iftttwall

Authored by Mac Slavo via SHTFplan.com,

As China and Russia continue to build up their arsenal of “ship-killer” missiles, the United States Navy apparently has plans to counter the weapons. Officials have said that the Navy and numerous NATO partners are firing a new, high-tech ship defense weapon that can identify, track, and attack maneuvering anti-ship missiles.

Using an active seeker which enables the missile to change course in flight, is the method of “attack” against the anti-ship missiles of the Chinese and the Russians, service officials have said, according to National Interest. 

The Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile Block II, or ESSM, is a new version of an existing Sea Sparrow weapons system currently protecting aircraft carriers, destroyers, cruisers, amphibious assault ships and other vessels against anti-ship missiles and other surface and airborne short-range threats to ships.

The recent live-fire test follows the successful completion of two Controlled Test Vehicle flight tests in June 2017 and is the first in a series of live fire tests that will lead to the ESSM Block 2 missile entering production, Naval Sea Systems Command spokesman Alan Baribeau told Warrior Maven.-National Interest

The ESSM Block 2 live-fire exercise was the first use of the weapon’s active seeker system.

That’s the emerging technology which enables the missile to achieve improved flight guidance, which will help it target by both receiving and actively sending electromagnetic signals, Navy officials said.

The ESSM also uses radar technology to locate and then intercept a fast-approaching target while in flight. Additionally, the use of what’s called an “illuminator” is a big part of this capability, Raytheon developers told Warrior Maven in prior interviews.

The hopes are that this defense weapon can combat the “ship-killer” missiles being developed and constantly advanced by the Chinese and the Russians.

The emerging missile has an “active” front end, meaning it can send an electromagnetic signal forward to track a maneuvering target, at times without needing a ship-based illuminator for guidance.

Also, the missile is able to intercept threats that are close to the surface by sea-skimming or diving in onto a target from a higher altitude, Navy officials explained. –National Interest

According to PEO IWS Public Affairs, the NATO Seasparrow Project is an international effort of 12 nations consisting of Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey and the United States. Each nation contributes to engineering, development, production, and sustainment of the missiles and supporting equipment.

Unclassified Video: NAVSEA ESSM Block 2 missile test

Warrior Maven spoke with unnamed Raytheon and Naval officials who described how the advanced technology is a game-changer for NATO:

“The current ESSM missiles use what’s called a semi-active guidance system, meaning the missile itself can receive electromagnetic signals bounced off the target by an illuminator; the ESSM Block 2’s “active” guidance includes illuminator technology built onto the missile itself such that it can both receive and send important electromagnetic signals, Navy and Raytheon officials explained.

Block 2 relieves the missile from the requirement of having to use a lot of illuminator guidance from the ship as a short-range self-defense, senior Navy officials have said.

A shipboard illuminator is an RF signal that bounces off a target, Raytheon weapons developers have explained. The antenna in the nose in the guidance section [of the missile] sees the reflected energy and then corrects to intercept that reflective energy, the Raytheon official added.

The emerging missile has an “active” front end, meaning it can send an electromagnetic signal forward to track a maneuvering target, at times without needing a ship-based illuminator for guidance (game-changing).

The so-called kinematic or guidance improvements of the Block 2 missile give it an improved ability to counter maneuvering threats, Navy and Raytheon officials said.

ESSM Block 2 is being jointly acquired by the U.S. and a number of allied countries such as Australia, Canada, Denmark, The Netherlands, Norway and Turkey. All these countries signed an ESSM Block 2 Memorandum of Understanding, or MOU, designed to solidify the developmental path for the missile system through its next phase.”

