I don't find Donald Trump's answer to a Russian order amusing.

To begin with, the American embassy anywhere in the world is sovereign territory. This is land consented to by Russia to conduct diplomatic relations and as a place where visiting Americans can find a friendly face. The Russian president ordered the USA to remove three-quarters of its staff. What is left, the security personnel and the Ambassador?

When a country becomes this hostile toward a diplomatic mission and diplomatic relations with the USA there is a more dangerous current within that demand. I don't see any Americans leaving Moscow. If Russia sees it differently it needs to make its case. The sanctions stand and their presence in the Ukraine is illegal by every measure of any diplomatic document that exists.

The American mission is beautiful. It respects Russian architecture. The Russian government needs to make its intentions known as to why the demands are being made to end the mission in Moscow.

July 30, 2017
By Neil MacFarquhar

Moscow — President Vladimir V. Putin (click here) announced Sunday that the American diplomatic mission in Russia must reduce its staff by 755 employees, an aggressive response to new American sanctions that seemed ripped right from the Cold War playbook and sure to increase tensions between the two capitals.

In making the announcement, Mr. Putin said Russia had run out of patience waiting for relations with the United States to improve.

“We waited for quite a long time that, perhaps, something will change for the better, we held out hope that the situation would somehow change,” Mr. Putin said in an interview on state-run Rossiya 1 television, which published a Russian-language transcript on its website. “But, judging by everything, if it changes, it will not be soon.”

Mr. Putin said the staff reduction was meant to cause real discomfort for Washington and its representatives in Moscow....

Day traders love Trump's tandrums. Bubble is over though.

These graphs show increases for the past five days. 

PROVEN IN WAR AND PEACE (click here)

Since it was first fielded, Raytheon’s Patriot has been used by five nations in more than 200 combat engagements against manned and unmanned aircraft, cruise missiles, and tactical ballistic missiles. Since January of 2015, Patriot has intercepted more than 100 ballistic missiles in combat operations around the world; more than 90 of those intercepts involved the low-cost Raytheon-made Guidance Enhanced Missile family of surface-to-air missiles.

Those engagements were possible because Patriot is built on a foundation of more than 3,000 ground tests and over 1,400 flight tests.

Each and every time Patriot is tested or live fired, engineers uncover new ways to further improve or enhance the system.  The improvements are necessary because the threat is constantly changing and becoming more sophisticated.

 TERMINAL HIGH ALTITUDE AREA DEFENSE (click here)

When enemies attack, governments must be ready to defend their soldiers, citizens and infrastructure. That’s where THAAD comes in – one of the most advanced missile defense systems in the world

Scientists have a real opportunity to engage the public with "Chasing Coral."

August 8, 2017

The ecological and economic value of coral reefs (click here) has long been understood, and the negative impacts of human activities on reef systems are well documented. This wealth of knowledge however, has not prevented the devastating and widespread decline in coral reefs.

The new documentary “Chasing Coral” about coral reefs will have its Tallahassee premiere from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the Challenger Learning Center. After the film Dr. Sandra Brooke, coral researcher with FSU Coastal and Marine Lab, and Budd Titlow, professional wetland and wildlife biologist, author and photographer will participate in a 20 minute question and answer session. The movie is free; doors open at 6:30 (donations accepted).

Coastal development, fertilizers and pesticides have caused chronic water quality degradation that has increased turbidity, nutrient levels and pollutants in waters that were once crystal clear. To sensitive marine life, this is the equivalent of us breathing badly polluted air....

Add to that the new film by Al Gore and the conversation takes a real place in American lives.

Coral reefs support jobs, tourism, and fisheries. (click here)

Healthy coral reefs support commercial and subsistence fisheries as well as jobs and businesses through tourism and recreation. Approximately half of all federally managed fisheries depend on coral reefs and related habitats for a portion of their life cycles. The National Marine Fisheries Service estimates the commercial value of U.S. fisheries from coral reefs is over $100 million.

