THE PHILIPPINE STANDING STRONG AGAINST CHINA WHEN IT COMES TO THE SPRATLY ISLAND SINCE 1999 GROUNDING ON THE REEF OF THE WW2 LST SIERRA MADRE IN THE AYUNGIN SHOAL OF THE SPRATLY ISLANDS WITH 10 PHILIPPINE MARINES STANDING GUARD AS CHINESE MILITARY READY FOR THE LAND GRAB IF NOT FOR THE PHILIPPINE MARINES

May 14, 2018: The government protested a Chinese attempt, on May 11^th, to interfere with a Filipino effort to deliver supplies to a base it maintains on Second Thomas Reef which both countries claim. Despite the presence of Chinese military aircraft and ships the supplies got through to the detachment of Filipino marines has been stationed there on a World War II era landing ship (the BRP Sierra Madre) since 1999. The Filipino navy deliberately grounded the LST on Second Thomas Reef in 1999 to provide a place for this “observation team”. In 2013 Chinese patrol ships came within nine kilometers of the LST, which China insists is there illegally. The Philippines warned China that it would resist any attempts to use force against the grounded ship and while the Chinese still tries to interfere with supply ships, they have stayed away. In 2015 China protested the Filipino effort to make repairs on the LST. The Philippines protested the Chinese moves today but only after a two week delay because of disagreements within the Filipino government about how to deal with the situation. China is buying a lot of influence in the Philippines but at the same time, most Filipinos fear being “conquered” by an increasingly aggressive China. The Philippines also decided to proceed with upgrades to its other disputed islands in the Spratly Islands.

https://strategypage.com/qnd/phillip/articles/20180611.aspx


The Philippine navy is quietly reinforcing the hull and deck of a rusting ship it ran aground on a disputed South China Sea reef in 1999 to stop it breaking apart, determined to hold the shoal as Beijing creates a string of man-made islands nearby. 

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-southchinasea-philippines-shoal-exclu-idUSKCN0PN2HN20150714 

China Rising: The challenges for Australia as China and the US struggle for supremacy in Asia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1W5NchTZjg

 

WORLD CUP 2018 BRACKET–USA NOT IN S KOREA UK VIA MEXICO TO BATTLE AS AUSTRALIA MUST DEFEAT RUSSIA TO MOVE UP THE BRACKET

http://worldsoccertalk.com/2018/01/04/world-cup-2018-bracket/

THE OLD WETBACK LAW OF 1954 TO INDISCRIMINITELY ROUND UP ILLEGALS FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA HAS COME FULL FORCE IN TENNESSEE IN THE 21ST CENTURY - THE HOME STATE OF DAVY CROCKETT- ICE GETS TO DEPORT 54 FAMILY MEMBERS WHILST THEIR CHILDREN SUFFER - THE TRUE OUTCOME OF THE FAILED IMMIGRATION POLICY - FAMILIES SEPARATION - THE 21ST CENTURY TRAIL OF TEARS

1954 OPERATION WETBACK

One morning in April, federal immigration agents swept into a meatpacking plant in this northeastern Tennessee manufacturing town, launching one of the biggest workplace raids since President Trump took office with a pledge to crack down on illegal immigration.

Dozens of panicked workers fled in every direction, some wedging themselves between beef carcasses or crouching under bloody butcher tables. About 100 workers, including at least one American citizen, were rounded up — every Latino employee at the plant, it turned out, save a man who had hidden in a freezer.

The raid occurred in a state that is on the raw front lines of the immigration debate. Mr. Trump won 61 percent of the vote in Tennessee, and continues to enjoy wide popularity. The state’s rapidly growing immigrant population, now estimated to total more than 320,000, has become a favorite target of the Republican-controlled State Legislature. In 2017, Tennessee lawmakers passed the nation’s first law requiring stiffer sentences for defendants who are in the country illegally. In April, they passed a law requiring the police to help enforce immigration laws and making it illegal for local governments to adopt so-called sanctuary policies.

