently: In a paper titled “Automated Inference on Criminality using Face Images,” two Shanghai Jiao Tong University sjtu.edu.cn researchers say they fed “facial images of 1,856 real persons” into computers and found “some discriminating structural features for predicting criminality, such as lip curvature, eye inner corner distance, and the so-called nose-mouth angle.” They conclude that “all four classifiers perform consistently well and produce evidence for the validity of automated face-induced inference on criminality, despite the historical controversy surrounding the topic.”

Withholding the Kingdom from Jews; Attempted Not Murder; Indiana Abortion Ban; Dead Raising Denied; Google's Pictionary; Predicting Selfie Death; BALLU; Backdoor Law; Subjectively Fake; The Stories Trump and Ford Tell; Weak and Fading Army; Linked Out; Lazering Mice; Iceless Coat; Rodent Screen Test; and Hard-Software

Apostasy

German Protestants officially renounce converting Jews to Christianity religionnews

“All efforts to convert Jews contradict our commitment to the faithfulness of God and the election of Israel,” the resolution read. That Christians see Jesus as their savior and Jews don’t is “a fact we leave up to God,” it said.

Actually, Paul was quite clear in Romans that there is one salvation for both Jews and Gentiles (ex: Romans 10:12), that none are saved outside of Christ, and he specifically discussed this issue of "what about the Jews" in multiple locations (including looking forward to a time when, through Christ, the future Jewish nation will be saved - ex: Romans 11:11-32). Additionally, in letters like Galatians, he went to great pains to warn believers from being deceived by "Judaizers" who were trying to add obeying the law as part of salvation and that attempts at obeying the law was actually a false gospel and really no gospel at all (ex: Galatians 1:6). He even recounts a rebuke he had for Peter for seperating from the Gentiles as if there was a special status for Jews in Christ (Galatians 2:11-21). There's far too much to cover in a quick mention like this, but suffice it to say that Jesus (a Jew speaking to Jews) said that He is the Way and no one gets to the Father but through Him (John 14:6). To say that Jews aren't to be evangelized is to not understand the Gospel.

Christmas Unity; Globalization Rally Cry; The Failing Justice League; EU's Grip; RT Swipe; Red Square Drill; Bomb Rain; Settling Outposts; New Order in Town; Programming Required; Alt-Right All Twittered Out; Big Gas; Animals See Again; Satellite Palooza; Smart Men Hit Asteroid; Space Engine; Faster Than Concorde; and Plant Robots Dreams

False Unity

Amazon Christmas advert 2016: Imam and priest push festive message of friendship independent.co.uk v

A spokesman for Amazon told The Independent: "Our casting reflects this: the gentleman playing the vicar is a practising vicar in London, the gentleman playing the imam is a devout Muslim and the principal of a Muslim school. We used an actual church and mosque for our scenes within the places of worship."

Oh, Amazon...

Edited Human; Finger Eye; AI Plays with Toys; Cyborg Society; Brain History; eKrona; Skylivery; Turkey's Descent; Russia's Navy in Action; High Bar; and Post-Truth

CRISPR

Chinese scientists use gene-editing techniques in humans for first time cnn

On October 28, genetically modified cells were injected into a patient at the West China Hospital in Chengdu with aggressive lung cancer, according to the scientific journal Nature.

Liao Zhilin, who handles communications for the team, told CNN "everything is going as planned," but would not go into details.

Evil Jefferson; Choosing Real News; Argentina's Beavers; Big Fears in Texas; ISIS Fake Out; Repeat Nuclear Offender; Automated Car in the Wild; Shot Finder; Pill Bot; Speedy Electron Delivery; and ALie Detector

Society

University of Virginia professors: Stop quoting Thomas Jefferson washingtonexaminer

"Thomas Jefferson wrote to a friend that University of Virginia students 'are not of ordinary significance only: They are exactly the persons who are to succeed to the government of our country, and to rule its future enmities, its friendships and fortunes,'" Sullivan wrote, the Cavalier Daily reported. "I encourage today's U.Va. students to embrace that responsibility."

But this quotation of the father of the University of Virginia virginia.edu was too much for 469 faculty and students, who drafted a letter in protest.

Text OUUUUT; ISIS Humans; 3D Bullets Hurt Too; Chicken Mine; Falling Sky; and Measuring in No Time

Syria

Aleppo residents get warning by text message: You have 24 hours to leave cnn

Rebels were also given an ultimatum to lay down their arms and renounce their leadership, or be killed. The message was likely sent by the Syrian government as the regime is likely the only party capable of sending a mass text to the entire population.

Also see Battle for Aleppo: Deaths reported as Assad begins 'final onslaught' to recapture city from rebels independent.co.uk

Ad Sensibilities; Single Stuff; Unclean Squirrels; Ticklish Rats; Wild AI; and Identity Border

Society

Facebook to stop ads that target, exclude races usatoday

Facebook will also require advertisers to affirm that they will not place discriminatory ads on Facebook and will offer educational materials to help advertisers understand their obligations, Egan said.

