Let's just put this plainly.

The West has a problem with Russia. I think Ukrainians should not be limited to fighting the war with Russia in Ukraine. That is hobbling their capacity and a real end to the war.

The issue in Ukriane is about genocide. This is not a war of disagreement. It is a war of survival and Ukraine should be allowed to carry out whatever aggression is necessary to end it. Russia is not going to the peace tables to allow a country named Ukraine to exist. Russia wants a state in it's territory called Ukraine.

The people of Ukraine do not want to be absorbed into Russia and it would appear for good reason. The Ukrainians currently held in Russia are being relocated to places like Siberia. This is common practice for Russia according to the Moscow Times.

September 8, 2014

Stalin loved to resettle entire populations, (click here) casually transporting huge numbers of people over great distances like cattle. For example, over just two weeks in 1944, 180 Soviet trains forcibly relocated nearly 500,000 Chechens from their homeland to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. As the train wagons hurtled along, 56 babies were born and 1,272 died.

Two months later, Stalin decided to ship 186,000 Crimean Tatars to the same destinations. He allotted only three days for the task. Workers unloaded 200 corpses from the wagons before the trip had ended....

Ukraine needs to fight the war that it needs to fight, not the war that NATO feels safe from a confrontation with Russia. Russia is a problem. The West needs to address the short term and long term strategy with Russia because this is not going to end. Communists want the people of the free world eliminated. I would think with the brutal killing in Ukraine that would be obvious by now. Stop living in a world believing peace is possible. For communists, treaties and peace are tools to achieve advantage and opportunity to get a leg up on The West. There is peace process with communists that will live for generations. 

Get over it.

Peace is a dream, not a method.

The Patent Process has developed an accelerated process for climate mitigation applications.

It is a great idea. It is unfortunate it there is a limit of a year to file. I guess that is to encourage rapid research, but, it should be made permanent. Sometimes one invention leads to the next which is better than the first and so on.

The Climate Change Mitigation Pilot Program (click here) is designed to positively impact the climate by accelerating examination of patent applications for innovations that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Under this program, qualifying applications involving greenhouse gas reduction technologies are advanced out of turn for examination (granted special status) until a first action on the merits—typically the first substantive examination—is complete. For qualifying applications, the applicant does not incur the petition to make special fee and is not required to satisfy the other requirements of the accelerated examination program. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will accept petitions to make special under this program until June 5, 2023, or the date when 1,000 applications have been granted special status under this program, whichever occurs earlier. This program aligns with and supports Executive Order 14008, dated January 27, 2021, and supports the USPTO’s efforts to secure an equitable economic future, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and mitigate the effects of climate change.

Secretary Haaland must reassess the methods used by US Fish and Wildlife.

The conservation groups are correct in that roads into forested areas will cause habitat issues, problems in survival of endangered species and a corridor that opens migration of dangerous animals into civilized areas. Forest roads are not the same issue as roads for transportation. Completely different.

The USFW must correct there methods of determining roads into forests and prohibit over development of those roads as well as eliminating road building into habitat of endangered species. This is ridiculous. Who at USFW is doing a really lousy job. It is costing environmental groups far more than it should. 

These lawsuits rarely are awarded court costs, but, the groups should begin to sue for costs affiliated with their lawsuits.

I know plenty of highly qualified individuals that can easily solve this problem if Interior can't get out of it's own way.

June 4, 2022
By Tristan Scott

A pair of local conservation groups (click here) have reprised their arguments over the consequences of logging roads in grizzly bear and bull trout habitat, filing a lawsuit this week in U.S. District Court alleging that federal agencies failed to adequately assess road density under the Flathead National Forest’s long-term management plan.

The new suit, filed May 31 by Friends of the Wild Swan and Swan View Coalition, says the plan’s shortcomings provide the federally protected species with insufficient safeguards. Specifically, it targets a forest management plan adopted by the Flathead National Forest that plaintiffs say allows for significant new roadbuilding without setting a sufficient standard for reclamation after a timber sale is complete. The groups say the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) biological opinion greenlighting the plan failed to accurately calculate the density or consider the impact of road development and road use on federally protected species such as grizzly bears and bull trout.

