Human beings don't matter, dollars do. Sound familiar?

Andrew Young is addressing the rental crisis in his $1000 allowance per month.

June 4, 2019
By Benjamin Oreskes and Doug Smith 

In a hard reality check (click here) for Los Angeles County’s multibillion-dollar hope of ending homelessness, officials reported Tuesday that the number of people living on the streets, in vehicles and in shelters increased by about 12% over last year.

The annual point-in-time count, delivered to the Board of Supervisors, put the number of homeless people just shy of 59,000 countywide. Within the city of Los Angeles, the number soared to more than 36,000, a 16% increase....

If a society deprives people good wages and forces them to make a choice between to "worst scenarios" it is the responsibility of the government to PROVIDE FOR THE SAFETY of the people that includes housing.

September 17, 2019
By Matt Stiles

...On Tuesday, (click here) the supervisors voted to direct lawyers for Los Angeles County to draft an amicus brief, urging the U.S. Supreme Court to take up a challenge to Martin vs. City of Boise. The case, decided by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals last September, found that arresting or otherwise punishing homeless people for sleeping on the sidewalk when there are not enough shelter beds or housing was unconstitutional.

Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who authored the county’s motion, said the ruling had “tied our hands” and made serving homeless people more difficult.

“We are grappling with a problem of unprecedented scale,” she said of the nearly 60,000 homeless people in Los Angeles County, many of them living outdoors. “Now, more than ever, it is critical that we have access to every tool at our disposal to combat homelessness.”...

The increase in homelessness is a return to the Reagan Administration and their idea that people are OBJECTS for profit. That means rentals go higher REGARDLESS of AMERICANS ability to pay.

It appears Trump has to face the reality that he has an aspect to his population's strife similar to those "shi-ole" countries.

Trump doesn't believe in capitalism that works for the people, he believes in greed.

By Scripps National

Renters (click here) are really struggling to save anything after paying their monthly rent costs, which are up 1.5 percent across the United States. A two-bedroom rental is averaging $1,180 per month.

Apartment List's Rent Report shows the rental cost increase is lagging from the 2017-18 and 2016-17 increases, but the rate in 2016-17 had soared 2.5 percent. The national median has essentially stayed flat from last June until March 2019, Apartment List says.

The biggest metros experiencing rent growth are Las Vegas and Phoenix. Other fastest-growing rent areas include Austin, Texas; Raleigh, North Carolina; Aurora, Colorado and San Jose, California....

The American Dream is disappearing. It is a general housing crisis that manifests in higher degrees of homelessness. It has nothing to do with availability. The Trump report by his economic advisors is a political document.

February 14, 2019
By Emmie Martin

Although both home prices and rental prices (click here) are on the rise, in every single U.S. state, homeowners with a mortgage spend more money per month than renters on housing. That’s according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2013-2017 American Community Survey five-year estimates, which tracks median housing costs across the country.

Exactly how much more money owners pay varies by state. In New Jersey, the discrepancy between the median monthly cost for renters and those with a mortgage is more than $1,100. In Arkansas, the disparity is just over $300.

Though the Census Bureau doesn’t offer a reason why, other analyses have shown that owning is more expensive than renting because owners need to cover related costs such as maintenance, property taxes, repairs and insurance, in addition to handling their monthly mortgage payments, and those keep rising....

There needs to be legislation exposing who CASH BUYERS are and what justies it. "Zillow" is a cash buyer. If Zillow purchases enough real estate they can DICTATE how much buyers pay for it. Cash purchasers are taking the value out of real estate and replacing it with manipulation for profit.