But Morristown, a town of 30,000 northeast of Knoxville that was the boyhood home of Davy Crockett, has drawn migrant workers from Latin America since the early 1990s, when they first came to work on the region’s abundant tomato farms. As stepped-up security has made going back and forth across the border more difficult, many of these families have settled into the community, enrolled their kids in school, and joined churches where they have baptized their American-born children.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/06/11/us/tennessee-immigration-trump.html

INDIA GROWING ITS MILITARY EXPENDITURES TO FEND OFF PAKISTAN AND COMMUNIST CHINA TO $63.9 BILLION PUTTING INDIA IN THE TOP 5 MILITARY 2017 SPENDERS BEHIND THE USA $610 BILLION, CHINA $228 BILLION, RUSSIA $87.8 BILLION (2013), SAUDI ARABIA $67 BILLION (2013)

NEW DELHI • India has joined the United States and China as one of the world's five biggest military spenders, reflecting geopolitical tensions as well as the country's reliance on imported weapons and sprawling personnel costs.
New Delhi's defence spending rose by 5.5 per cent to US$63.9 billion (S$85.3 billion) in 2017 and has now passed France, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said in a report released yesterday. Worldwide military spending rose marginally last year to US$1.73 trillion, or roughly 2.2 per cent of global gross domestic product, the think-tank said.
"The Indian government plans to expand, modernise and enhance the operational capability of its armed forces, motivated at least partially by tensions with China and Pakistan," the report read.

The list of the world's biggest military spenders has remained consistent in recent years, dominated by the US and China, which spent US$610 billion and US$228 billion, respectively last year, according to SIPRI, which researches global arms spending.
However, the group said the balance of military spending is "clearly shifting" towards Asia, Oceania and the Middle East, driven largely by spending increases in China, India and Saudi Arabia.
China spends far more on its military than any other power in Asia. Beijing's share of worldwide military expenditure rose to 13 per cent in 2017 from just 5.8 per cent in 2008, according to SIPRI.

 https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/south-asia/india-among-top-five-defence-spenders-in-world

AUSTRALIA REACTS TO ANTi SHIP MISSILES INSTALLATION ON THREE ISLAND CARRIERS MILITARIZED BY COMMUNIST CHINA AS MISSILLE INSTALLATION BEGUN IN FIERY CROSS REEF, SUBI REEF, MISCHIEF REEF OF THE SPRATLY ISLAND CHAIN TO PROJECT DOMINANCE 295 MILES AROUND EACH ISLAND

CHINA has installed anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-to-air missile systems on three of its outposts in the South China Sea, US news network CNBC reports, citing sources with direct knowledge of US intelligence reports.

The move, if confirmed, would mark the first Chinese missile deployments in the Spratly Islands, where several Asian countries including Vietnam and Taiwan have rival claims.
Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop said the Australian Government would be “concerned” if the reports were accurate.
The Minister refused to confirm or deny any Australian intelligence about the missiles.
But she said: “If the media reports are accurate, then the Australian Government would be concerned because this would be contrary to China’s stated aspiration that it would not militarise these features.”

http://www.news.com.au/military/china-installs-missiles-on-three-south-china-sea-outposts/news-story/3ef29ce7950904151a0b7328686cf511

CHINA USES THE OLD COMMUNIST TRICK IN THE BOOK CLAIMS NO MILITARIZATION OF ITS NEW STOLEN ISLANDS OF THE ASIAN SOUTH SEA MAKING THEM INTO ISLAND CARRIERS HAS NOW INSTALLED MISSILES - THE FUTURE OF DEMOCRACY IN ASIA IS THREATENED AS THE COMMUNIST CHINA GOES ON THE MOVE WITH ITS BELT AND ROAD PROJECT TO HUNG THE WORLD

The United States has raised concerns with China about its latest militarization of the South China Sea and there will be near-term and long-term consequences, the White House said on Thursday.

U.S. news network CNBC reported on Wednesday that China had installed anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-to-air missile systems on three outposts in the South China Sea. It cited sources with direct knowledge of U.S. intelligence.

Asked about the report, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told a regular news briefing: "We’re well aware of China’s militarization of the South China Sea. We’ve raised concerns directly with the Chinese about this and there will be near-term and long-term consequences."

Sanders did not say what the consequences might be.

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said U.S. intelligence had seen some signs that China had moved some weapons systems to the Spratly Islands in the past month or so, but offered no details.

CNBC quoted unnamed sources as saying that according to U.S. intelligence assessments, the missiles were moved to Fiery Cross Reef, Subi Reef and Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands within the past 30 days.

They would be the first Chinese missile deployments in the Spratlys, where several Asian countries including Vietnam and Taiwan have rival claims.

China's defense ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Its foreign ministry said China has irrefutable sovereignty over the Spratlys and that necessary defensive deployments were for national security needs and not aimed at any country.

"Those who do not intend to be aggressive have no need to be worried or scared," ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said.

Julie Bishop, the foreign minister of U.S. ally Australia, said the reports, if accurate, would be a concern as the actions would be contrary to China's stated aspiration not to militarize the features.

