Is Benczkowski still at DOJ? He is a national security compromise.

July 10, 2022

By Giffin Connolly

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., broke ranks with Democrats to move forward with the confirmation of Brian Benczkowski to lead the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division.

As the frenzy (click here) surrounding President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh kicks into high gear this week, the Senate is voted Wednesday to confirm a divisive new director for the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice.

In late winter 2017, Brian Benczkowski, who now awaits Trump’s signature to become the newest assistant attorney general at the DOJ, briefly represented Alfa Bank, a Russian bank with close ties to Russian government officials that media outlets previously reported was a subject of the FBI’s probe of the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia.

No one at Alfa has been charged with wrongdoing, and it is unclear if the bank is still part of any probe.

Leading Democrats in the chamber wrote a letter to the president last week arguing Benczkowski cannot “credibly oversee” the DOJ Criminal Division’s involvement in Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s investigation and the criminal investigation of Michael Cohen, the president’s former personal lawyer....

The United Nations has never been more important.

The global community can now see what Russia is all about, expansionism and an alternate reality to facilitate the loyalty of it's military. The United Nations needs to resolve to end such tensions, especially among countries with powerful and dangerous and deadly military capacity.

February 24, 2022
By Courtney Subramanian,Michael Collins and Rebecca Morin

International condemnation (click here) of Russian President Vladimir Putin's pre-dawn attack against Ukraine mounted Thursday, as U.S. and Western allies prepared to impose punishing sanctions against Moscow for a stunning full-scale invasion that global leaders had been warning about for weeks.

Ukraine's defense ministry said it was fighting Russia in both the country's north and south.

The attack threatened to create global upheaval and escalate into the largest military conflict on European soil since the end of World War II.

"This is a brutal act of war," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday.

Here's what to know about Russia's attack on Ukraine:...

The world as witnessed with the spread of COVID-19 and it's variants is a smaller and smaller place with more and more people living on planet Earth. We cannot afford wars such as Putin carries out because of his politics. Make no mistake this war into Ukraine is due to Putin's politics and promises. His made up reality has to be satisfied to allow the people of Russia to contiue to believe they are oppressed by the entire world outside of Russia and a highly valued president that can carry out enormous movements of troops and killing machines. As far as Putin is concerned he is the only one capable of this aggression and returning the Soviet Union to it's former granduer as well as expansionism.

Today, Vladimir Putin is using the power of the Russian people's military to carry out atrocities of war. He is doing it because he wants to end the Nazis of Ukraine. Today it is Navis and tomorrow has yet for him to define his egotistical reasons for killing.

Trump's best friend, Vladimir Putin, has no loyalty to Trump's White Supremacists/Nationalists/Neonazies. Trump is a fool without a clue.

The family probably can't talk about Bob Saget because there are lawyers involved.

Just a word about Bob Saget. I am not a forensic person on the case, but, their assessment sounds reasonable. He fell in the shower and struggled to the bed and died there. It is very unfortunate.

These types of accidents happen. Shower floors and bathrooms can be a dangerous place if people are not careful. The STONE of bathrooms, be it porcelin or otherwise, always seemed to me a contradictory combination. There needs to be a synthetic answer to bathrooms that are more forgiving when people slip and fall.

This could be an accident of a slip in the shower or tub, but, he was 65 years old and while a very vital 65 year old he could have had a heart incident that also dropped him to the floor. He doesn't have to have a heart condition to have such an incident. The older adult sometimes will drop their blood pressure under warm water used to bath. The forensic experts could speak more to that, but, I think their assessment is correct in that it was an accident.

I am sorry to hear violence against Ukraine has begun.

I think the world is with Ukraine, at least the civilized world. (click here) Putin in justifying his violence against Ukraine as ending the Nazis' war. This is typical ethnic hatred to divide people and demonize an enemy scapegoat.

President Biden is correct, this violence by Russia is completely unprovoked. Shelling can be heard in Kyiv. Sirens to awaken the people in the capital went off to bring awareness to the danger that may approach as time goes on. Ukrainians have a right to decide to leave and seek refuge.

It is so hard to realize this is 2022 and Russia is still acting as if it is 1968. 

On August 20, 1968, (click here) the Soviet Union led Warsaw Pact troops in an invasion of Czechoslovakia to crack down on reformist trends in Prague. Although the Soviet Union's action successfully halted the pace of reform in Czechoslovakia, it had unintended consequences for the unity of the communist bloc.

When will the Cold War finally end with anti-democracy narratives in communist countries? It is so ridiculous. NO ONE IS COVETING VIOLENCE AGAINST COMMUNIST COUNTRIES, ONLY COMMUNISTS COVETING VIOLENCE AGAINST PEACEFUL PEOPLE THAT EMBRACE DEMOCRACY. More than fifty years has passed and not a thing has changed.

Ukraine is on the minds and in the hearts of people all over the world tonight.

A few Sunday evenings ago I posted entries about the exploitation of women for money by con artists.