September 10, 2019
By Patrick Sisson

For Michael Pickens, a 31-year-old working in tech sales in the Bay Area, (click here) buying a home for his family isn’t an option. He lives with his wife and two kids in Campbell, California, the same town where he grew up, in an apartment across the street from the middle school he attended. He’s seen all the signs of an affordability crisis: Friends can’t afford to live in their hometown and have scattered to Texas and Arizona. He’s put in offers on $700,000 condos only to lose out to wealthy buyers making all-cash bids. The 1,100-square-foot house he grew up in, built in 1952 and barely renovated, now costs $1.2 million. Campbell is simply a “different town.” Even if Pickens could afford to buy a single-family home, he isn’t sure it’s worth the financial risk, especially in a downturn....

June 17, 2019
By Rey Mashayekhi

At this point, (click here) it’s well-documented that the Trump White House has seen a level of turnover unlike any other administration in modern times. At this point, no less than 50 top officials—from West Wing staffers to cabinet secretaries—have left Trumpworld in the two-and-a-half years since the President took the oath of office. Some departed on their own volition; others, for one reason or another, were unceremoniously forced out.

This week saw yet another high-profile appointee walk out the doors of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue: Kevin Hassett, the chairman of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers. As the administration’s top economist, Hassett—a career tax policy wonk and former director at the American Enterprise Institute, a leading conservative think tank—advocated for the corporate tax cuts that comprised the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, arguably Trump’s most significant legislative achievement to date.

Yet unlike the President, Hassett also holds more orthodox, free-market views on trade—a position that put him at odds with the Trump administration’s protectionist, tariff-heavy trade stance toward China and, more recently, Mexico. Despite that, Hassett told The New York Times that his departure has “nothing to do with any policy disagreements” within the administration....

Andrew Yang is in a different financial space than those effected by racism. (click here for article below - thank you)

Andrew Young is bringing up issues that other candidates should have better answers for such as statistics, the one percent and 0.1 percent. We know wealth is flowing to the top and the Middle Class is disappearing. The best example of the shrinking Middle Class is auto workers.



I think Andrew Yang was correct in forgiving racial epithets, however, he needs to address these issues. Andrew Yang has the luxury of wealth to forgive racial slurs. Wealth creates distance and comfort. In other circumstances, slurs affect people and their feelings about life. The rate of depression and other mental health tragedies are higher among CLUSTER groups in Asian Americans.



The article below uses statistics from 2007. But, it does reflect some issues that should be updated and explored.

Fact: Asian-American college students, had a higher rate of suicidal thoughts than White college students but there is no national data about their rate of suicide deaths. Fact: American-Indian/Alaskan Native women aged 15-24 have the highest suicide rate compared to all racial/ethnic groups.

The Congress needs to bring in US Military intelligence to testify about more than the monies Trump cut out of their budget.

Iran did not attack the Saudi oil fields. This is one of those "pretend" moments by Trump. There is no reason for gas prices to go up in the USA either, but, they will. Car pool.

Saudi Arabia needs to present any evidence regarding Iran to the United Nations Security Council, NOT only the USA!

The USA is untrustworthy in any assessment regarding at the very least the Middle East. Trump has done nothing but inflame tensions in the region. I would expect more of the same from him.

September 18, 2019

Saudi Arabia said the weekend attack on Saudi Aramco (click here) had no impact on government revenues and authorities were gearing up to list the state oil giant.

"In terms of revenues there's zero impact," Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan told Reuters news agency in an interview on the sidelines of an investor conference in Riyadh.

"Aramco continued to supply the markets without interruption and therefore revenues should continue as they are."

Netanyahu has canceled his appearance at the United Nations next week. This should help calm the rhetoric about tensions and escalating dialogue about war.

Benny Gantz's Kahol Lavan is ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Party, according to official election results released on Wednesday after 91 percent of the vote was counted.

Trump and anyone associated with him are criminals. Lying goes along with that. Stop expecting the truth. They have no USE for the law. It gets in their way of grabbing money when they shouldn’t. Their pretend use of the law is for the victimization of an opponent to that of an entire nation when considering the invasion by Russia of our election system. 

Lewandowski is not about to assist THE TRUTH from being told. He wants money and his television appearances is another USE of power to promote his own interests. They all do the same thing, including the family who is very familiar with fanfare and how it equates to profits.