Local economies also receive billions of dollars from visitors to reefs through diving tours, recreational fishing trips, hotels, restaurants, and other businesses based near reef ecosystems.

Despite their great economic and recreational value, coral reefs are severely threatened by pollution, disease, and habitat destruction. Once coral reefs are damaged, they are less able to support the many creatures that inhabit them. When a coral reef supports fewer fish, plants, and animals, it also loses value as a tourist destination.

The National Marine Fisheries is not the only economic hub. Wall Street has a real reason to worry. The oceans have been some of the new focus for the pharmaceutical industry.

Coastal Protection: (click here) ...Coastlines protected by reefs are more stable, in terms of erosion, and are also a source of sand in natural beach replenishment...

Fisheries: ...one estimate shows fisheries benefits account for $5.7 billion of the total $29.8 billion global net benefit provided by coral reefs. Sustainable coral reef fisheries in Southeast Asia alone are valued at $2.4 billion per year. These numbers do not take into account the value of deep-sea corals, which are themselves home for many commercially valuable species and thus additional fisheries value.

Medicine: Many species found in coral ecosystems produce chemical compounds for defense or attack, particularly the slow-moving or stationary species like nudibranchs and sponges. Searching for potential new pharmaceuticals, termed bioprospecting, has been common in terrestrial environments for decades. However, bioprospecting is relatively new in the marine environment and is nowhere close to realizing its full potential. Creatures found in coral ecosystems are important sources of new medicines being developed to induce and ease labor; treat cancer, arthritis, asthma, ulcers, human bacterial infections, heart disease, viruses, and other diseases; as well as sources of nutritional supplements, enzymes, and cosmetics. The medicines and other potentially useful compounds identified to date have led to coral ecosystems being referred to as the medicine cabinets of the 21st century by some, and the list of approved and potential new drugs is ever growing.

Tourism and Recreation:... One estimate places the total global value of coral-reef based recreation and tourism at $9.6 billion of the total global net benefit of coral reefs.

China got the best Trump deal.

October 8, 2017

Commenting (click here) on the recent reports that the Trump administration "appears to be granting Chinese banks dealing with North Korea a temporary reprieve from threatened US sanctions" after Beijing backed UN Security Council sanctions against Pyongyang, Russian political analyst Alexander Vorontsov told Sputnik that it is an obvious example of blackmail.

On Wednesday, Reuters reported that "the Trump administration appears to be granting Chinese banks dealing with North Korea a temporary reprieve from threatened US sanctions to give Beijing time to show it is serious about enforcing new UN steps against Pyongyang."...

...Alexander Vorontsov, the head of the Department for Korean and Mongolian Studies at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russia Academy of Sciences, told Sputnik that the US employs a 'carrot and stick' policy against China and is doing so in a "very pushy manner."...

An article in the state-run (click here) Korean Central News Agency written by an unnamed spokesman from the Foreign Affairs Ministry said that sanctions by the "hooligan" US have "only worked to redouble the indomitable spirit of our army and people, united as one following their leader… and increase the DPRK’s self-defensive capability." 

There is no reason for a Korean dictator to be nice and back away from war. This man has no chance for life for all the murders that have occurred under his regime. He isn't interested in progressing to a peace strategy. It is not as though his regime are liberators and radically committed murder to relieve the people of oppression.

It looks like India consumers are ready for a trade agreement with local USA governments. Governors need to take notice.

August 10, 2017

A recent survey of Indian consumers (click here) has suggested that 83 percent prefer Chinese goods over Indian ones, reports the big circulation Hindustan Times.

It showed that Indian consumers felt goods made in India were expensive, while Chinese goods are better value for money, and of better quality.

The online poll of 9,873 people by an Indian research company measured attitudes to similar products.

In all five surveys were carried out, asking whether Indian consumers preferred to buy Chinese goods, and if so whether that was true of all categories of goods.

Some 38 percent of those questioned said they favored Chinese durable consumer goods like mobile phones and other electronic devices, 15 percent would buy household and decorative products, and 10 percent would buy gifts items. Some 37 percent preferred Chinese goods in all the above-mentioned categories.