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/u-says-consequences-chinas-south-china-sea-militarization-012917674.html

CHINA IN THE 21ST CENTURY WITH ITS BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE GLOBAL REACH IS READY TO PUT A NOOSE AROUND THE WORLD WITH ITS FINANCING OF POOR THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES IN EXCHANGE FOR FORCED MILITARY BASES WHEN DEBT PAYMENT IS NOT MADE SUCH AS DJIBOUTI AFRICA AND ITS RING AROUND THE COLLAR OF THE ASIA'S SOUTH SEA NOW FUNCTIONING MILITARY ISLAND CARRIER BASES

The Pentagon confirmed Thursday that Chinese nationals fired lasers near a military base in east Africa against U.S. military aircraft in the region, injuring several pilots.
Pentagon Press Secretary Dana White said the U.S. government made diplomatic protests to the Chinese government over several recent incidents of laser firings near China's first overseas military base at Djibouti.
"These are very serious incidents. There have been two minor injuries. This activity poses a threat to our airmen," White told reporters.
"We have formally demarched the Chinese government, and we've requested that the Chinese investigate these incidents," she added.
The number of incidents is "more than two but less than ten" and the laser firings took place in recent weeks, White said.
White said the Pentagon is confident that Chinese nationals were behind the laser firings but did not elaborate on the intelligence linking Beijing to the incidents.
She declined to speculate on the Chinese motive behind the laser attacks.
"I believe there have been cases where this has happened previously," White said. "But what this started was these last few weeks we decided to become very serious about it, and we have demarched the Chinese, and we've asked for the investigation."
China's government has not commented on the incidents. A Chinese military expert told the state-run Global Times newspaper that the U.S. accusations that China used a laser weapon in Djibouti was "groundless."
China opened the military base in Djibouti last year and plans to deploy some 400 troops there.
China's government has asserted that the base is merely a logistics hub for anti-piracy operations as well as to support China's international infrastructure project called Belt and Road Initiative.
The U.S. government regards the Chinese base as part of Beijing's efforts to project military power around the world.
The Djibouti incidents appear similar to the 1997 incident involving a Russian merchant ship that was shadowing a Navy missile submarine and fired a laser on a Canadian surveillance helicopter.
The laser damaged the eyes of the Navy Lt. Jack Daly and Canadian pilot Captain Patrick Barnes near Washington state and was covered up by the administration of President Bill Clinton.
China and the United States have battled over international trade and finance after the Trump administration announced it will impose tariffs on China for its unfair trade practices.
The U.S. and Chinese militaries also have squared off in the South China Sea where China is seeking to take control of the strategic waterway. The U.S. military has been seeking to counter the illegal claim by sending ships and aircraft near disputed islands in the sea that have been militarized in recent years by China.

http://freebeacon.com/national-security/pentagon-confirms-chinese-fired-lasers-u-s-pilots/

CHINA HAS NOW AIRCRAFT CARRIER ISLANDS IN PLACE TO COVET THE SOUTH SEA AS ITS OWN - AS ITS ISLAND TAKING AND BUILD UP FOR MILITARY USE IS COMPLETE AND READY FOR WAR

THE island fortresses are built. The airfields are ready. The harbours are open.

All China needs do now is move in the warships and combat jets.
The chief of US Fleet Forces Command has told US Congress that Beijing has built up enough military infrastructure in the South China Sea to completely control the disputed waterway.
“Once occupied, China will be able to extend its influence thousands of miles to the south and project power deep into Oceania,” Admiral Philip S. Davidson wrote.
“The PLA will be able to use these bases to challenge US presence in the region, and any forces deployed to the islands would easily overwhelm the military forces of any other South China Sea-claimants.
“In short, China is now capable of controlling the South China Sea in all scenarios short of war with the United States.”

 http://www.news.com.au/world/us-admiral-warns-only-war-can-now-stop-beijing-controlling-the-south-china-sea/news-story

CHINA CONTINUES ITS MILITARY EXPENDITURE WITH ANOTHER AIRCRAFT CARRIER CV-17 70,000 TON SO CALLED TYPE 001 - TO BE FOLLOWED BY A THIRD ALREADY KEEL LAID DOWN - AS THE WAR HUNGRY NATION READIES ITS PAST OF WAR MONGERING HISTORY INTO THE 21ST CENTURY OF MORE BLOODSHED TO COME

BEIJING has come a long way since it first landed a jet fighter aboard what was originally HMAS Melbourne in 1987.
The former Australian aircraft carrier had been sold for scrap. But it proved a source of valuable technical intelligence for an ambitious Chinese military.
China surprised the world again with the unveiling of its first aircraft carrier, Liaoning, in 2012.
It had been bought from Ukraine in 1998.
It was supposed to have been turned into a casino.
Instead, it emerged as a fully armed and operational warship.
The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has been experimenting with it ever since, developing a feel for the strengths and weaknesses of carrier warfare.