“This isn’t rocket science,” Keith Hammer, chair of Swan View Coalition, said in a prepared statement. “The impacts of roads don’t go away simply because the agencies don’t count those roads in total road density. Fish and Wildlife Service squandered an opportunity to set the record straight by not requiring what gets put on paper to match what is on the ground. The lie continues and we’re forced back into court to disprove it once again.”...

Kiyoshi Kuromiya (1943-2000) was on Google epage. Fantastic film. Great man.

Born in a Japanese confinement camp (click here) during World War II, Kiyoshi Kuromiya (1943-2000) was active in the Civil Rights movement and in anti-war protests as an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania. Kuromiya later co-authored books with Buckminster Fuller and became a founding member of ACT UP Philadelphia, which is still ACTing UP for housing justice in Philadelphia and fighting back against HIV criminalization and stigmatization today. He also founded the Critical Path AIDS Project.

Turning to the USA.

A judge was murdered. The agenda for death involved many other government authorities. Those with a grudge for whatever reason it exists has been turned loose.

June 4, 2022

Mauston, Wisconsin - Former Juneau County Judge John Roemer (click here) was shot and killed in his home in the Township of New Lisbon Friday morning.

Officials say when SWAT entered the home, they found Roemer zip-tied to a chair and fatally shot.

The Department of Justice says Douglas Uhde was found in the basement with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

A law enforcement official says a "hit list" was found in Uhde's vehicle which included Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell...

...Kaul said investigators are looking into whether this was related to court cases.

Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Annette Kingsland Ziegler released a statement on Roemer's death:

"The state's judicial family is shocked and saddened by this tragedy. Judge Roemer dedicated much of his career to public service in the law. Before taking the bench in 2004, he had served as an assistant district attorney and as an assistant state public defender. He was known by colleagues for his sharp legal mind and his willingness to share his time and knowledge with others. His work made a tremendous difference in the lives of many people in Juneau County and elsewhere in the state. Our deepest sympathy goes to Judge Roemer's family at this time."

The investigation is being handled as both a homicide and possible case of domestic terrorism....

I strongly disagree. There is no hawk or dove position to take with Ukraine. It is genocide.

June 4, 2022
By Ross Douthat

Sure, it works in practice, (click here) but does it work in theory? Over the years I’ve heard this parody of academic pomposity put in the lips of various targets, from French intellectuals to University of Chicago economists. Lately, though, I’ve begun thinking it myself — about the hawkish side in the debate over the Ukraine War, whose practical policies have so far achieved favorable results but whose deeper theories of the conflict still seem implausible, unworkable or dangerous.

I was not a Ukraine hawk before the war came. I felt the United States had overextended itself with its half-open door to NATO membership, and that eastern Ukraine, at least, wasn’t defensible against Russian aggression without a full-scale American military commitment. Sending arms to Kyiv probably made sense, but as a means of eventually bogging down a Russian incursion, not stopping it outright. And a Ukrainian collapse, of the kind we saw from our client government in Afghanistan, seemed within the realm of possibility....

This isn't a moment to appauld all the Ukrainian soldiers or those that have perished in defense of their country just long enough for millions of citizens to have escaped death, this is time to reassess the war and where it goes from here. Russia is an enemy. Russia is committing genocide. We are witnessing a ruthless Russian ruler that sees no value in human life. Putin is completely rejecting all that is democracy and Western economy.

I hope everyone realizes that this is about Western economy as much as anything else. Ukraine wanted to be a neutral country and enjoying vibrant economic ties to both Russia and Europe. Putin wasn't about to allow Ukraine to exist and surrender to the ambitions of Ukrainians to be free and economically strong. Putin has completely rejected Western democracy and it's subsequent economy and Middle Class.

This war isn't an option. It isn't about JUST providing safe havens for the Ukrainians away from Russian bombs. This is about a country out of control, completely disconnected from reality and powerful enough to cause real problems in the world for the rest of Putin's life. And. Perhaps. Beyond his death. Our countries are not Putin's pawns, they need to be RE-STRENGTHENED as they were before the generous movement of peaceful economy between all nations. Putin is rejecting all of it and doesn't care how long it takes, but, NATO will fall and then onto the USA and Canada if not sooner.

None of this is an academic exercise. This is real and it is happening and the world has a madman to deal with. Wall Street is welcome to be a partner. I suggest they make the changes they need to as they need to because this bozo is real.

Well. Everyone knows The West values their money more than freedom.

That is correct.

