Joshua Tree Report: February 5th, 2017

This is the Joshua Tree Report for February 5th, 2017.

General Data

The temperature in Cody is 39° Fahrenheit and the weather is fair. The temperature in Kirkwall is 7° centigrade and the weather is drizzly. The temperature in Muscat is 23°; centigrade and the weather is clear. A barrel of crude oil is selling at $53.83, and $1.25 currently exchanges for £1. This week's geospatial image is the Essaouira fishin port in Morocco.

In the News

Here are a few of this week's top stories.

Why Trump Had to Fire Sally Yates (Politico)

Trump’s Executive Order on Refugees — Separating Fact from Hysteria (National Review)

The Real Problem with Trump’s Executive Order (Michael J. Totten)

Why are Islamist armed groups clashing in Syria? (al Jazeera)

Yemen rebels film Saudi warship attack (BBC)

Morocco rejoins the African Union after 33 years (al Jazeera)

Iran confirms missile test, denies breach of nuclear deal (AFP)

UK minister accuses Russia of 'weaponising misinformation' (AFP)

Delta Becomes Second Airline in a Week to Ground US Flights Over Computer 'Issues' (Gizmodo)

Halal snack pack: The kebab that defined Australia in 2016 (BBC)

The Story Behind This Astronaut's Viral Photo Is Even Cuter Than His Dogs (Gizmodo)

Top Podcasts

These were my favorite podcasts from this week.

Cyber Special Forces: An Interview with Dmitri Alperovitch (SpyCast)

Risky Business #440 -- Matt "PwnAllTheThings" Tait on the politicisation of infosec (Risky Business)

The first Afghan war (The National Archives)

Whassigo 1st February 2017 (BBC Radio Orkney)

Course Report

ENG 199: I read 3 chapters from Arabian Sands by Wilfred Thesiger.
PAC 130: Due to extenuating circumstances, PAC 130 was cancelled this week. I'm evaluating whether to cancel it for the duration of the quarter.
BA 480: As of this posting, I've accomplished nothing.
HST 406 (O): I expanded my master timeline of the First World War.
REL 199: I read Zechariah 8 through 10, and I completed Symbolon Sessions 1:1 and 2:1.

Quote of the Week

"I hesitated - and suddenly realized that, if I didn't take a swing at it, I would wonder all my life whether I was anything but the boss's son. 'I'm going to chance it.'"
- Robert A. Heinlein, "Starship Troopers"