On the other hand, Indian consumers had higher expectations of Chinese goods. A total of 96 percent of consumers surveyed wanted the "Made in China" label clearly marked so that they could more easily decide whether to buy Chinese goods or not....

The VIX is what the markets are looking toward to thrive in the Trump years.

Trump adds another element to investment. He is not the typical USA president. If he ever decides to be a moral man he could actually improve the activity of the markets to reflect benevolent choices. 

I think South Korea needs to prepare for a conventional war. Seoul is on the DMZ. 

A pre-emptive strike will span a conventional war. 

If there is a sincere threat the people of Guam need to be provided real options. ALL the people, not just those with potential for a plane ticket.

This is a British website so the time of day is different.

August 10, 2017
By Alice Foster

NORTH Korea is preparing a missile strike near the US territory of Guam after dismissing Donald Trump ‘fire and fury’ warning as nonsense. Here are live updates and breaking news on North Korea v the USA.

11.30am: China keeps low profile as North Korea threats escalate (click here)

Beijing has kept a low profile in recent days after Donald Trump ignored China’s calls to calm tensions with North Korea by making his 'fire and fury' threat.  

Conflict on the Korean peninsula would affect China and in worst-case scenarios unleash a radioactive cloud or waves of refugees into its northeast. 

10.50am: Britain back UN process not Donald Trump's 'fire and fury' 

First Secretary of State Damian Green responded to Donald Trump’s ‘fire and fury’ warning by saying the “sensible way” to proceed is through the UN.   

"It is obviously in all our interests to make sure that nothing escalates," Mr Green told reporters during a visit to Edinburgh.

"We are very strongly in support of the UN process, which has and continues to put pressure on North Korea to stop acting in an irresponsible way, and we will continue strongly to support the UN process which will, I hope, help to de-escalate tensions."...                           

Homeowners need to provide greater incentives at every turn. Every home should have the opportunity to use solar energy.

Utility infrastructure still needs maintenance and requires employment. The sell back is an option that should be examined, but, the clean energy agenda is more important than ever. Utilities need to get used to that idea and address their business model. There will be little to no growth of methane use and/or any other fossil fuels. Clean energy cooperatives should be considered as a real option for energy production.

I thought the free market was the preferences of the USA. No? 

When are petroleum subsidies going to end? Petroleum products are ancient energy and should not be subsidized.

Maybe it is just the candidate that is responsible for disclosure, but, was Manafort responsible for disclosing his past relationships with foreign governments?

August 9, 2017

By Carol D. Leonnig, Tom Hamburger and Rosalind S. Helderman

FBI agents (click here) raided the home in Alexandria, Va., of President Trump’s former campaign chairman, arriving in the pre-dawn hours late last month and seizing documents and other materials related to the special counsel investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

The raid, which occurred without warning on July 26, signaled an aggressive new approach by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III and his team in dealing with a key figure in the Russia inquiry. Manafort has been under increasing pressure as the Mueller team looked into his personal finances and his professional career as a highly paid foreign political consultant.

Using a search warrant, agents appeared the day Manafort was scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee and a day after he met voluntarily with Senate Intelligence Committee staff members....

June 27, 2017
By Tom Hamburder and Rosalind S. Helderman

A consulting firm (click here) led by Paul Manafort, who chaired Donald Trump’s presidential campaign for several months last year, retroactively filed forms Tuesday showing that his firm received $17.1 million over two years from a political party that dominated Ukraine before its leader fled to Russia in 2014.

Manafort disclosed the total payments his firm received between 2012 and 2014 in a Foreign Agents Registration Act filing late Tuesday that was submitted to the U.S. Justice Department. The report makes Manafort the second former senior Trump adviser to acknowledge the need to disclose work for foreign interests....

We know for a fact, Viktor Yanukovych broke the law of the 2004 Constitution (click here) that lead to a very controversial rewrite of the Ukraine Constitution of 2014. There were deaths in the Ukraine Maidan. Yanukovych was elected as President of the Ukraine in 2010. Financial relationships with Yanukovych is questionable. Yanukovych disarmed the national military and armed the Oligarchs with their own militias.