Meanwhile, it’s been busy building another.
Today, tugboats have been seen moving the ship from its wharf in preparation for its first independently powered foray at sea.
This ship, so far known only as Type 001A (CV-17), is a reverse-engineered and somewhat modified version of the Soviet-built Liaoning.
Its hull was launched at the Dalian Shipyard in April last year. It’s since been undergoing fit-out. It has also been subject to a series of harbourside tests and trials.
The ship is believed to be headed towards a designated testing zone in the Bohai Sea, which has been declared a ‘no go zone’ until April 28.
“The first sea trials of China’s second aircraft carrier, built at the Dalian shipyard, are likely to take place in the Bohai Sea and Yellow Sea to test its power and design,” Song Zhongping, a military expert and TV commentator, told the state-operated Global Times

It’s an event that has military analysts in Japan, all of South East Asia, India, the United States — and Australia — sitting up and taking notice.
It means China now has two armed and operational aircraft carriers capable of projecting firepower far beyond its borders. It’s an event that further changes the balance of power in its favour.
Meanwhile, Beijing’s building two more.
Work on aircraft carrier Type 002 resumed in May last year. It’s also believed first metal was cut for the construction of Type 003 in December.

http://www.news.com.au/military/heres-what-we-know-about-chinas-newest-aircraft-carriers/news-story/

WHEN CHINESE SMARTPHONE MAKER ZTE FOUND ILLEGALLY SELLING PHONES WITH LEADING EDGE CHIPS FROM QUALCOMM AND INTEL TO IRAN THE BAN AGAINST CHINA BEGAN - FORCING CHINA TO SCRAMBLE TO RELEASE ITS OWN HOME GROWN CLONED CHIPS SOONER THAN LATER

CHINA is looking to accelerate plans to develop its domestic semiconductor market amid a fierce trade standoff with the United States and a US ban on sales to Chinese phone maker ZTE that has underscored the country’s reliance on imported chips.

Senior Chinese officials have held meetings this week with industry bodies, regulators and the country’s powerful chip fund about speeding up already aggressive plans for the sector, two people with direct knowledge of the talks told Reuters.

The talks underscore China’s concern about its reliance on imported chips from global names such as Qualcomm and Intel, aggravated by a worsening dispute with the United States centred on cutting-edged tech.

“In the last few days senior Chinese officials have met to discuss plans to speed up the development of the chip industry,” one person with knowledge of the talks said, asking not to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter.

China has already made the semiconductor market a key priority under its “Made in China 2025” strategy to cut reliance on foreign technologies and create its own domestic champions.
That goal has been given fresh urgency after a US ban on sales of products — including chips — to Chinese phone maker ZTE Corp roiled the firm, which uses mainly US chips in its smartphones.

READ MORE: Espionage fears dog China’s biggest smartphone makers
A second person with knowledge of the talks said senior officials had met with key ministries, as well as the National Integrated Circuitry Investment Fund, “this week” to discuss speeding up plans due to recent trade tensions.

China’s Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology did not immediately respond to faxed requests for comment late on Thursday.
The IC Fund did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The seven-year ban on US firms selling parts to ZTE comes at a time when the two countries have threatened each other with tens of billions of dollars in tariffs in recent weeks, fanning worries of a full-blown trade war.
Washington said ZTE had violated an agreement reached after it was caught illegally shipping goods to Iran.

http://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/design/china-speeding-up-chip-plans-amid-trade-tensions-with-us/news-story/

SO WHEN CHINA XI SAYS NO MILITARIZATION OF THE SOUTH SEA HIS WORDS HAD NO MEANING SINCE MILITARIZATION OF THE ISLANDS ARE COMPLETE STARTING FROM 2013 OF JOHNSON REEF TO SIX OTHERS INCLUDING SPRATLY ISLAND, CUARTERON REEF, FIERY CROSS REEF, GAVEN REEF, HUGHES REEF, MISCHIEF REEF AND SUBI REEF - ENCIRCLING TAWAIN - AND CONTROLLING THE SEA LANES OF ASIA AS ITS GOAL TO DRIVE ALL THE WAY DOWN TO AUSTRALIA AS IT GROWS ITS BASE NOW IN VANUATU - WITHOUT EVEN FIRING A SHOT - EXCEPT WHEN IT TOOK THE FIERY CROSS FROM VIETNAM - AS CHINA'S XI BECOMES THE NEW THREAT IN THE 21ST CENTURY

China has deployed electronic attack systems and other military facilities on disputed islands in the South China Sea and is now capable of controlling the strategic waterway, according to the admiral slated to be the next Pacific Command chief.