Trump and any of his associates are propagandists. Being friends with communists has taught them well.

The worst news so far this trip. We are losing our brain trust.

I was trying to decide between the 4-inch mosquito now in the southeast or the student loan crisis. I decided the studen loan crisis effects more people. The 4-inch mosquito is a hurricane thing. The mosquito has been dormant for 40 years and then came water in abundance.

But, the student loan crisis is taking on a profile I didn't expect. What if the idea of a student loan has become too toxic that worthy students refuse them?

That is exactly what I ran across. A very gifted young man, now 19 years old has left a preferred university for medical students. He has not dissolved the idea of becoming a neurologist, just engages education differently. 

He worked a job while in high school and was accepted to the university he wanted most to attend. He was able to pay the tuition for the first semester from his years of earnings. When it came to paying for the second semester he didn't have enough money and neither did his family. He took a one-semester break and worked that Spring Semester and into the summer. He thought for sure he would have enough to return to his education in the Fall of 2019. 

He didn't. He also refused to take out student loans because they have become a stigma in the real world of young adults. What he has decided instead of attending undergraduate work at the university; he is going to carry out a two year program that is transferable to the university at the local community college.

I have nothing against Community Colleges. But, in this case a 19 year old man is giving up his university education for something that will transfer credits. He has already delayed his goals by 8 months and now it is uncertain he will return to the university. He has to take two years of basic education and then reapply to the university where he was once accepted.

This is wrong. As a society, we have to realize educating our brain trust is MANDATORY. We cannot allow such stigmas to be attached to student loans and we cannot allow deserving young adults to derail their own careers because they can't pay cash. 

The Student Loan debt is a significant problem and MUST be discussed in the 2020 election. If this goes on much longer, we will not only have a continued General Practitioner shortage, we will be losing those entering into specialties. The student loan crisis is real, takes on many faces and it is time, along with the climate crisis to take center stage with candidates and their solutions to return function to our higher education.

The Student Loan crisis with it's stigma and enormity is erasing OPPORTUNITY.

BY CHOICE.

We must do better. Depression is not an option.

September 16, 2019
By Jenifer McKim

Luke Tang was heading into the spring of freshman year (click here) at Harvard College in 2015 when he attempted to take his own life.

The youngest son of Chinese immigrants survived the attempt and was quickly sent by Harvard to a psychiatric facility. To return to his studies, school officials required that the 19-year-old sign a contract promising to follow his doctors’ treatment plan.

But Tang did not keep up with mental health services after going away for the summer. And Harvard officials apparently did not check up with him in the fall. About two weeks after arriving on campus, Tang killed himself in the basement of his college dormitory....

You are not going to believe this one.

I am traveling in the southeast after the hurricane. The Trump voters are nice people and they believe he is bipartisan because he takes on both Republicans and Democrats. It doesn't matter he won't sign much-needed legislation with bipartisan votes. 

Strange and unsophisticated Americans. Nice, but, out of touch with reality. One woman said, "What is the Mueller investigation?" There is a year to go and there is a lot of ground work to do, too.

They are disconnected from media. No television, newspapers or radio. They are busy meeting for bible study, Revelations Chapter 16 is the one I sat in on. I had to provide insight that I considered Chapter 16 a cleansing. They are waiting for the frogs and darkening of the sun. No lie. These are not the backwoods of Mississippi. They use their cell phones for keeping up with each other and the kids.

A spiritual bible study leader believes China is nothing but heathens for generations with no exposure to the bible. No lie. It is amazing the degree these Americans are out of touch with modern society. They are mired in old-time Christianity and believe the Jews missed the boat by waiting for a second Messiah.

There hasn't been any diplomat in recent USA history that allows such dense religious bigotry to be a part of foreign policy. It is bad. There is no leadership. Everyone should be ashamed in allowing such ignorance and bigotry in this country. We have always been a country of inclusion and outreach, not isolation.