Kremlin will use economic weapons such as a blockage of Ukrainian grain exports to weaken Western support.

Putin has new petroleum contracts waiting for signatures by France and the rest of the alliance, just as soon as innocent people die of starvation. 

June 4, 2022
By Lateshia Beachum, Victoria Bisset, Andrew Jeong, Amy Cheng, Ellen Francis, Jonathan Edwards, Timothy Bella, Catherine Belton and Reis Thebault

...U.S. military officials (click here) have assessed that the coming weeks could bring a decisive phase in the war. Russian President Vladimir Putin believes time is on his side, according to members of Russia’s economic elite, who say the Kremlin will use economic weapons such as a blockage of Ukrainian grain exports to weaken Western support. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told The Washington Post on Thursday that Ukraine-supporting nations need to develop “sustainable” strategies for their aid...

...Kremlin will use economic weapons such as a blockage of Ukrainian grain exports to weaken Western support...

...Kremlin will use economic weapons such as a blockage of Ukrainian grain exports to weaken Western support...

...Kremlin will use economic weapons such as a blockage of Ukrainian grain exports to weaken Western support...

A global agreement to move forward.

Russia must never be allowed to once again engage such dangers on the world. This war is far beyond the hate of Ukrainians, it is a hate of the world in general. There is a driving desire to encourage suffering on people who have nothing to do with any differences that may exist with Ukraine and Russia. I say MAY EXIST, because, from where I sit Ukrainians have done nothing to receive such rage and human rights abuses.

The entire world has an interest in peace. It is important that pursuit begin, but, at the same time there is Russia and it's allies that are more than willing to disregard human life as important and unleash hell for absolutely no threat what so ever that they face. 

The United Nations must truly be a uniting force in all this and end the suffering of so many. If the UN was ever needed in this world it is now.

The future is before us and it is either going to be the greatest humanitarian success in the history of the world or it will be a completely devastating scourge across Earth because human politics were so important that nothing else matters.

There is a right and wrong within these dynamics. If Russia insists the wrong path is the best path there will be no way forward except military. That is Russia's goal. So far it has been discouraged. I just don't know if people will survive this phase of movement toward peace. The question is what weighs in the balance and whether or not a brief vicious exercise of war is less costly than the long view of non-aggression?

Any effort to instill a demilitarized zone without Russia's agreement will be brought about by a military outside of Ukraine and enforced by the same. It is a huge issue. One that cannot be overlooked or considered without all the rampifactions. If confrontation with Russia is the only path forward it won't be a long endurance, but, it may turn the land involved to worthless pieces of vastness and cost human lives.

The Russian - Ukraine Demilitarized Zone because of the genocide there is no turning away from it.

Imagine for a moment this being an unending war. Russia knocks down buildings that simply prevents the Ukrainian people to return to a major section of their country. Western Ukraine, if Russia can be contained in the east may very well be able to sustain populations again, however, what if after some reconstruction and return Russia once again decides to kill and destroy?

The two countries need a demilitarized zone with a clear understanding that if either of them cross that region of land it will be considered an assault on international stability and the ability of feed the world.

Regardless of North Korea's insistence on reunification of the people removing any agreement to peace, South Korea has been able to build a country that is successful with full engagement of the international community. South Korea is considered a great country.

There is no reason why Ukraine cannot succeed in the same way. If Russia insists on war and does not create a demilitarized zone, then the United Nations Security Council and the General Assembly must begin to build it's strongest sanctions and isolation of Russia. What also needs to occur are global plans to instill a demilitarized zone and movement toward that goal. That global agreement must at least try to include China.

This is a very deadly war. President Zelenskyy has to seek support by other countries.

June 4, 2022
By Rhoda Kwan

...After Ukraine’s military recaptured parts of Severodonetsk in recent days, (click here) Luhansk Gov. Serhiy Haidai said Saturday that the Russian army had regrouped and was “throwing all its efforts, all its reserves” at the city.

Speaking on Ukrainian television, Haidai said that Russian troops were blowing up bridges across the Siverskyi Donets River in a bid to prevent reinforcements from entering the city.

For both sides, the fighting in the east in recent weeks has been one of the deadliest phases of the war. Ukraine has said it is losing 60 to 100 soldiers every day....

I am grateful President Macron is in office, but, he has to realize being civilized is mostly a failure.