Warrior Maven also mentions the weapon is expected to be fully operational on naval vessels by 2020, which coincides with a dated PEO IWS Public Affairs powerpoint that said “FY 20: IOC (Initial operational capability).” In other words, weapon developers are working jointly with NATO allies to guarantee the weapon is operational across the alliance of countries’ naval fleets by 2020.

via RSS https://ift.tt/2Mp1Vzf Tyler Durden

The Securities and Exchange Commission is under mounting pressure to take action against Elon Musk as a result of the embattled CEO’s tweet earlier this month, where he stated he had “funding secured” for a bid to take Tesla private at $420 per share. Musk has so far been unable to back the tweet up with any type of tangible proof that he did, in fact, have funding “secured”.

After Musk’s tweet, the stock at one point briefly eclipsed $380 and since then has been volatile, swinging to as low as $282 per share in during this Tuesday’s pre-market session – a range of nearly $100 per share.

A person familiar with the regulatory investigation is on record as stating that the SEC believes they will be subjected to “a beating from politicians and in the media” if Elon Musk escapes this debacle without a sanction. Sanctions from the SEC can be monetary or remedial in nature – or both – ranging from simple fines to more serious actions like injunctive relief and officer and director bars. 

The revelation that the Securities and Exchange Commission is under pressure to act comes From a Bloomberg report that also makes two additional revelations regarding the SEC’s investigation of Tesla.

• The first is that, due to the recent pressure and the fact that there was already an ongoing SEC probe about Model 3 production and operational targets, there is the chance of that investigation being parsed out on its own, resulting in two SEC investigations.
• The second is that the case appears to be a top priority at the SEC. It was reported that the SEC has limited the number of officials who are allowed to view the details of this case due to its sensitive and high profile nature. One SEC official went on record saying that “he couldn’t recall another matter generating as many calls from the media as the Tesla investigation.”

One of the reasons that the SEC is feeling increased pressure to act is because democratic lawmakers have been critical of Jay Clayton‘s tenure as Chairman of the SEC, claiming that the agency has been too “lax” with enforcement actions. Ironically, it now appears that the alternative energy poster-child often touted by the left as the second coming could be the first to bear the brunt of a far less “lax” enforcement action.

The SEC case against Tesla for Musk’s most recent tweet seems to be moving expediently. The investigation process, which can sometimes start informally with a simple discussion between lawyers and can take months or years, was given a firm shove forward into a formal investigation when the SEC reportedly issued subpoenas to the company last week.

It is difficult to believe that the Securities and Exchange Commission will be able to sit on their hands, especially given the number of securities law experts and former SEC lawyers that have made the rounds on financial television over the last couple of weeks, all generally proclaiming that the SEC would have to act on Musk’s Tweet if it turned out to be false.

To add insult to injury, the Model 3 investigation that is said to be ongoing could be helped along by yesterday‘s revelation that 86% of the Model 3s that rolled off the company’s production line in the last week of June – the week the company proclaimed itself to have hit its 5,000 vehicle/week production goal – had to be reworked. The production milestone was closely watched and was of keen interest to Wall Street in determining whether Tesla is able to scale its business model.

In addition to the SEC likely having something to say about Musk’s tweet, we’re wondering if that will only be the appetizer for an enforcement action main event, which could also address statements and targets surrounding the companies “mass-market” vehicle that it used to take deposits and raise capital.

via RSS https://ift.tt/2Li5ZM4 Tyler Durden

Authored by Cabot Phillips via Campus Reform,

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo found himself in hot water after claiming that President Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan is inaccurate because it implies that America was great to start with. 

“We’re not going to make America great again; it was never that great,” Cuomo contemptuously remarked.

Wanting to know what young Americans thought of these comments, I went to Washington Square Park in New York City to talk with Governor Cuomo’s constituents about those comments. 

When asked if there was ever a time in America’s history when we were great, the majority of the people I spoke with made it clear: they were siding with Governor Cuomo. 

“I don’t believe America has been great for all folks, ever. Even today,” said one respondent, while another added simply, “I would have to agree with Governor Cuomo.”

One person elaborated on their reasoning for saying America was never great, saying,

“The idea that there was this once great America is pointing towards this false sense of nationalism…What, it’s talking about white America? Yeah, it’s not great.”

Another respondent cited similar points, declaring that:

“America has been great… for straight white men.”