The minority candidates Senators Harris and Booker and Former Secretary Castro get it right about criminal justice reform and the disparity in our communities when it comes to correcting the path of racism. 

Having people of color in government is vital to removing racism from the USA and providing role models and inspiration to children. These three candidates are dedicated to excellence. They are magnificent leaders already and prepared to do more. We need them to do more, much more.

They have great character and incredible records, I hope all Americans including the African American community are taking a better look at their candidacy tonight.

Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders are spot on in regard to the international standard and profile of the USA. There were 23 Senators that voted against the Iraq War. Senator Sanders is one of them. I don’t want to get into Bush and Cheney’s itchy trigger finger on Iraq but they announced their invasion while the UN inspectors were on the ground and had only hours to evacuate their teams before the invasion started on March 19-20, 2003.

Venezuela and Maduro’s war crimes is mostly about Russia and it’s victimization if the country and people of Venezuela. If Maduro is committing war crimes than so is Vladimir Putin.

Venezuela fell into economic ruin because of the price of oil. Russia took advantage of a weakened country and set up a nuclear military platform and Trump allowed. It has been at least months since I stated the Russian presence in Venezuela would be detrimental to the people and the country and the USA and I have been proved correct.

How is FARC doing?

I don’t want to hear anymore nonsense about fearing the NRA and how the states don’t have control over the safety of their citizens. The reddest of red states in the past month has confiscated guns in Dallas because murder rates are OUT OF CONTROL. The US Supreme Court has already said the federal and state governments can control weapons sold to private owners. The lies of the gun lobby have to stop. There is no slippery slope of gun regulation. CEO’s are clamoring for gun regulation  across this country. It is time to stand up for gun regulation and safe streets in the USA. Safe streets are constitutional in the USA.

And the same CEOs better put their money where there mouth is!

Medicare for All will never receive overwhelming support because it scare people.

Americans can’t support it because they never have experienced free health care EXCEPT in the military. “Tricare” is the USA military GOVERNMENT MANAGED health care. I would think if the military government managed health care works, what is there to be afraid of?

Traveling

I have friends and family in places that were affected by Dorian. I will be traveling this week and next to visit them. If I can I will be reviewing the events of the day, it is silly to say I will be commenting anyway because it is a joke a minute with Trump's administration.

BUT, I intend to continue the reading of the report by the Special Counsel to completion when I return regardless of the events of the day. I think it is very important to record it on this blog. 

Until then I wish everyone well.

Later.

Enough is enough.

Where are the two hospital ships, the USNS Mercy (T-AH-19) and USNS Comfort (T-AH-20)?

The USA Army Corp is needed in Grand Bahamas and the Abaco Islands to at the very least setup storage facilities for food and water or UN Straws for clean water and hospital facilities.

No doubt there are overwhelming numbers of dead. I am sure the governments involved will decide after a time how best to handle that, but, THE LIVING NEED HELP NOW.

The UN has to move against Trump in some way. Start writing letters that will ultimately be carried to the Hague. He has to know the international conventions, treaties and laws he is breaking and the peril he faces as an individual. The USA governing bodies in the House and Senate needs to be put on notice as well, especially, Mr. McConnell.

I might point out this is more than human rights abuses. These islanders have no place to go with a storm bearing down on them. There are unique people, both genetic and cultures. The world is losing people in ways that should never be allowed. These are small populations of people, large losses of lives could bring about genetic catastrophe.

The USA is in the same hemisphere and has ways of helping no other country can match, even allies.

In the USA, advocay groups and individuals can begin or continue a process within the United Nations regarding human rights violations and issues of genocide.

Laurel Krause (click here), the sister of Allison, successfully carried out a tribunal about the Kent State Shootings. The tribunal was registered with the United Nations. It can be done. An organization I founded helped fund her endeavors. For the curious, it is a PRIVATE non-profit. There is no 501(c or d). I in no way accept money for any of my interests. There are people that want to see justice in the face of THE TRUTH. Non-violent justice. Is there any other kind?