I know NATO wants a civil tone to everything and a return of peace, but, it is fully unrealistic to expect that to occur. We are in a horrible place because Vladimir Putin decided to use war and death as a political goal. The war into Ukraine is his politics at work.

If Putin were to agree to a ceasefire, it would be to retool and find more conscripts within Russia. It would be a break in the action to allow for greater destruction. He would also find a lie to tell in order to reengage in a greater effort and break whatever ceasefire were in effect blaming it all on the Nazis from Ukraine.

If President Macron strongly believes peace is still possible then he should pursue it with vigor. But, he should be prepared that it is only an opportunity for Putin to rework his war effort. Putin has already allowed three peace treaties to fail literally without them ever taking hold. He continued to arm the rebels while they broke the treaties. How many times does The West allow itself to be kicked in the butt on a global stage before they "get it?"

June 4, 2022

Paris - French President Emmanuel Macron (click here) said it is vital that Russia is not humiliated so that when the fighting stops in Ukraine a diplomatic solution can be found, adding that he believed Paris would play a mediating role to end the conflict.

Macron has sought to maintain a dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February. His stance has been repeatedly criticised by some eastern and Baltic partners in Europe, as they see it as undermining efforts to pressure Putin to the negotiating table....

The USA used to feed the world while still dumping grain every harvest.

The USA can do it again. It is important the decisions to increase agricultural production after decades of reducing it be made permanent to allow stable prices and commodities. That, of course, means more aggressive climate policy to end the droughts and floods.

Finger pointing at Russia only provides a greater platform for global misery rather than a new or returned paradigm to establish stable food supplies.

May 18, 2022

...The World Bank Group’s global response (click here) will address four priorities:

Support production and producers: Take actions to enhance next season’s production by removing input trade barriers, focusing on more efficient use of fertilizers, and repurposing public policies and expenditures to better support farmers and output.

Facilitate increased trade: Build international consensus (G7, G20, others) and commitment to avoid export restrictions that increase global food prices and import restrictions that discourage production in developing countries.

Support vulnerable households: Scale up targeted, nutrition-sensitive social protection programs and replenish early-response financing mechanisms.

Invest in sustainable food and nutrition security: Strengthen food systems to make them more resilient to rising risks (conflict, climate, pests, diseases), trade disruptions and economic shocks – balance immediate/short-term needs with long-term investments.

The World Bank gained extensive experience in response to the 2007-2008 global food price crisis through the temporary Global Food Crisis Response Program (GFRP) that received donor contributions and channeled funds to 49 affected countries through 100 projects. Since then, the Bank had built up new tools dedicated to responding to food security crises, including the IDA Crisis Response Window. The World Bank also hosts the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP), which is an existing financial intermediary fund dedicated to improving food security in low-income countries and could be replenished to help fund the response to the current global food crisis.

Russia's hatred of Ukrainians is definitely the reason the world is facing a food crisis.

Ukrainian Agricultural Map (click here)

There was no preparing for this. The West was involved in empowerment of all countries to be part of the global economy to improve the quality of life of their people. In that is the understanding that global food production would be a priority to allow such a global economy was also the understanding that the USA would not be competing with other countries therefore cutting back on food production. 

If countries found it more beneficial to oppose such dynamics, it was their choice. Even the Iran Deal under President Obama (click here) embraced the idea of the country becoming part of a greater economy to open up the potential of the Iranian people.

What no one ever thought possible was Russia moving into Ukraine with such a strong effort that would turn the country into a wasteland. I don't think anyone believed Vladimir Putin would be so filled with hate that it would manifest into genocide. Never and no one believed it was even thought about and in that is the reality of the invasion and the recklessness of it's ability to kill people beyond the Ukrainian borders and into a global food crisis.

There is no turning back and giving Putin the idea that he is in control of the world, as he assuredly does believe of himself. He has become a huge danger to the world without any indication he was so full of hate. He entered into Ukraine without conscience, continues the war in the same manner and now continually bombs Donbas in order to prevent agricultural use of the land, hence, providing real danger to millions of people in the world. All this violence is a part of Putin's ideology of a larger war that would invite nuclear engagement. 

The Ukrainians are fighting this monster alone and the world should be grateful, but, also in reflection of the larger danger and Putin's maniacal ideology that completely disregards the danger to so many millions of people and a food supply.