Additionally, the command nominee Adm. Philip Davidson told the Senate Armed Services Committee in a written statement this week that the military urgently needs hypersonic and other advanced weaponry to defeat China's People's Liberation Army in a future conflict.

"In the future, hypersonic and directed energy weapons, resilient space, cyber and network-capabilities, and well-trained soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and coastguardsmen will be crucial to our ability to fight and win," the four-star admiral said in written answers to questions from the Senate Armed Services Committee.

On China's militarization and take over of the South China Sea, Davidson said the buildup of forward military bases began in December 2013 at Johnson Reef in the Spratly islands. Since then, the Chinese have fortified that reef and six others with military facilities, Davidson said.

"In the South China Sea, the PLA has constructed a variety of radar, electronic attack, and defense capabilities on the disputed Spratly Islands, to include: Cuarteron Reef, Fiery Cross Reef, Gaven Reef, Hughes Reef, Johnson Reef, Mischief Reef and Subi Reef," Davidson said.

"These facilities significantly expand the real-time domain awareness, [intelligence, surveillance reconnaissance], and jamming capabilities of the PLA over a large portion of the South China Sea, presenting a substantial challenge to U.S. military operations in this region," he added.

The bases on the seven islands include hangars, barracks, underground fuel and water storage facilities, and bunkers for "offense and defensive kinetic and non-kinetic systems," he states.

The militarization contradicts a promise from Chinese supreme leader Xi Jinping not to militarize the South China Sea that is used as a waterway transit for an estimated $5.3 trillion in goods annually.

"These actions stand in direct contrast to the assertion that President Xi made in 2015 in the Rose Garden when he commented that Beijing had no intent to militarize the South China Sea," Davidson said.

"Today these forward operating bases appear complete. The only thing lacking are the deployed forces."

The occupied islands will permit China to extend its influence thousands of miles southward and project power deep into the Oceania.

http://freebeacon.com/national-security/pacom-nominee-china-military-islands-now-control-south-china-sea/

SOUTH KOREAN POSK MOON CONTINUES THE BLOCKAGE TO THE APPROVAL OF CHINA AS FARMERS ARE WHIPPED TO STOP THE THAAD CONSTRUCTION - FARMERS FOLLOWING THE LEFTIST MOTTO OF ANTI S KOREA SECURITY

http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2018/04/11/2018041101498.html

 

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED AS THE POTUS TRUMP ATTACKS THE POS ASSAD GETS THE CRUISE MISSILE UP HIS CHEMICAL FACTORIES (HUSSEIN IRAQS?) AFTER ATTACKS OF CHEMICAL PROPORTIONS AGAINST HIS OWN PEOPLES NOT ONCE NOT TWICE NOR THRICE IN THE 21ST CENTURY - AS THE POR PUTIN CLEARS HIS THROAT TO BOAST CONSEQUENCES TO COME FOR STRIKING ASSAD'S CHEMICAL CAPABILITY

Russia responded angrily to a U.S.-led strike against Syria, warning of unspecified "consequences" that stoked fears the conflict could escalate.
President Donald Trump ordered targeted military action in the country late Friday, following an alleged chemical weapons attack that reportedly left dozens of citizens dead. In recent months, international efforts to broker a ceasefire and organize a humanitarian response to the country's crisis have faltered in the face of stiff opposition from both Russia and Syria.
Russia, which has backed the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad, has joined Damascus in denying an attack even took place — even though U.S. authorities have declared it did with near certainty. The dispute over Syria was the latest wedge between the West and Russia, which has been embroiled in multiple controversies with western governments.
In a statement released on Twitter, Russia's ambassador to the U.S. said the country was being "threatened," and issued an ominous warning that reprisals could follow. Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, branded the coalition strike as an "act of aggression," as he demanded an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council on Saturday.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/13/russia-warns-of-consequences-for-us-led-strike-on-syria.html

CHINA CONTINUES ITS ASIAN EXPANSION - BRINGING THEM CLOSER TO AUSTRALIA'S DOORS - SIMILAR TO WHEN JAPAN EMPERIALISTIC EXPANSION IN WW2 - CHINA DOES IT DURING PEACEFUL TIMES WITH LOANS AND DEBT OR ISLAND GRABBING AS VANUATU THE NEXT VICTIM

ALARM bells rang through Australia yesterday over reports China was negotiating a military base less than 2000 kilometres from our border.

