Welcome! "The Evening Blues" is a casual community diary (published Monday - Friday, 7:00 PM Eastern) where we hang out, share and talk about news, music, photography and other things of interest to the community.
Just about anything goes, but attacks and pie fights are not welcome here. This is a community diary and a friendly, peaceful, supportive place for people to interact.
Everyone who wants to join in peaceful interaction is very welcome here.
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Hey! Good Evening!
Tonight's music features Freddie King, one of the "three kings" of the blues guitar along with Albert and BB, and I would argue that there is a "fourth king," New Orleans' incredible Earl King - but I digress (frequently). There is nothing that I could say about Freddie here that his music and performances don't say far more eloquently, so check it out. I found a huge batch of his performances on youtube, so if you enjoy them tonight, tune in again tomorrow for another scoop.
Freddie King - Boogie Funk
"The Stanley Cup contest provided an iconic backdrop for a climate-change debate. As a Canadian, I rooted for the Oilers, but my money was on the Hurricanes. We know from Katrina that hurricanes hit oil production hard, whereas producing and burning more oil only makes hurricanes stronger."
-- Elizabeth May (MP and leader of the Canadian Green Party)
News
NASA scientist warns of mass extinction from global warming
Worldwide Demand for Water Outstrips Supply: Study
Almost one-quarter of the world’s population lives in regions where groundwater is being used up faster than it can be replenished, concludes a comprehensive global analysis of groundwater depletion, published this week in Nature.
The world's oldest and largest aquifers, according to the study, have supplied civilization with water for agricultural and industrial use for thousands of years, but are now under threat from over-extraction and the underground reservoirs can no longer replenish themselves at a sustainable rate.
“This overuse can lead to decreased groundwater availability for both drinking water and growing food,” says Tom Gleeson, a hydrogeologist at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, and lead author of the study. Eventually, he adds, it “can lead to dried up streams and ecological impacts”.
Global food prices rise sharply in July: UN
Global food prices rose six percent in July after dropping for three months, largely because of a hike in the price of grains and sugar, the UN Food and Agricultural Organization said Thursday.
The FAO’s Food Price Index, a monthly measure of changes in a basket of food commodities, was 12 points higher at 213 points but remains far off the record 238 points reached in February 2011, a statement said.
The FAO’s grain price index was an average 260 points, up 38 points on June. The index is 14 points short of its all-time record of 274 points, reached in April 2008, the FAO said.
Former DHS Analyst Daryl Johnson on How He Was Silenced for Warning of Far-Right Militants in U.S.
Russia and Canada Gear Up for Arctic Non-War
The exaggerated fears of a coming Arctic war with Russia have largely receded since a media freakout last year. But that isn’t stopping Russia from building new bases in the frigid north. Canada is also splurging on Arctic drones. Less assertive is the United States, which is boosting Coast Guard operations near Alaska.
On Monday, Russian Security Council chief Nikolai Patrushev said Russia is planning to build a string of new naval bases in the Arctic. The bases are intended to be “key double-purpose sites” for warships “in remote areas of the Arctic Seas.” There’s no word on what those double purposes might be. Russia’s plans to create a “combined-arms force” for the Arctic is also still on track, according to Moscow-based news wire RIA Novosti. ...
On Monday, Canada’s military was revealed to be planning a billion-dollar drone buy. The drones — intended to be armed — are reportedly focused (but not exclusively) on protecting Canada’s claims to the Arctic. ... Since July, the U.S. Coast Guard has been conducting its largest Arctic exercise, called “Arctic Shield.” The Coast Guard is focused mainly on search and rescue operations; and responding to potential oil spills brought on by expanded drilling. ... However, there are calls within the Coast Guard for more emphasis on military operations. Coast Guard Lt. Cdr. Brian Moore, writing in the U.S. Naval Institute’s Proceedings magazine, argues that the service should consider fielding armed high-speed “amphibious, or hover-capable aircraft.” Aside from responding to distress calls, the aircraft can respond “in the event that illegal activities or issues pertaining to national defense or sovereignty should arise,” Moore writes.
Bloomberg Announces NYPD & Microsoft Development of Citizen Surveillance System
The NYPD and Microsoft worked together to develop the Domain Awareness System, a sophisticated law enforcement technology solution that aggregates and analyzes existing public safety data streams in real time, providing NYPD investigators and analysts with a comprehensive view of potential threats and criminal activity. For example, analysts are quickly notified of suspicious packages and vehicles and NYPD personnel can actively search for suspects using advanced technologies like smart cameras and license plate readers.
The NYPD and Microsoft jointly developed the system by bringing together Microsoft’s technical expertise and technologies with the day-to-day experience and knowledge of NYPD officers. As part of the agreement, the City will receive 30 percent of revenues on Microsoft’s future sales of the Domain Awareness System.
The City has approximately 3,000 Closed-Circuit TV cameras connected to the Domain Awareness System. The majority of these cameras are in Lower Manhattan – south of Canal Street, from river to river – and in Midtown Manhattan – between 30th street and 60th street, from river to river. NYPD has begun to expand camera coverage to in the boroughs outside of Manhattan.
Storming The Headquarters Of Chase Bank
NYC Mayor shuts down ‘Pleasure Carts’ that distributed free vibrators
An unidentified New York City official shut down a condom and sex toy company’s giveaway on Wednesday that planned to distribute 10,000 free vibrators in Manhattan, according to the New York Post.
Trojan distributed more than 400 vibrators in two hours from two “Pleasure carts” before a city official who refused to identify himself to press shut the giveaway down. More than 300 men and women were reportedly waiting in line for a free vibrator. ...
“Bloomberg doesn’t want anyone to have fun. You can’t have a giant soda. You can’t have a vibrator,” Park Slope bar owner Melody Henry told the Post.
Blog Posts of Interest
Here are diaries and selected blog posts of interest on DailyKos and other blogs.
What's Happenin'
What to Do When Liberal SCOTUS Justices Think Corporations are People Too
Hitting the "Like" Button is Free Speech
A Little Night Music
Freddie King - I'm Tore Down
Freddie King - Have You Ever Loved A Woman
Freddie King - Goin' Down
Freddie King - Same Old Blues
ZZ Top On what they learned from Freddie King
Freddie King and Eric Clapton - Further on up the Road
Freddie King - Messin' With The Kid
Freddie King - Ain't Nobody's Business
Freddie King- She's a Burglar
Freddi King - Palace of the King