Wondering if this thought process stemmed from what was being taught in the classroom, I followed up by asking if they’d ever been taught American Exceptionalism in school. 

Just one person said it was a concept they’d been taught in class. 

“I’ve never heard of it before,” conceded one, while another explained that “I personally wasn’t taught American Exceptionalism because I went to a very forward thinking liberal school…”

What else did they have to say? Did anyone say America is great? Watch the full video to find out!

via RSS https://ift.tt/2LkmV4C Tyler Durden

President Trump told Fox & Friends host Ainsley Earhardt that he didn’t know about payments made by former Trump attorney Michael Cohen to two women who claim to have had affairs with Trump over a decade ago until “later on.”

“Later on I knew. Later on. But you have to understand, what he did — and they weren’t taken out of campaign finance, that’s the big thing,” Trump told Earhardt. 

EXCLUSIVE: President @realDonaldTrump on if he knew about the Cohen payments. See more from his interview with @ainsleyearhardt tomorrow 6-9amET. pic.twitter.com/HPJPslOG6X

— FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) August 22, 2018

Trump then pointed out President Obama’s “massive campaign violation,” adding “he had a different Attorney General, and they viewed it a lot differently.” 

The President referred to this in a Wednesday tweet, writing “President Obama had a big campaign finance violation and it was easily settled!”

Michael Cohen plead guilty to two counts of campaign finance violations that are not a crime. President Obama had a big campaign finance violation and it was easily settled!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 22, 2018

In 2013, Politico noted: 

President Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign was fined $375,000 by the Federal Election Commission for campaign reporting violations — one of the largest fees ever levied against a presidential campaign

Granted, even if Trump’s situation does constitute a campaign violation – Obama’s wasn’t for paying off a former Playmate of the Year and a porn star. 

In April, Trump claimed that he did not know about a $130,000 hush-payment to porn star Stormy Daniels. 

Asked why his lawyer, Michael Cohen, paid the money if the allegations were untrue, Trump told reporters on Air Force One, “You’ll have to ask Michael Cohen. Michael’s my attorney.”

Asked if he knew about the payment to Daniels, Trump said “No.”

Asked if he knew where the money came from to pay Daniels, Trump told reporters, “No, I don’t know.” –Reuters

Trump’s claims, meanwhile, contradict those of Cohen who pleaded guilty Tuesday in a Manhattan federal court – while claiming that Trump instructed him to make the payments. 

via RSS https://ift.tt/2BDbkhM Tyler Durden

Having been abused by President Trump and seen bonds and stocks rally, the dollar round-trip to unch, and the yield curve crash, today’s FOMC Minutes were not expected to be big market movers, but more reassurance that investors should ignore the collapsing yield curve and President Trump.

The Minutes focused instead on the balance of risks in the market:

• *FED SAW TRADE, HOUSING, EMERGING MARKETS AS DOWNSIDE RISKS
• *FED: SOME SAW FISCAL AS UPSIDE RISK, A FEW AS FUTURE DOWNSIDE

But seems set on hiking rates no matter what:

Many Fed Officials Saw Another Hike Likely Appropriate ‘Soon’

And raised concerns about the collapsing yield curve:

*FED OFFICIALS DISCUSSED IMPLICATION OF YIELD-CURVE FLATTENING

*  *  *

Nothingburger for the dollar since The August Fed statement but bonds and stocks have ripped…

Furthermore, since the August 1st FOMC statement, the US yield curve has crashed back to 11 year lows at just 21bps…

 

 

The market remains far distant from the reality that The Fed perceives in rates – in fact pricing in rate cuts in 2020, as opposed to rate-hikes as per The Fed…

 

Bloomberg additionally notes that The Fed has been nudging inflation-adjusted rates closer to neutral…

 

 

 

Finally we note that today’s FOMC meeting Minutes will have a short shelf life, as market participants will quickly refocus on the Fed’s Jackson Hole conference later in the week.

via RSS https://ift.tt/2BxgpIl Tyler Durden

Authored by Betsy Rothstein via The Daily Caller,

While the headline may sounds like it’s straight from ‘The Onion’, it’s not.