April 14, 2017
By Lucian Kim

Paul Manafort quit (click here) as Donald Trump's campaign manager last summer amid questions about his consulting work for a disgraced Ukrainian leader who now is a wanted man in his own country.

While Manafort vanished from Ukraine's political scene even earlier, his name lives on in Kiev.

Ukrainian investigators are seeking to understand his ties, if any, to former President Viktor Yanukovych at the time of the shooting of anti-government protesters on the capital's central square, known as the Maidan, in February 2014....

Making money at the cost of the sovereign state of any country is against the law. It is subversive to the stability of the government. That is a hostile act. 

July 15, 2017
By Andrew E. Kramer

Kiev, Ukraine — Paul J. Manafort, (click here) President Trump’s former campaign chairman, recently filed financial reports with the Justice Department showing that his lobbying firm earned nearly $17 million for two years of work for a Ukrainian political party with links to the Kremlin.

Curiously, that was more than the party itself reported spending in the same period for its entire operation — the national political organization’s expenses, salaries, printing outlays and other incidentals.

The discrepancies show a lot about how Mr. Manafort’s clients — former President Viktor F. Yanukovych of Ukraine and his Party of Regions — operated.

And in a broader sense, they underscore the dangers that lurk for foreigners who, tempted by potentially rich payoffs, cast their lot with politicians in countries that at best have different laws about money in politics, and at worst are, like Ukraine in those years, irredeemably corrupt.

Mr. Yanukovych was driven from office in the Maidan Revolution of 2014, after having stolen, according to the current Ukrainian government, at least $1 billion. In the years before his fall, Mr. Manafort took lavish payments to burnish the image of Mr. Yanukovych and the Party of Regions in Washington, even as the party acknowledged only very modest spending....

It is more than interesting that Mr. Manafort used the same plutocratic strategy to advance Mr. Yanukovich as he did with Mr. Trump. There is something very wrong here. This is Ukriane politics and not that of the highly expensive politics of the USA. Neither is moral.

Mr. Manafort is an influential figure in both countries and in Ukraine where President Putin appeared in support of Viktor Yanukovych. The friendliness alone is a violation of the relationship with Russia by the USA. Of course, Mr. Manafort ended his influence when Yanukovych fled to Russia. That doesn't mean Mr. Manafort is not suspect in the activities prior to that ESCAPE through Crimea.

What followed was an invasion by the Russians to Ukraine while annexing Crimea.

It is easy to say Mr. Manafort was a Yanukovych crony. He benefited by the Presidency of Yanukovych.

How all this transcends into the link between the Trump Organization and Russia is more than interesting. That link existed during the time the USA set sanctions against Russia. I have stated more than once on this blog that companies seeking business in countries without strong democracies, such as Russia, are risking their investment. If relationships sour between countries the monies are gone. There are courts to seek return of those monies, but, actually receiving those investments back is not likely unless a better relationship results.

HOW MUCH DID THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION INVEST DURING THE TIME SANCTIONS WERE IMPOSED?

How many other individuals and/or companies trusted Trump in being lead into investments in Russia they can no longer retrieve?

This is the real issue, isn't it? Does the USA government conduct the business of the people or the business of the Plutocrats.

I don't hear any huffing and puffing about the climate, yet it is far more deadly than any nuclear weapon on Earth.

If Earth loses it's oxygen content, game over.

We have not been here before. The planet is supporting billions of people and the consumer demands insult the troposphere with greenhouse gases such as methane.

As far as I am concerned the USA is in a very dangerous place, but, it has absolutely nothing to do with nuclear weapons.

August 8, 2017
By Michael D. Shear and Brad Plumer

Washington — The impending (click here) release of a key government report on climate change will force President Trump to choose between accepting the conclusions of his administration’s scientists and the demands of his conservative supporters, who remain deeply unconvinced that humans are the cause of the planet’s warming.