China and Vanuatu have both denied the Fairfax report, which claimed Beijing was eyeing a military base in the island nation, with global ramifications.
“No one in the Vanuatu government has ever talked about a Chinese military base in Vanuatu of any sort,” Foreign Minister Ralph Regenvanu told the ABC.
“We are a non-aligned country. We are not interested in militarisation.”
READ MORE: ‘Massive nightmare’ in Australia’s backyard
The move prompted fears in Australia over Beijing’s aims for greater military influence in the South Pacific region.
But Beijing’s economic influence in Vanuatu remains undeniable, with China responsible for almost half of the island nation’s foreign debt.

http://www.news.com.au/military/how-china-is-exerting-its-power-in-vanuatu/news-story/0c5e2eb17ca45f18db1078aeac2bcac3

ONE TEENS SACRIFICE EARNED HIM THE COVETED PRICE OF A COLLEGE ACCEPTANCE ADMISSION NOT ONCE BUT AFTER TWENTY APPLICATION DOES MICHAEL BROWN FINDS OUT ALL 20 UNIVERSITIES ACCEPTANCE WITH FULL SCHOLARHIP TO BOOT - CONGRATULATION YOUNG MAN - HARD WORK DOES PAY OFF IN THE END

Berthinia Rutledge-Brown has always known her son, 17-year-old Micheal Brown, was smart. Of course, every mother knows how intelligent their child is, but when the time comes to apply to college, their children have to prove themselves to admissions counselors they’ve never met before.
Micheal has always cared about his grades, and his mother has always pushed him to strive for greatness.
“After sixth grade, Mike was in control of his education,” recalled the proud mom. “He was focused, he knew what he wanted and he made his own decisions.”

And with a 4.68 grade point average, an SAT score of 1540 out of 1600, and an ACT score of 34 out of 36, Micheal set his sights on Stanford University.
But he didn’t stop there. Micheal applied to 20 of the best schools in the country — his top eight including Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, University of Pennsylvania, and Georgetown — in hopes that he’d get at least one chance at his dream education.......

 
 .......And while being accepted to 20 colleges is no easy feat, Micheal wasn’t finished. Not only had he been admitted to each university, but he’d been given a full ride to every single one.



https://www.liftable.com/lizangarola/teen-applies-20-colleges-gets-every-answer-receives-one-thing-common/

IMMIGRANTS OF CHINESE AMERICANS, KOREANS, INDIA, MEXICO, AND THE MIDDLE EAST STOOD GROUND TO PROTEST THE CITY IRVINE CA FROM ERECTING HOMELESS TENT CITIES WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS

One by one, the buses pulled up to the Orange County Hall of Administration last week carrying posters with messages such as "No Tent City" and "No Homeless in Irvine."

Many of the hundreds on board were immigrants, and this would be their first experience joining a political protest.

A week earlier, county officials announced that they were considering placing emergency homeless shelters in Irvine as well as in Laguna Niguel and in Huntington Beach. All three cities immediately fought the plan, but the opposition was most fierce in Irvine.

Many of the loudest voices in the movement to block the shelter plan were Chinese Americans who came together through social media apps and various community groups. They were joined by immigrants from South Korea, India, Mexico and the Middle East, along with some whites.

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-homeless-asians-20180401-story.html

JAPAN'S RISING SUN FLAG RAISED TO ACTIVATE ITS MILITARY MARINE BRIGADE - THE FIRST MARINES SINCE WW2

Japan on Saturday activated its first marine unit since World War Two trained to counter invaders occupying Japanese islands along the edge of the East China Sea that Tokyo fears are vulnerable to attack by China.

In a ceremony held at a military base near Sasebo on the southwest island of Kyushu, about 1,500 members of the Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade (ARDB) wearing camouflage lined up outside amid cold, windy weather.

"Given the increasingly difficult defense and security situation surrounding Japan, defense of our islands has become a critical mandate," Tomohiro Yamamoto, vice defense minister, said in a speech.

The troops conducted a 20-minute mock public exercise recapturing a remote island from invaders.

The formation of the Japanese marine brigade is controversial because amphibious units can project military force and could, critics warn, be used to threaten Japan’s neighbors. In its post World War Two constitution Japan renounced the right to wage war.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/japan-activates-first-marines-since-ww2-bolster-defenses-064938992--finance.html

CHINA'S FIRST 8.5 TON SPACE STATION TIANGONG -1 TO COME BACK TO EARTH APRIL 3RD 2018 - NOT IN A GRACEFUL TOUCH DOWN BUT A DRAMATIC FIREBALL AND DEBRIS OVER NORTH AMERICA - POSSIBLE TARGET THE STATE OF MICHIGAN

An out-of-control Chinese space station with 'highly toxic' chemicals onboard that is currently hurtling toward earth may crash into lower Michigan, it has been revealed. 