If only.

Instead, Healthline, a California health info provider, is trying to ruin the term “vagina.” It’s not gender inclusive enough. The word they prefer? “Front hole.”

And yeah, gross.

Other hot stories on the site: Why women should bring back body hair. “It’s time we change how we feel about body hair,” the piece says. (Do not look at this while you’re eating lunch.) There’s also an “Editor’s Picks” piece about taking genitals out of the mix to revive a waning sex life. They suggest a “sex position bucket list.” For example, “hello kitchen island.”

But let’s get back to that pesky v-word.

According to Healthline‘s sex-ed guide, “higher rates of HIV and STD’s are a direct result of discrimination,” reports Caldron Pool, a righty Christian site.

 “It’s imperative for safe sex guides to become more inclusive of LGBTQIA and nonbinary people.”

The clincher:

“For the purpose of this guide, we’ll refer to the vagina as ‘front hole’ instead of solely using the term ‘vagina.’”

Oh God.

Also at risk are the terms “penis” and vulva.” They prefer the word “parts” across the board.

Here’s why:

“The notion that a penis is exclusively a male body part and a vulva is exclusively a female body part is inaccurate. By using the word ‘parts’ to talk about genitals and using medical terms for anatomy without attaching a gender to it, we become much more able to effectively discuss safe sex in a way that’s clear and inclusive.”

So if I go to the ER and I say my “parts” are hurting, no doubt the doctors will know what I mean.

The Mirror tried to contact Charles Hodgkins, the site’s senior copyrighter and newsletter content manager, but to no avail. Calling is a tedious experience. A woman’s voice gives you six options – none of which lead you to a human being with “parts” or a “front-hole.”

Check out the health guide here.

via RSS https://ift.tt/2N58HGC Tyler Durden

A tanker with 19 crew members on board is feared to have been hijacked after it went missing in pirate-plagued waters off Gabon in West Africa and no word has been heard from it for a week, the ship’s managers and the crew agency said on Wednesday.

Communication was lost with the Panama-registered Pantelena at about 2 a.m. local time on Aug. 14, at which time it was about 17 miles from the port of Libreville, in Gabon, Athens-based Lotus Shipping said in a statement.

According to Reuters, the head of the Georgian crew agency Ialkani, Anzhela Oganesyan, said two Russian nationals and 17 Georgians were aboard the tanker. She said she had no news so far about the vessel’s fate. Lotus gave no further details on the cargo and crew, and did not say if it believed the Pantelena had been hijacked by pirates. The vessel is a dual purpose oil or chemicals tanker.

“We at Lotus Shipping, acting on behalf of the vessel’s owners…have set as our first and foremost priority to safeguard the safety of the crew and with their interest in mind we cannot provide any additional media comments at this point in time,” it said.

The Pantelena was on route from Lome to Libreville and was last seen nearing the Gabon coast at 9 p.m. on Aug. 13, according to ship tracking data on Reuters, which lists the ship as a double-hulled oil tanker managed by Lotus.

The Gulf of Guinea has become an increasing target for pirates who steal cargo and demand ransoms. Piracy-related issues were a decade ago focused off the East African coast, particularly Somalia’s unpoliced waters.

Ships in the Gulf of Guinea were the target of a series of piracy-related incidents last year, according to a report in January by the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), which highlighted the waters off West Africa as an area of growing concern.

Ten incidents of kidnapping involving 65 crew members took place in or around Nigerian waters, the IMB said. Globally 16 vessels reported being fired upon, seven of which were in the Gulf of Guinea.

via RSS https://ift.tt/2NdSRK4 Tyler Durden

Authored by Fred Hunkley via SafeHaven.com,

Getting a job in the United States has never been easier. The U.S. unemployment rate dipped to 3.9 percent in July, the lowest point since 2000, and one new trend is helping: Employers are ditching requirements for college degrees and previous experience.