A White House official said on Tuesday that it was still reviewing the draft document that was written by scientists, some of whom have said they fear Mr. Trump will seek to bury it or alter its contents before it is formally released. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House press secretary, said the administration would not comment on the report before its scheduled release this fall.

But the looming publication of the climate report — which concludes that “evidence for a changing climate abounds, from the top of the atmosphere to the depths of the oceans” — once again raises a contentious policy issue that has deeply divided Mr. Trump’s closest advisers since he arrived in the Oval Office....

Governor Eddie Baza Calvo is the ELECTED Governor of Guam.

Pangasinan Governor (click here) Amado T. Espino, Jr. and Guam Governor Eddie Baza Calvo lead the signing of the Sister City Agreement between the Province of Pangasinan and the island of Guam as members of the Provincial Board of Pangasinan look on.  Other signatories to the agreement include, (L-R) Philippine Consul General to Guam, Hon. Bayani V. Mangibin, Guam Lt. Governor Ray Tenorio, Pangasinan Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Z. Calimlim, Jr., and Major Vic Rivo, Sr. (Ret), President of the Federation of Pangasinanses of Guam.

The military that exists in Guam is not that of the people of the islands, it belongs to the USA. North Korea has no argument with the people of Guam.

Pangasinan (click here) was among the earliest political and administrative units in the Philippines. It was officially conquered and colonized by D. Martin de Goiti in 1571. On April 5, 1572, Pangasinan was made an encomienda by the Spanish royal crown to receive instruction on the Catholic Faith, which means that Pangasinan was organized under one leadership and has identity before the Spanish royal court. Eight years later, in 1580, Pangasinan was organized into a political unit under an alkalde mayor who at that time has authority as head of the province or provincial government with judicial function indicating that Pangasinan has become a province. To commemorate the day when Pangasinan became an encomienda and the year it became a province, Pangasinan celebrates April 5, 1580 as the official founding day of the Province of Pangasinan. At that time, its territorial jurisdiction included the Province of Zambales and parts of La Union and Tarlac. By the middle of the 19th century however, the northern towns of Agoo to Bacnotan were separated from the province and became parts of La Union. The provincial territory was further diminished in 1875 with the annexation of Paniqui and other towns south of it to Tarlac.

Pangasinan, derived its name from the word “panag asinan”, which means “where salt is made”, owing to the rich and fine salt beds which were the prior source of livelihood of the province’s coastal towns....

Guam has no military. It has no way of protecting itself. Guam is a peaceful territory of the USA.

Guam has a highly diverse population, including, Korean and Chinese nationality.

These are USA citizens.

Chamorro 37.3%
Filipino 26.3%
White 7.1%
Chuukese 7%
Korean 2.2%
Other Pacific Islander 2%
Other Asian 2%
Chinese 1.6%
Palauan 1.6%
Japanese 1.5%
Pohnpeian 1.4%
Mixed 9.4%
Other 0.6% (2010 est.)

Kim Jong-un needs to consider how any attack on a minor group of islands and people would be received by the global community. It would be hideous for North Korea to consider such wrongful acts.

The five permanent members of the United Nations have nuclear weapons. They don't have to kill people to prove they have that capacity. North Korea needs to consider the respect it is looking for and the methods it contemplates to achieve it.

A basketball contest would receive more respect by the world than firing such a heinous missile. The World Cup receives respect. Every country on the face of Earth regards that sport gathering vital to their country's identity. So, a basketball contest falls into that category. 

North Korea needs to seek respect in ways other country's seek it. 

This is just insane. Temperatures of a nuclear explosion, energy or weapon.

Nuclear energy (click here) is produced from changes in nuclei. The advantages of nuclear energy are that it produces a large amount of useful energy from a very small amount of fuel and does not produce waste gases. However, it is very difficult to handle nuclear waste. There is always a chance where there can be a serious accident if something goes wrong.