It is believed China's first prototype station, Tiangong-1, will come crashing back to the planet around April 3, experts say.

US research organization Aerospace Corporation revealed that parts of southern Lower Michigan are among the regions that have the highest probability of being hit by falling debris, according to MLive.com.  

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5486985/Lower-Michigan-crash-site-falling-Chinese-space-station.html

TIANGONG-1 TRACK 

https://www.n2yo.com/?s=37820

LOCATION 04/01/2018 9:40AM est

As per Aerospace Corporation:
The reentry has been confirmed as 2018/04/02 00:16 UTC. Reentry occurred in the Pacific Ocean.

https://www.n2yo.com/info/?a=61 

PAYING FOR OVER $1000 DOLLARS FOR A SMARTPHONE IS NOT TOO SMART AN INVESTMENT FOR MOST OF US - THUS APPLE MAY HAVE FINALLY CAUGHT ON AS SAMSUNG HAS DONE ALREADY THAT SMARTPHONE IS AS ONLY SMART AT THE HANDS OF THE CUSTOMER - SO HAS APPLE INTELLIGENCE TO MAKE A LONG LASTING SMARTPHONE COME TO FRUITION OR IS THIS ANOTHER ICRAP IN THE MAKING- TIME WELL TELL

Apple is preparing to release a trio of new smartphones later this year: the largest iPhone ever, an upgraded handset the same size as the current iPhone X and a less expensive model with some of the flagship phone's key features.
With the new lineup, Apple wants to appeal to the growing number of consumers who crave the multitasking attributes of so-called phablets while also catering to those looking for a more more affordable version of the iPhone X, according to people familiar with the products.
Apple, which is already running production tests with suppliers, is expected to announce the new phones this autumn. The plans could still change, say the people, who requested anonymity to discuss internal planning.

Despite months of breathless hype, the iPhone X has not sold as well as expected since its debut last year. Apple sold 77.3 million iPhones in the final quarter of 2017, below analysts' projections of 80.2 million units.
Some consumers were turned off by the iPhone X's US$1,000 (S$1,300) price despite liking the design even if they wanted something more cutting-edge than the cheaper iPhone 8.
With its next lineup, Apple is seeking to rekindle sales by offering a model for everyone.


 http://www.straitstimes.com/tech/smartphones/apple-is-said-to-plan-giant-high-end-iphone-lower-priced-model

WHERE DOES YOUR CAPITOL HILL LAW MAKER RANK WHEN IT COMES TO PERSONAL NET WORTH - THIS IS MONEYS IN THE MILLIONS - THE LATEST COUNT THIS 2018

While politics is no place to get rich, many people may assume that only the wealthy elite are able to get into the highest positions in power.
Though two-fifths of senators and representatives are millionaires, there are plenty with humbler backgrounds and more modest bank accounts. Almost a quarter of voting members have a negative net worth.
Below, as part of Roll Call’s Wealth of Congress analysis, we plotted the 115th Congress’ minimum net worth on a vertical axis (from most to least). View our interactive rankings list here.

http://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/every-member-congress-wealth-one-chart

CORRUPTION AT ALL LEVELS REVEALS HOW THE BROWARD COUNTY SHOOTING OF 17 KIDS SURFACES DUE TO HOW THE SCHOOL BOARD AND COUNTY CONDUCTS THE EVERY DAY TO DAY POLICIES OF TRADING POLITICAL INFLUENCES AND MONEYS FOR KEEPING DOWN CRIMES IN SCHOOLS - THUS CREATING THE SHOOTER OF BROWARD COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL IN PARKLAND FLORIDA

For the last week or so, the entire nation has been talking about gun control — or at least the media has been talking about it.

The sudden tsunami of gun control stories, articles, op-eds, and segments is the result of the terrible mass shooting that took place at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in beautiful Parkland, Florida.
Sadly, the focus on gun control has caused the media (and the people who get their news from the media) to miss the far-larger scandal revolving around Douglas High School.

First, let me be clear; I’m not talking about the scandal of four police officers being on scene when the shooting begins, but who chose to do NOTHING while waiting outside for backup. This is a scandal in and of itself, no doubt, and it should be investigated. The police force that allowed this to happen should be shamed for it. The shooting could, and should, have been far less bloody if only these officers had done what their community expects of them....................