June 4, 2022

Geneva - United Nations officials warned (click here) on Friday that a protracted war in Ukraine threatened a hunger crisis in the country and around the world.

Marking 100 days since Russia invaded its neighbour, UN crisis coordinator Amin Awad said at least 15.7 million people in Ukraine were now in urgent need of assistance and protection, with the number rising by the day.

When winter comes, millions of people will be exposed given the destruction of power plants and fuel depots, Awad told an online media briefing....

I want to thank everyone that stops by the blog and finds what is written here as valuable. This is more than I ever thought possible in my writing and I can't thank you enough. I am not quiting, it is just time to say thank you and you are welcome to come here and hopefully find messages that uphold democracy and freedom.

Abbott is reopening the baby formula plant after working with the FDA to solve the problems of contamination.

There has been an increase in breast milk sharing. Everyone dug in and made it happen to support American moms. It is a community of concern now.

Why is strong competition important in every consumer need? Because THE FEW are greedy and careless. Needing competition is becoming a national emergency in the American food supply.

When I shop in my Non-GMO grocery store, the prices are higher than the average store, but, they have not increased due to inflation. My grocery bill has not increased and other than fuel for the van, I would never know there is an inflation problem. I guess I shop in places that are there for the customer and not the stockholders.

Time for an electric car. Biden was due to be president at this time. He has the right priorities and always has. He was never a big draw for Wall Street. 

June 1, 2022
By Michael D. Shear and Julie Creswell

A few companies control an entire industry (click here)

Washington - The nationwide shortage of baby formula (click here) is getting worse, with an increasing number of retailers and online sellers posting out-of-stock notices even as President Biden met on Wednesday with executives of five baby food companies, and announced new shipments of formula from Europe to help restock American shelves.

Baby formula has been in short supply across the United States for weeks, the result of the shutdown in February of the leading infant formula manufacturing plant, operated by Abbott Laboratories, because of contamination concerns. Last month, the president invoked the Defense Production Act to help other manufacturers, and promised to use the military to speed up imports of formula from around the world....

June 1, 2022
By Tom Rader

Exeter Township, Pennsylvania - A newly-opened plant in Berks County (click here) wants to be the lead nationally in dealing with the baby formula shortage.

"What is Pennsylvania doing about the baby formula shortage? My answer?" Gov. Tom Wolf said, as he gestured behind him at the ByHeart baby formula facility in Exeter Township.

Wolf, U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, state Sen. Judy Schwank, and state Rep. Mark Gillen gathered outside the ByHeart baby formula plant Wednesday to tout state funding....

The crisis is not over yet.

May 30, 2022

By Brigid Goulem

Amid baby formula shortages (click here) across the United States and Canada, national attention has been focused on the Canada Royal Milk manufacturer in Kingston.

However, a recent news release from Canada Royal Milk clarifies that the company is not yet manufacturing infant formula and does not have the regulatory approval of Health Canada to begin production.

The shortage of baby formula reported in the United States, fuelled by major recalls and global supply chain issues, has raised concerns about what this means for Canadian parents, as Canada is reliant on American supplies for its own formula production....

I think it is prudent for African Americans to be cautious.

This shooting has the signs of a premeditated hate crime. The funeral was in the newspaper and it was a young African American man. I think racism is in full swing in the USA. The racists were turned loose during Trump's time in the White House and they aren't going to stop just yet.

Nothing else makes sense. 

June 3, 2022

Racine - Two women were shot (click here) Thursday afternoon during a funeral at Graceland Cemetery in Racine, police said.

A 35-year-old woman was flown to Froedtert Hospital where she had surgery for her injuries. Police said Friday morning she was awake and alert.

A 19-year-old woman was treated at a Racine hospital and released....

..."How many gunshots did you hear?" WISN 12 News' Matt Smith asked a person nearby.

"Accurately, 20 to 30. I would say. It was a lot. The one initial one and then gunfire. It was terrifying," said Tre Brantley, who heard the shooting. "Within 30 seconds we were all running off the court. we didn't stop to grab any of our stuff. we didn't stop to talk about it."

"Honestly, it's sad. It really is," added Ernie Stickles, Racine resident. "The way Racine was when I was growing up, nobody caused any problems."

Police said Friday that multiple firearms were used in the shooting.

Ascension All Saints Hospital is near the cemetery....