I cannot imagine Laural, who founded a non-profit in her sister's name would turn away anyone that wants to know how such tribunals can be conducted SUCCESSFULLY. She is an amazing person.

Trumpism is costing a lot of money to local economies.

I was out doing errands for about two hours. Every time I got in the car to drive, there was a police officer, in different vehicles somewhere nearby either in front or behind me or coming and going in the opposite lane. I live in small town America. The cities and towns are stepping up police patrols because of the frequent and violent killings and the costs will result in the postponement of schools to be built and other projects slated for improvement.

Former Representative and Governor Mark Sanford can run rings around Trump. He understands governance and the priorities that secure the USA.

I think anyone running against Donald Trump is smarter and better.

William "Bill" Weld was a great Governor for Massachusetts for six years. His education credentials are very impressive;  University of Oxford, Harvard University, Harvard Law School, Middlesex School, Harvard College, University College.

The cities and small towns of this country can't continue to do this. It will destroy their financial integrity and for those already in financial trouble, it will compromise their ability to serve the people in all aspects except essential services.

People are scared and have every right to be. There are too many guns on the street.

This is what a Republican dictatorship looks like. It is very dangerous.

It is sheer stupidity to oppress the facts of science. The agency should sue the president for dictating processes that do not serve the people. The dangers of this administration cannot be understated.

September 8, 2019
By Kevin Fitzpatrick

Donald Trump’s sharpie-gate refuses to blow over. (click here) In addition to the president’s seeming determination to keep his Alabama gaffe in the news cycle, another wrinkle emerged Saturday: the same National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that publicly chastised the National Weather Service in Birmingham for refuting President Trump apparently ordered its own employees not to contradict him.

According to The Washington Post, an agency-wide NOAA directive made the rounds on September 1, hours after President Trump included Alabama in a tweet warning states in the path of Hurricane Dorian. After the NWS office in Birmingham corrected Trump’s warning to specify that “Alabama will NOT see any impacts from #Dorian,” not only did the NOAA release a public statement that the “Birmingham National Weather Service’s Sunday morning tweet spoke in absolute terms that were inconsistent with probabilities from the best forecast products available at the time,” but behind the scenes staff were reportedly directed to “only stick with official National Hurricane Center forecasts if questions arise from some national level social media posts which hit the news this afternoon,” as well not to “provide any opinion.”...

I demand the agency live up to it's mission. NOAA better not substitute "Trump Bullshit" over the facts. The Agency will be sued if it submits to Trump's dictatorship of it's mission and it's facts!

It will be amazing to see cruise ships crashing against the rocks and sinking due to turbulent seas when Trump dictates his political priorities to the message of agencies assigned the safety of the people.

NOAA is an agency that enriches life through science. (click here) Our reach goes from the surface of the sun to the depths of the ocean floor as we work to keep the public informed of the changing environment around them.

From daily weather forecasts, severe storm warnings, and climate monitoring to fisheries management, coastal restoration and supporting marine commerce, NOAA’s products and services support economic vitality and affect more than one-third of America’s gross domestic product. NOAA’s dedicated scientists use cutting-edge research and high-tech instrumentation to provide citizens, planners, emergency managers and other decision makers with reliable information they need when they need it....

Dan McCready has the moral high ground. He treats every voter with high regard and understands the esteem of a democracy that values "The Vote."

September 8, 2019
By John Henderson

Ninth District congressional candidate Dan McCready (click here) is not letting President Donald Trump’s visit to Fayetteville on Monday go unanswered.

Hours before Trump is expected to make a campaign stop at the Crown Expo Center to rally for McCready’s opponent, Dan Bishop, the Democratic candidate has planned a campaign event downtown.

On Monday, from noon to 1 p.m., McCready, a Marine Corps veteran, will join veterans and military families to conduct a canvass of downtown in “Operation Get Out the Vote.”