......This case is about school districts lying to their families in an effort to get more money and more political influence. It’s about local police forces being willing to ignore crime and refusing to abide by the laws that they promised they would uphold. It’s about government failures at every level and how that corruption and failure led to the death of 17 innocent people.
Don’t let the media sell you some sob story about how we need more gun control in this country. This is all about corrupt politicians and money.

https://godfatherpolitics.com/how-broward-county-schools-and-local-police-laid-the-foundation-for-tragedy/

EUROPE IS AWASH AS ITS QUEST IN THE 21ST CENTURY FORM OF NATIONALISM AS NEW FLASH POINT EMBERS IN THE BACKGROUND FROM GREECE, POLAND, FRANCE, GERMANY, YUGOSLAV TAKES CENTER STAGE CLAIMS OF NATIONALITY WITH HISTORICAL DISASTROUS OUTCOME

Europe seems awash with historical hang-ups. And they are important ones. They may define the continent’s future as much as the outcome of Germany’s current political convulsions, or the state of Italy’s banks, or whether Brexit Britain manages to cobble a transition deal. Large crowds of Greek people recently protested against the use of the name Macedonia by the neighbouring former Yugoslav republic.
In Paris, there is intense debate about whether the writer Charles Maurras, a leading intellectual figure of French early 20th-century ultranationalism and antisemitism and a prominent supporter of the Vichy regime, should be listed among the names to be officially “commemorated” this year (he was born in 1868). Poland’s new law aimed at curtailing any discussion of the role some Poles played in the Holocaust led to a spat with Israel and the US. In Germany, where the far-right AfD holds 94 seats in the Bundestag, a local Berlin politician (of Palestinian family background) last month called for newly arrived migrants to be sent on mandatory visits to concentration camp memorials to assist their “integration courses”.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/feb/13/europe-future-past

AFTER 10 YEARS A NEW US NATIONAL STRATEGY CALLS OUT CHINA AND RUSSIA THE NEW AGGRESSORS TO BE COUNTERED IN THE 21ST FROM THE NEW AUTHORITARIANS

China has denounced the US government for what it called its Cold War and zero-sum mentality in its latest national defence strategy, which viewed China and Russia as “revisionist powers” that “seek to create a world consistent with their authoritarian models".
The 2018 US National Defence Strategy (NDS) released on Friday called the two countries “revisionist powers” that sought to shape the world in their authoritarian image and erode American influence, language similar to the US National Security Strategy put out last month.

China is also referred to as “a strategic competitor using predatory economics to intimidate its neighbours while militarising features in the South China Sea”, a characterisation that drew a backlash from Chinese officials.

 

A spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Washington told Xinhua news agency that China seeks global partnerships rather than global hegemony, and used a Chinese phrase that meant one’s mentality determines how one sees the world.

 

“Peace and development are the themes of this era, and are also the shared aspirations of mankind,” the spokesman told reporters on Friday evening.

“However, if some people look at the world through a Cold War, zero-sum game mindset, then they are destined to see only conflict and confrontation."

 

In unveiling the NDS – the first new document of its kind in a decade – Defence Secretary James Mattis said the US is simply recognising reality, and that “this is not a strategy of confrontation, but it is strategy that recognises the reality of competition”.

 

http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/china-denounces-new-us-defence-strategy-that-singles-out-russia-china 

THUS IT BEGINS CHINA CLAIMING ITS NEW LAND GRABBED TERRITORIES AS ITS OWN EVEN WHEN INTERNATIONAL RULING GOES AGAINST ITS TAKING OVER OF THE SCARBOROUGH SHOALS - THE NEW CHINA DOES WHAT IT NOW WANTS

Beijing said on Saturday (Jan 20) it had dispatched a warship to drive away a US missile destroyer which had "violated" its sovereignty by sailing close to a shoal in the disputed South China Sea.
The USS Hopper sailed within 12 nautical miles of Huangyan Island on the night of Jan 17 without alerting Beijing, the foreign ministry said, referring to the shoal by its Chinese name.
Also known as Scarborough Shoal, the ring of reefs lies about 230km from the Philippines in the South China Sea, where Beijing's claims are hotly contested by other nations.
The US vessel "violated China's sovereignty and security interests" and put the safety of nearby Chinese vessels "under grave threat", foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said.
China's defence ministry said in a separate statement that a Chinese frigate "immediately took actions to identify and verify the US ship and drove it away by warning" it.
The USS Hopper recently entered the US Navy's 7th Fleet area of operations, where the ship is on an "independent deployment", according to a statement released earlier this month on the navy's website.

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Its mission in Asia involves "security cooperation, building partner capacity, and performing routine operations within the area".
News of the encounter follows Friday's release of a new US national defence strategy that says America is facing "growing threats" from China and Russia.
China is a "strategic competitor using predatory economics to intimidate its neighbors while militarizing features in the South China Sea", the document says.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/china-says-us-warship--violated--its-sovereignty-9879894