There are two primary methods of producing nuclear energy. The first is fission, which occurs when the heavy nucleus of a radioactive element like uranium or plutonium splits in two and the second is fusion, in which light nuclei are joined together as occurs in the Sun....

Approximately 85 percent of the energy of a nuclear weapon (click here) produces air blast, shock waves and thermal energy. The remaining 15 percent of the energy is released as various type of nuclear radiation.

The thermal energy is usually around 35% of the total energy released. A 100 kt nuclear explosion releases 116,222 MWh of energy of this 40,678 MWh is released as heat. That’s enough heat to melt 136,000 tons of steel.

...The "yield" of a nuclear weapon (click here) is a measure of the amount of explosive energy it can produce. The yield is given in terms of the quantity of TNT that would generate the same amount of energy when it explodes. Thus, a 1 kiloton nuclear weapon is one which produces the same amount of energy in an explosion as does 1 kiloton (1,000 tons) of TNT. Similarly, a 1 megaton weapon would have the energy equivalent of 1 million tons of TNT. One megaton is equivalent to 4.18 x 10¹⁵ joules....

Tropical Storm Franklin has a central pressure of 996 over the Yucatan and headed to the Gulf of Mexico.

August 8, 2017
10.20.30z
UNISYS Water Vapor Satellite of north and west hemisphere (click here for 12 hour loop - thank you)

I told you so. Get the methane under control, now!

August 7, 2017
By Lisa Friedman

Washington — The average temperature (click here) in the United States has risen rapidly and drastically since 1980, and recent decades have been the warmest of the past 1,500 years, according to a sweeping federal climate change report awaiting approval by the Trump administration.

The draft report by scientists from 13 federal agencies, which has not yet been made public, concludes that Americans are feeling the effects of climate change right now. It directly contradicts claims by President Trump and members of his cabinet who say that the human contribution to climate change is uncertain, and that the ability to predict the effects is limited.

“Evidence for a changing climate abounds, from the top of the atmosphere to the depths of the oceans,” a draft of the report states. A copy of it was obtained by The New York Times.

The authors note that thousands of studies, conducted by tens of thousands of scientists, have documented climate changes on land and in the air. “Many lines of evidence demonstrate that human activities, especially emissions of greenhouse (heat-trapping) gases, are primarily responsible for recent observed climate change,” they wrote....

There is something Robert Mueller has that Trump doesn't; loyalty to the US Constitution.

The Mueller Special Prosecutor status was received by the country with acclaim. He has served this country for a very long time, most of that time in high ranking offices. Robert Mueller is the single best person to carry out the Special Prosecution of issues that is very far reaching, into some of the most sensitive foreign information. 

August 7, 2017
By Bob Dreyfuss

By now, it's clear: Robert Mueller, (click here) the special counsel looking into Russiagate and related matters, is a determined, relentless inquisitor whose investigation could lead to criminal charges against a wide range of Donald Trump's staff, associates, former campaign officials and members of his immediate family. And, when its work is complete, it isn't out of the question that Mueller's team could deliver a report triggering Trump's impeachment....

There should be NO personal attacks on any American standing up for the country, including US Senator Blumenthal.

The Mueller panel is about the country. It is important he goes forward with this investigation no matter where it takes him. If the country is at risk this investigation has to be conducted. It is outrageous to think a foreign country, a powerful foreign country is persisting a fight against the USA through subverting our elections. The facts have to come forward. 

If the current president finds the investigation threatening, too bad. This is about the country. If a president is complaining about an investigation that is about the country he is automatically setting himself up for ridicule. Too bad.

...Trump, of course, is lashing out at Mueller, the congressional panels, his own attorney general and Department of Justice, the FBI and the media over what he called, in a tweet, "the single greatest witch hunt in American political history - led by some very bad and conflicted people."...

What is this 'of course?' There is no 'of course' here. Trump has no idea what is being found. Got that? He doesn't know what is occurring with the investigation. Yet, he is OF COURSE lashing out. What? He doesn't even know what to lash out about. The man is paranoid. There is no greater truth than that. Robert Mueller is NOT holding press conferences. He is conducting his work out of the spot light. There is no 'of course' here.