The group will meet at the N.C. Veterans Park before breaking into small groups to walk along Hay Street, as well as go door-to-door to meet potential voters, a press release from the campaign said.

McCready, the owner of a solar energy business, is in a tight race for District 9 seat. Bishop, a Republican, is a lawyer and former Mecklenburg county commissioner from Charlotte. The district runs along the state line from Charlotte in the western half of the state to Fayetteville and Bladen County in the east....             

This is the McCain family (out of uniform) at the Republican National Convention. She is an amazing person. She has always been available to the country and it always reeks of USA purpose and morality.

August 21, 2019

By Alisa Wiersema

Nearly a year (click here) after her husband's death, Cindy McCain said the current Republican Party is "not the party of Abraham Lincoln ... nor the party of Ronald Reagan."

In an interview with ABC's Chief White House Correspondent Jonathan Karl, McCain spoke about the legacy her late husband, Sen. John McCain, left in American politics, and focused on his willingness to work across the aisle. A year later, McCain said she doesn't see anyone picking up and carrying the mantle of staunch bipartisanship the way her husband did.

"That was a tough torch to carry and, as John said, there were many lonely days because he always said what was on his mind," she told Karl....

The all too familiar message of "No Hate." She is great.       

"Morning Papers"

The Rooster

"Okeydoke"

Afghan roosters have a hard life, they have to fight other roosters to stay alive. These animal fights are very popular with men in Afghanistan. 

Bolton is wrong. There is no path to peace without the Taliban. The alternative is to turn Afghanistan into Iraq and put 100's of thousands of USA troops into the country and fight for regime change. 

Don't forget, Bush abandoned Afghanistan for Iraq. That is why the USA is still there. The Taliban reconstituted in Pakistan during the years of the Iraq war. The difference in the theater in Afghanistan is the defeat of Al Qaeda, the new presence of a Daesh minority, the lack of alliance support, a democratic political party, a National Assembly of the People and greater tensions with Iran. Those tensions with Iran because of Trump's desire for a Middle East war, complicates the possibility for peace in Afghanistan.

Before the retaliation of the attacks of September 11, 2001, Afghanistan was ruled by the Taliban. It was a military dictatorship. It wasn't really a centralized dictatorship, the control over the people was local, more or less Taliban militias and oppression of the people into a national religious regime. That is also a valid point, the geography and weather of Afghanistan itself dictate local control. There were a lot of corrupt militias, including Haqqani that controlled and still control the Poppy Culture.

The current National Assembly is liked by the people and is successful in passing laws and carrying some degree of enforcement. Afghanistan is better today for the sacrifice of the USA, but, it is time for peace in the region. The region certainly doesn't need Iran at war either.

It has been the priority of every Afghanistan leader to bring the USA and Iran to a peace of some sorts to insure democratic survival. Bush turned down the offer, Obama gathered with other Western countries to seek and pass the Iran Deal, but, Trump blew it. There has to be peaceful cooperation with Iran to insure the region doesn't launch into complete chaos AGAIN.

As a matter of fact, peaceful cooperation with Iran is a very important national security issue, unless, Trump and Netanyahu want Daesh back again.

September 8, 2019
By Michael Safi

The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, watches as an army carry team moves a transfer case containing the remains of Sgt 1st Class Elis Barreto Ortiz at Dover air force base, Delaware.

Donald Trump says he has cancelled secret peace talks (click here) on Afghanistan scheduled for Sunday that would have brought him face to face with Taliban leaders at Camp David, the presidential retreat in the hills of Maryland state – with the Islamist militant group warning on Sunday that the snub meant more American lives would be lost.

The US president made the remarkable claim in a series of tweets on Saturday evening declaring he had “called off” the negotiations after the Taliban claimed responsibility for a blast in Kabul that killed 12 people including a US soldier on Thursday.