As of last year, there are more jobs available than people to fill them, so it’s time to throw age-old standards out the door.

In the first half of 2018, the share of job postings requesting a college degree fell from 32 percent to 30 percent, according to an analysis by labor-market research firm Burning Glass Technologies covering some 29 million job postings.

Share of posts requiring three or more years of job experience have dropped from 29 percent in 2012 to 23 percent in 2018, which translates to 1.2 million jobs that could be open to less-experienced candidates.

Even better… some one million job openings – for everything from preschool teachers and warehouse workers to e-commerce analysts – have opened up to candidates with “no experience necessary” in the last year. 

Some companies no longer even insist on performing criminal background checks or drug testing on the candidates.

So, what started as a recent trend of relaxing job requirements is now becoming the new mantra for businesses trying to attract talent – and keep it at a time when Americans are increasingly job-hopping and shopping around for better deals.

Amy Glaser of staffing agency Adecco Group, told the Wall Street Journal that in a strong economy, job seekers are the ones who get to be choosy about their next job.

“If a company requires a degree, two rounds of interviews and a test for hard skills, candidates can go down the street to another employer who will make them an offer that day,” Glasser said.

Because of this, undergraduate college enrollment in the United States is downfor the sixth straight year, according to new data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

Last year, a registered one-percent decline was due to undergraduate enrollments, which fell by nearly 224,000 students. In all, there are 2.4 million fewer college students in the United States than there were just six years ago, so institutions have to work much harder to fill seats.

In search of students, universities are adding thousands of new majors, including cybersecurity, casino management, hip-hop studies, competitive video gaming, peace education, political campaign management…you name it.

And America’s institutes of higher education are feeling the pain as the high cost of enrollment chips away at the number of students attending. According to the Washington-based National Center for Education Statistics, some 66 post-secondary schools were shuttered in 2015-2016.

Furthermore, dozens of for-profit colleges could be forced to close in the next several years. Since 2016, over 350 for-profit colleges stopped receiving federal aid, as they proved to be insufficient. 

One new blow on the revenue side has been Trump Administration policies making it more difficult for foreign students to obtain visas to study in the U.S.

Due the administration sentiment, last year there was a 17-percent drop in international students in the U.S. mostly due to the 28-percent decline in Indian students and a 24-percent decline in Chinese students receiving visas. In the U.S., some 1,.1 million foreign students contributed $36.9 billion during 2016-2017 school year.

So, if you’re job-hunting, there couldn’t be a better time to ride the wave of this new trend. And in the meantime, employers may even find that experience and education aren’t everything: There might be plenty of ambitious hidden talent out there just waiting for opportunity in this evolving ‘Land of Dreams’.

via RSS https://ift.tt/2Lhz62g Tyler Durden

Two years ago, when the Aramco IPO was first floated, bankers on Wall Street declared a week-long fee orgy: after all, the $1+ trillion IPO – the biggest in history – was going to result in an underwriting fee bonanza. However, it was not meant to be, and last October the first reports emerged that the IPO would not happen over Saudi concerns over financial transparency, venue of the listing, and how much information investors would demand from Saudi Arabia.

Then, almost two months ago, the FT reported that the Aramco IPO “almost certainly wouldn’t happen,” and moments ago Reuters’ sources confirmed  that Saudi Arabia has called off both the domestic and international stock listing of state oil giant Aramco.

The financial advisors working on the proposed listing have also been disbanded, as Saudi Arabia shifts its attention to a proposed acquisition of a “strategic stake” in local petrochemicals maker Saudi Basic Industries as we reported one month ago.

“The decision to call off the IPO was taken some time ago, but no-one can disclose this, so statements are gradually going that way – first delay then calling off,” a Saudi source familiar with IPO plans.

WTI Crude reacted modestly lower on the news.

via RSS https://ift.tt/2Pt7tXj Tyler Durden