Uncategorized – Page 7 – Van Clayton Powel

1 In 5 LUNG CANCER TUMORS NOT DANGEROUS

‘Many lung cancer tumors prove harmless, says study’

“Nearly 1 in 5 lung tumors detected on CT scans are probably so slow-growing that they would never cause problems. The analysis suggests the world’s No. 1 cause of cancer deaths isn’t as lethal as doctors once thought.

In the study, these were not false-positives — suspicious results that turn out upon further testing not to be cancer. These were indeed cancerous tumors, but ones that caused no symptoms and were unlikely ever to become deadly, the researchers said.”

Kind of a good-news/ bad-news piece. One in five negative. Four in five still positive.

Article by Lindsey Tanner, The Associated Press December 10, 2013 http://www.vancouversun.com/health/Study+says+many+lung+cancer+tumors+prove+harmless+disease+didnt/9268763/story.html

UKRAINE: WHY THE EAST & WEST WILL FIGHT FOR IT

The strategic value of the Ukraine will dictate what happens there. What’s so valuable? Take a look at the map below of Russia’s pipelines flowing through the Ukraine to western Europe. Do you think Putin will let the West gain control of those?

Russian pipelines through the Ukraine

The link between organized crime and the Russian and Ukranian governments further complicates things. See here: RUSSIAN MOB REAL POWER BEHIND UKRAINE PRESIDENT?

And note that the crime lord mentioned in that blog post, Semyon Mogilevich, one of FBI’s most wanted people, lives in … Moscow, where even billionaire oligarchs have learned nothing happens without Putin’s approval.

The Ukraine could get very messy before a solution is found.

KATE UPTON IN ZERO GRAVITY

I was originally asked to do this photo shoot for the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue but had scheduling conflicts so handed it over to Kate Upton. Damn. Was really looking forward to zero gravity.

RUSSIAN MOB REAL POWER BEHIND UKRAINE PRESIDENT?

The book McMafia: A Journey Through the Global Criminal Underworld painted a chilling picture of the influence of organized crime on global politics and policies.

And the simultaneous fall of the Iron Curtain and deregulation of international currency markets played a significant role in enabling the Russian crime lords in particular to go global in a big way.

Are they pulling the strings in the Ukraine? Read more here:
“Semyon Mogilevich, one of FBI’s most wanted people, identified as real power behind billionaire owner of Ukrainian-based RUE” http://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/dec/01/wikileaks-cables-russian-mafia-gas

A piece on Semyon Mogilevich here: http://www.ibtimes.com/worlds-most-powerful-mobster-you-probably-never-heard-980488

WHAT DID WORLD LEADERS STUDY IN SCHOOL

Dude did a map of the education background of all the world’s leaders.

click to enlarge

Surprise – US likes lawyers. But so does Russia. ‘Economics/Business’ also well represented. Strange though, doesn’t seem to be many from the ‘Art/Film/Music’ category.

Map compiled by ‘Mareyv’ on Reddit for Mapporn http://www.reddit.com/user/mareyv

DEMOCRACY BC-STYLE

In the last year and a half the British Columbia legislature has sat for … 36 days.

By the end of 2013, it will be 36 days out of the last 579 (going back to May 31, 2012.) There was no fall sitting in 2012 or 2013 – both cancelled by Premier Christy Clark.

How’s that for a functioning democracy! (Certainly convenient if you want to announce policies like 28% Hydro increases and massive BC Ferry cuts without a pesky opposition party being able to ask you questions.)

More here http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/bc-legislature-sits-36-of-579-days-is-this-responsible-government/article14245947/

HIGH SEX DRIVE: A Sign That You're A Genius?

A recent study suggests a link between high sexual drive and intelligence. Basically, if you stay up late, use drugs, have blue eyes, big boobs, and enjoy a lot of slap- and-tickle, you might be a candidate for Mensa. (The ‘the high IQ society’.)

More here: “5 Surprising Signs You’re Probably a Genius”

CANADA OILSANDS EXPANSION to Cause Irreversible Damage; Ottawa Says "Oh, well…"

The expansion of Shell Canada’s Jackpine oilsands project will destroy 8,500 hectares of wetland and have an irreversible impact, says Canada’s environment minister.

But she’s not too concerned. In fact, Ottawa thinks the project is in the public’s interest.

And how will the public be compensated for this loss of 8,500 hectares of irreplaceable wetlands?

Shell Canada is buying us 730 hectares of … former cattle pasture. And you know what we’re gonna find there.

If you can stomach it, more here.

Japan’s New Secrecy Bill: Kafka, Hitler, and Lethal Radiation

Japan just passed a new Special Secrets Bill.

The rules?

What will be a secret is secret.
Anyone who leaks a secret and a reporter who writes it up can face up to ten years in jail.
There are no rules at to what government agency can declare a state secret.
Anything pertaining to nuclear energy is a state secret.

More here: http://tinyurl.com/n8bty93

Coincidentally (??), this – “Highest Radiation Level Ever, Lethal In 20 Minutes, Recorded Outside Fukushima Reactor”
More here: http://tinyurl.com/kSeejno2xs

*Thanks to Tyler Durden of ZeroHedge for the heads-up: http://tinyurl.com/kjvehvgfor

How Smart Are The World's 15-Year Olds? Take The Quiz

The PISA evaluation of global education systems was just released.

The testing assessed the competencies of 15-year-olds in reading,
mathematics and science (with a focus on mathematics).

The results?

Asian countries took the top 7 places. (Canada was 13th out of 65, down 3 spots since 2009. The US ranked 26th.)

See the rankings here

Try some of the questions here:
http://www.cbc.ca/day6/blog/2013/12/05/amanda-ripley/