“What kind of people would kill so many in order to seemingly strengthen their bargaining position?” Trump wrote, accusing Taliban leaders of trying to build leverage ahead of Sunday’s talks.

“If they cannot agree to a ceasefire during these very important peace talks, and would even kill 12 innocent people, then they probably don’t have the power to negotiate a meaningful agreement anyway.”...

"Good Night, Moon"

Waxing Gibbous

10,2 days old

78.5 percent lit

August 19, 2019
by Thomas Kika

In discussing the benefits of agency’s forthcoming Space Launch System (SLS), (click here)  NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine affirmed that the same technology being developed to return humanity to the moon will also allow for a mission to Mars. The SLS technology is being developed at facilities in Louisiana and Alabama, where Bridenstine recently visited to meet with workers.

“This rocket will send astronauts aboard our Orion spacecraft to the Gateway under the Artemis program,” Bridenstine said of SLS. “Our new deep space transportation system is the backbone for lunar surface exploration and will pave the way for human exploration of Mars.” 

Bridenstine claims that the SLS would represent that most powerful rocket in the world once completed. The SLS is part of NASA’s ongoing “Artemis” project, which aims to put astronauts on the Moon for the first time since 1972 and establish a permanent presence on the lunar surface. Part of this presence will be the “Lunar Gateway,” a refueling and docking station, which will serve as a waypoint for a future mission to Mars. The station will also include a habitation module, which NASA will develop with commercial partners.

The plan for Artemis is to demonstrate launch capabilities by 2022 and to land astronauts on the Moon by 2024.

In New York State the Maple - Basswood forests have no animal indicator species. That doesn't mean protections for wildlife are not important. There are understory and herbaceous indicator species for this forest and I will begin to discuss them next week.

France

People are saying this is the very first time France has experienced deaths from a heat wave, that is not the case.

The climate crisis struck in 2003 and took the lives of 14,802 people. 

France rarely had heat-wave before 2003. There was little air conditioning in many cottages that had thick walls to cool the living space in the summer and maintain the heat inside in the winter. Those thick walls heated up from the outside to the inside in the summer of 2003. People died of heat related deaths in their own homes.

The climate crisis is upon us and if we don't address this now, the years ahead will be devastating in the effects of weather and people will die. They may even die of water shortages. 

The climate crisis is not a political issue, it is a matter of survival and already people around the world are losing the fight.

This assault on life has to end and it has to end now. This is not politics, but, the leaders of democratic countries MUST address greenhouse gas emissions and plan for changes in energy and transportation. The future does not belong to the older generations. The future belongs to the young adults and their children. It is time to make way for them and secure a planet free of deadly weather. Enough. The young people and their children MUST have a safe and happy future.

It is not just hot, it is weather that kills. This is the climate crisis and the Amazon Rainforest is a carbon sink!

September 8, 2019
By Ron Brackett

More than 1,500 people died in France (click here) during summer heat waves that set record high temperatures in many parts of Europe, the country's health minister said Sunday.

Agnes Buzyn, speaking on France Inter radio Sunday, said the figure was more than 1,000 deaths above the annual average for the time of the year, according to the Associated Press.

She said there were 18 days of recorded heat waves in France this year during June and July.

France set a new national high temperature during a heat wave June 25-30 when temperatures soared to 114.6 degrees Fahrenheit at Gallargues-le-Montueux in Gard, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

On July 25, Paris' maximum temperature soared to 108.7 degrees Fahrenheit. The July 2019 average temperature for France was 73.4 F or 4 degrees above average, NOAA said.

Buzyn said a public relations campaign about the dangers of heat saved many lives in France this summer. She also noted that the 1,500 deaths this year were far fewer than in a heat wave in 2003 that claimed 15,000 lives.

"We have succeeded — thanks to prevention, thanks to workable messages the French population heeded — to reduce fatalities by a factor of 10," she said.

In addition to France, the heat wave this past June shattered record high temperatures in seven other European nations, including Germany....