Raising Temple Hopes; Mount Lobby; Jewish Tipping Point; Going Dutch with Russia; The No Good Rupee; Taiwan Falls Next; 100 Transgender Salute; Password, Hackedword; Monkeys Walk Again; Removing Old Cells; Swarms of Satellites; and Fast Flier

Israel

Sanhedrin Asks Putin and Trump to Build Third Temple in Jerusalem breakingisraelnews

Rabbi Hillel Weiss, spokesman for the Sanhedrin jewishvirtuallibrary.org, contacted Breaking Israel News to announce that the election of Trump, who has promised to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, coupled with Putin’s expressed desire for the Temple to be rebuilt, prompted the Jewish court to send a letter offering the two the opportunity to act as modern-day Cyrus figures: non-Jewish kings who recognize the importance of Israel and the Temple.

Coloradoan Death; Green Election; US Immigrants; Taking Ownership of History; Heart Fix; Bike Wash; Semi-less Chip; and Mystery Car

After 9 long years (or was it just a few months?) the U.S. presidential election has come to an end. I've made a concerted, deliberate effort since starting this blog to not post "news" about either candidate (too many lies, conspiracy theories, and fear mongering from all quarters), but that moratorium, too, is nearing an end :) Now that Trump has been given the presidency, he becomes as much fair game for bits of old news listed here as Obama, Putin, Xi, Duterte, Kim Jong Un, Merkel, and the rest of them. Should make for some interesting days ahead...

Society

Colorado Approves a ‘Right to Die’ for Terminally Ill Patients time

The state’s legislation is modeled after a similar law in Oregon, which became the first state to enact Death With Dignity legislation in 1997. Since then Washington, California and Vermont have passed similar laws while Montana’s courts have allowed the practice.

Also see Assisted suicide is now legal in Colorado theverge

Vote Attack; Marriage Punishment; Korean Concession; Possible, Impossible Engine; Sinked Japan; and Juno's Pattern

Syria

Russia to launch 'large-scale' airstrikes on Syria as Americans vote theguardian

The strikes, predicted in the 24 hours from Tuesday morning, would be targeted at the outskirts of the city where rebel groups have been seeking to break the Assad regime’s siege of opposition-held eastern districts. They would involve cruise missiles, carrier-based and land-based warplanes, the reports said.

Over the past few days, the Russian navy has assembled a sizable fleet in the eastern Mediterranean, made up of its only aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, its biggest battle cruiser, the Peter the Great – both from its Northern Fleet, and the Admiral Grigorovich, a nuclear-powered missile frigate. There are also reported to be up to three submarines from the Northern Fleet with the Kuznetsov battle group, which are all positioned between Cyprus and the Syrian coast.

Watery Volcano; Colored Electrons; Magnetic Circuits; Asteroid Drill; 1950's Bomb; 20,000 Poorer; Police Eaves; Cracked Media; Pollution Day!; Berlin Wall 2; and 300k Alerted

Creation

Giant Volcano Appears to Be Filled With Water gizmodo

Investigating a strange electrical anomaly, geologists have discovered an enormous water reservoir beneath the now-dormant Uturunco volcano in the Bolivian Andes. It’s a remarkable find that speaks to the vast amounts of water stored in Earth’s deep interior, possibly since our planet was formed.

“It’s probably somewhere between Lake Superior and Lake Huron,” Jon Blundy, a geologist at the University of Bristol and co-author on the new discovery published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters, told New Scientist. “It’s a staggeringly large amount.”

Nuclear War Rattle; China's Heavy Rocket; Goofy Mars; Light Hack; and Jacket Tent Bag

Russia

Russia holds large-scale nuclear war games washingtontimes

The unannounced war games were called strategic operation of nuclear forces and took place between Oct. 10 and Oct. 12 throughout Russia. The exercises appear to be the latest round of nuclear saber-rattling against the United States by President Vladimir Putin.

One official said the exercises, involving numerous launches of nuclear missiles, were gauged to be at levels that reached or exceeded the kind of Soviet strategic force exercises held during the Cold War.

Russian Pause Push; Closed Amnesty; Netanyahu's Rhetorical Question; Hamas Courts PLO; Going South in Korea; Underground Sharia; SCOTUS Considering Sister Wives; and 200k Eggs/Hour

Syria

Aleppo: Russia announces ‘humanitarian pause’ as residents fear devastating ‘final push’ from Putin and Assad independent.co.uk

The break in hostilities is planned for daylight hours on Friday, with two corridors opened for rebels, whom are allowed to take their arms, and six others for civilians and the wounded.

Also see Russia calls for 10-hour ‘humanitarian pause’ in Aleppo timesofisrael

Throwing Israel to the UN; Peace Hold; J-20 Fly; German Extremist, Check; Holo Tank; Robots in the Loch; Piccolissimo; and Farm Cogs

Israel

Obama: Don't Destroy the Peace Process by Turning it Over to the U.N. gatestoneinstitute.org

The Obama Administration is sending strong signals that once the election is over it may make a major push to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at the United Nations. Despite repeated invitations by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Palestinian Authority President Abbas to meet without preconditions, the stalemate persists. Some blame it on Palestinian unwillingness to recognize Israel as the nation state of the Jewish People and to compromise to the so-called "right of return." Others — including the current U.S. Administration — lay the blame largely at the feet of the Netanyahu government for continuing to build in the West Bank, most recently approval of between 98 and 300 new homes in Shiloh. Whatever the reasons – and they are complex and multifaceted — President Obama should resist any temptation, during his final weeks in office, to change longstanding American policy — that only direct negotiations between the parties will achieve a lasting peace.