Robert Mueller has assembled a very impressive group to help him with the investigation. That group will grow with the responsibility the investigation discovers. The Special Prosecutor has a very important responsibility. He has a country at risk and it doesn't get anymore important. 

I trust Robert Mueller. The country should trust him as well.

August 3, 2017

[Washington, DC] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) (click here) today joined U.S. Senators Lindsay Graham (R-SC), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) to introduce bipartisan legislation that would create a judicial check on the executive branch’s ability to remove a special counsel.

The Special Counsel Independence Protection Act (SCIPA) ensures that any action by the Attorney General or Acting Attorney General to remove a special counsel from office must first be reviewed by a panel of federal judges.

“This measure seeks to forestall a potential constitutional crisis raised by President Trump’s ominous ongoing threats of improperly firing the current special counsel,” said Blumenthal. “The specter of Presidential action against Robert Mueller – designed to stop or stymie a vitally necessary criminal investigation of the President himself – makes safeguarding the special counsel urgently necessary. Congress must act, right away, to check this potential Presidential abuse of power. Even the threat of such political interference, constituting potential obstruction of justice, undermines the special counsel’s investigation. Only judicial review can check such possible abuse and eliminate any doubt about special counsel’s ability to hold accountable all lawbreakers. Make no mistake: this investigation will continue and conclude fairly and fully.”...

This is about the country. The country is more important than any lousy politician.

"Morning Papers"

The Rooster

"Okeydoke"

Better yet, let's look to the FCC filings regarding "Trump TV."

August 7, 2017
By Shawn Langlois

Straight, (click here) unbiased news or the type of propaganda Kim Jong Un would be proud of? That probably depends on what you think of Donald Trump.

Kayleigh McEnany, previously known as a pro-Trump political pundit for CNN, announced her departure from the network on Saturday with this tweet:..

There is a far bigger picture that involves the inappropriate use of the FCC. First Trump uses the FCC to try to control free speech in the media. The most high profile personality to be attacked by the FCC was Steven Colbert.

Then there is the protestations of Brookings:

July 11, 2017
By Tom Wheeler

There is no other industry (click here) in the world like broadcasting,” the CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Gordon Smith told his annual convention. “No other industry has, at its core, such an overarching focus on bringing communities together and serving the public good,” Smith opined. “No other media industry is as dedicated to supporting our local communities.”

That “overarching focus” on “serving the public good” is being stealthily watered down, with the industry’s support, by the Trump Federal Communications Commission. In little-noticed decisions, the agency has been removing regulatory requirements to protect broadcast localism, shield a diversity of local voices, and avoid the establishment of a dominant national broadcaster....

There needs to be a public accounting for Trump Television. There also needs to be equal time offered by a channel set up to promote Trump's agenda. 

This is still the odd and threatening world we face with Donald Trump controlling the Executive Branch. The President, by nature of the office, has a megaphone whenever he/she requests it. The media is obliged to consider the requests of the President to speak to the people when it is vital to do so. The addition of a "Trump Channel" is a worry to the traditional relationship between the President and the media.

I find it odd that the anchor is from a cable channel known to have a political focus, CNN. I don't know if this is a gift to Ms. McEnany to win her affections, GIVEN HIS REPUTATION WITH WOMEN, or if this is serious news.

The Trump Channel is somewhat not a surprise, is it? The "Lame Stream" media has been a focus of frustration for the constituency of the Republican Party. This is a political party that has complained about the media for decades. So, Trump TV is not putting up with the ? tilt ? of the mainstream media.

The Trump Channel reminds me of the other million-billionaires with their own media, such as "O." In realizing how paranoid Trump is about rivals he created his own channel simply to compete with Oprah before she announces. I am serious. There are people that see Oprah as a sincere option as a candidate, hence, "Trump TV."

