Terrorism theories got a boost yesterday, amid reports that US infrared satellite detected a heat flash over the Sinai at the time the Russian passenger jet went down, and statements by Kogalymavia Airlines (Metrojet in Russia) ruling out structural failure, technical defects and pilot error.

But there still are no reports of evidence of an explosive device in the debris, and it also doesn't appear anything external hit the plane. While that leaves fewer scenarios, such as a bomb on board, sabotage, or the tail falling off , it still doesn’t answer the question of whether ISIS had anything to do with the crash.[More...]

Russia now says the plane that crashed in Egypt broke apart high in the air. A bomb on board? ISIS still maintains it caused the plane to crash but it hasn't said how.

The plane was in good shape. Metrojet Deputy Director Alexander Smirnov, ruled out engine failure:

"An engine failure doesn't lead to catastrophe," he said on television. Smirnov described the A321 as a reliable aircraft that would not fall into a spin even if the pilots made a grave error because automatic systems correct crew mistakes.

Air France, Dubai-based Emirates and Qatar Airways have suspended flights in the area. Would they do that if they thought it likely the plane crashed because of a technical problem?

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Yesterday, ISIS's Wilayat Sinai (background here) claimed responsibility for the crash of Kogalymavia Airline flight #7K9268 from the resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt to St. Petersburg, Russia, in which all 224 persons on board, including 25 children were killed. (The passenger list is here. All but 4 were Russian - 4 were Ukranian, according to the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Ukraine.)

Russia said ISIS' claim was false and ISIS doesn't have "manpads" that can shoot down a plane at 30,000 feet. )Manpads stands for man-portable air-defense systems. ) Almost everyone is mocking ISIS' claim. But ISIS didn't say it shot the plane down. It just said it was able to bring it down. Earlier reports that the pilot had radioed of technical difficulty and intended to make an emergency landing have now been disputed by officials.

Could there have been a bomb on board? Could it have been on-board sabotage? No one knows right now. [More...]

It's WLOCP Day! The picks:

Notre Dame @ Temple +11 (3 units), Tennessee @ Kentucky +9 (3 units), Miami Florida +14 (3 units) @ Duke, Texas -4 (3 units) @ Iowa State, Michigan @ Minnesota +14(3 units), Oklahoma State @ Texas Tech +3 (3 units), Georgia +3 (3 units) vs Florida (In Jacksonville), USC -4 (4 units) @ California, South Florida @ Navy -7, Illinois +7 @ Penn State, Nebraska @ Purdue +8.

Go Gators!

At least some good news today: Poland has rejected the U.S. request to extradite 82 year old director Roman Polanski for a crime committed almost 40 years ago.

At a hearing in Krakow, Judge Dariusz Mazur ruled that turning over Mr. Polanski would be an “obviously unlawful” deprivation of liberty and that California would be unlikely to provide humane living conditions for the filmmaker, who is 82.

He was also critical of the U.S. judge and prosecutors in the case, saying if he behaved like they did, he'd lose all respect. [More...]

Obama today authorizes the first boots on the ground in Syria. The White House still claims they won't be in a combat role.

On CNN today, a Republican called that distinction false, saying the dividing line is whether our troops will be in harm's way and because these troops will be battling ISIS, they will be in harm's way and there will be casualties. At least some Democrats are voicing disapproval. [More...]

[Lou Reed, Nico and the Velvet Underground, 1966.)

The New York Times: Parents of heroin addicts are urging a kindler, gentler drug war.

Our last open thread is full. Here's a new one, all topics welcome.

Hillary Clinton today espoused her views on the death penalty.

"I think that we have a lot of evidence now that the death penalty has been too frequently applied and very unfortunately in a discriminatory way," Clinton said at Saint Anselm's College. "So I think we have to take a hard look at it and a lot of states are doing that."

Clinton said that the United State needs to be "smarter and more careful" about how the death penalty is applied, but that in some "egregious" cases, capital punishment is still needed.

"I do not favor abolishing it, however," Clinton said, arguing that it should be used in "very limited and rare" instances.

How about a moratorium then, until the system is fixed? Is it more important to kill an egregious offender or not to kill someone who was unfairly sentenced to death on the basis of race?

Boulder, CO will host tonight's Republican debate.

Trump is slipping, Carson is gaining, and Jeb Bush still has no momentum.

Here are the issues the debate will focus on.

President Obama's advisers are promoting the greater use of special forces and stepping up air fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

The debate over the proposed steps, which would for the first time position a limited number of Special Operations forces on the ground in Syria and put U.S. advisers closer to the firefights in Iraq, comes as Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter presses the military to deliver new options for greater military involvement in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.

Apparently, the Pentagon agrees we've hit a "stalemate" in the battle against ISIS. [More...]

Another beautiful day in Colorado, here's the western view from my balcony. (larger version here and here.)

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