The ego is bigger than anyone wants to speak to when it comes to the paranoia of 'keeping the office.' Trump has a real reason to 'keep the office' and primarily because his private concerns, including the In-laws, finds success while he is in office. He also believes the country has a transition to achieve that can't be carried out in four years. Those transitions is to remove obstructionist Republicans from his agenda, too.

I think Trump TV is a dangerous political channel that can direct the country no different than any other TV channel within the menu of Americans.

Are there commericals?

Are there rivals on the air? 

Is the news exploited for his private concerns?

Is his family promoted as authorities?

And WHAT IS BEING PROMOTED about the "All White" White House? The "Alt Right" now has their own platform to find ways to launch a greater influence. I find the Trump TV a real threat that will promote racism in it's priorities. After all, there are many ways to vanquish rivals and I don't see Oprah being asked to be anchor of Trump TV.

"Good night, Moon"

Full moon

14.3 days old

99.7 percent lit

August 6, 2017
By Paul Wesley Sullivan

Before it stars (click here) in the much-anticipated solar eclipse on Aug. 21, the moon will be at full phase two weeks earlier.

On Aug. 7, the Full Sturgeon Moon will appear. Astute sky watchers in Africa, Asia and Australia will even be able to see a partial lunar eclipse,space.com says.

But back in these parts it’s called the Full Sturgeon Moon because August is when, the Farmer’s Almanac says, the sturgeon fish was most easily caught in the Great Lakes.  Native American tribes also called it the “Full Green Corn Moon,” Wheat Cut Moon,” and “Blueberry Moon.”...

I think the IPCC has made compelling facts about the dangers of mismanagement of savvanna fires.

"Smokey" (click here) is still out there and still working to protect forests. The children love him. Perhaps he can visit neighborhoods around the world, too.

Each savanna is different than the next. They require dedicated staff that keep detailed records regarding NATIVE and INVASIVE SPECIES plants. Anytime I am concerned for the balance of a biotic area, I look into journals for PLANT INVENTORIES of TRANSECTS of the area. Somewhere in the history of land on Earth there is some scientist/botanist that was compelled to make a study of the land and it's flora. Most of the time when I look for these historical transect inventories I find them. The funding for such important information was available then. 

So, if there is mismanaged savannas with fire ecology there can be restoration if a search for historical inventories is made. It is fascinating the dedication that has occurred in knowing the importance to the future of such inventories. Our forefathers knew we were coming.

The loop below is made by American firefighters. The idea is to get the fire out, to save lives and property, but, most importantly to save the forest as well. I don't know if these techniques will work everywhere in the world, but, I guarantee if American firefighters were asked to look at African savannas, they could tell you what will work and won't. They are incredible people with a great deal of knowledge in how to fight and prevent unnecessary fires. The US Forest Service would be another strong resource to proper management of savannas, even African savannas. They study stuff from more than the USA. Guaranteed. They love their work.

Increasing occurrence of forest fires, including savanna fires, will be a growing source of greenhouse gases.

Savanna burning methodology (click here) for fire management and emissions reduction: a critical review of influencing factors

Tek Narayan Maraseni, Kathryn Reardon-Smith, Greg Griffiths and Armando Apan

Carbon Balance and Management, 2016, (11)26

Received: 1 August 2016
Accepted: 7 November 2016
Published: 16 November 2016

Savanna fire is a major source of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In Australia, savanna fire contributes about 3% of annual GHG emissions reportable to the Kyoto Protocol. In order to reduce GHG emissions from savanna burning, the Australian government has developed and approved a Kyoto compliant savanna controlled burning methodology—the first legal instrument of this kind at a global level—under its Emission Reduction Fund. However, this approved methodology is currently only applicable to nine vegetation fuel types across northern parts of Australia in areas which receive on average over 600 mm rainfall annually, covering only 15.4% of the total land area in Australia. Savanna ecosystems extend across a large proportion of mainland Australia. This paper provides a critical review of ten key factors that need to be considered in developing a savanna burning methodology applicable to the other parts of Australia. It will also inform discussion in other countries intent on developing similar emissions reduction strategies.

Action: Use prescribed burning on savannas (click here)