There was also concerned for the children or the image of the children involved with this fraud in that it could be pedophilias that are carrying out this form of financial support for themselves. I have some additional comments.

I am somewhat convinced using the image of eight or nine year old girls is a standard operating procedure (SOP) for these free lancers. These are men (haven't heard of any women yet) that use tactics against women to romance them and weaken their resolve to protect their finances. I still firmly believe this results in Stockholm Syndrome.

One of the methods at the very beginning is to ask what dress size she is so he can purchase the perfect dress for their meeting sometime in the future. That dress can be purchased from recycle outlets like Poshmark and mailed to the woman as an expression of love and devotion and promise. 

But, other than the "girl image" there are issues of naked compromise in harassing the victims. In other words at one point and it doesn't matter the weight or figure of the woman, they are asked for naked pictures to keep their man interested. These pictures can lead to intimidation to continue the pressure to reliquish monies through any means of which the woman can obtain them. 

Naked women.

I think it is time for a cultural shift in the USA from highly conservative ideology of women's bodies to one of fitness. I think every woman at some point, especially business women, should invest in photos of themselves naked or partically naked as in a small square inch bathing suit. Those pictures should be kept as a reminder of the strange power such images could have over the future of a woman's life.

If I can recall the actress Jennifer Lawrence and her fight to protect images she shared with the man she loved. The images were of her fashioably disrobed and they were digital. Her protected site was hacked and the pictures exposed to the world. Every woman needs to follow her example in maintaining their body image as their own, but, never are they ashamed of that image. 

I have noticed with many singers - actresses their clothing choices are very sexy and seductive at times. It is that level of pride in one's body that should be owned by every woman alive today. At no point in time should revealing pictures of a woman lead to her embarassment or demise in her profession. The power of revealing naked or compromised pictures has to end. The USA has passed laws called "Revenge Laws" (click here) by which men that reveal women without their expressed permission are considered to be criminals in their intent and purpose.

I also have more information about the methods these men are using. Oddly enough ambassadors and their staff are already cued to these episodes existing online and are absolutely correct in stating "Stop the contact." These men are connected voluntarily to an "organization." I haven't be able to ascertain the complete identity of the organization, but, it is organized crime with methods developed to induce women to give up money at any cost to them. 

I am told the organization is very dangerous and people need to avoid this level of interaction. The practioners of this organization are free lancers allowed to raise money for their own purposes. There are no noble causes.

I will write more about another method and it is highly sophisticated. It is easy to see this is organized crime. 

Until later.

I don't know a great deal about hockey, but, is that goalie uniform regulation?

It seems to me the coaches made a wall out of his uniform to block the goal net. That just seems over the top.

But, here again is that Russian mindset that everyone hates Russians. He is so put out by receiving silver that he has to feel as though there was UNFAIRNESS in the game. This is the way they are. In the case of the Olympics, they violate rules, scoff at punitive measures and then complain the rest of the world hates Russians. THEY ARE CHEATERS in every definition of the word. 

February 21, 2022
By Ivan Fedotov and Mikhail Grigorenko

The Russian goaltender (click here) held his medal in his hand instead of putting it around his neck after the ROC's 2-1 loss to Finland in the men's ice hockey final on Sunday.

Due to Covid-19 protocols at the Beijing Games, athletes are tasked with picking up their medals from a platter rather than having them placed around their necks.

When Fedotov received his medal he simply couldn't bring himself to put it around his neck.

By the end of the ceremony he was the only player from both sides not wearing a medal.

“It's hard to accept that it isn't gold,” Fedotov said afterwards.

“I'm an all-or-nothing person, and it's hard to accept a defeat.

"I'll definitely put it on and enjoy that but later on.”...

 

Let me just say this. The issues the Biden Administration has faced since taking office after an incompetent populous president is daughting. I firmly believe President Biden is the right president for this time in American history.

Media find him easy to pick on, because, he is less a politican and more a president. He is very different from previous presidents. I find his frank method of speaking refreshing. He and Secretary Blinken are not mincing words. I think they are great and brave, but, most of all sincerely concerned for our allies across the pond. That is not readily seen in past administrations.

To be a fly on the wall.

By the AP
February 21, 2022

Vice President Kamala Harris (click here) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meet during the Munich Security Conference in Germany on Saturday.

Munich -  Acknowledging "the real possibility of war," (click here) Vice President Kamala Harris wrapped up a weekend of outreach to European allies with a push to bolster the West's resolve in confronting Moscow with crippling sanctions as increasingly dire signs suggest Russia's Vladimir Putin plans to order an invasion of Ukraine.

In a burst of diplomacy at the annual Munich Security Conference, Harris tried to make the case to American allies rapidly escalating tensions on the Ukraine-Russian border meant European security was under "direct threat" and there should be unified support for economic penalties if the Kremlin invades its neighbor....

Of course, only Putin alone could do it.

February 22, 2022

By Bryan Metzger and John Haltiwanger

Left, Helsinki.

Former President Donald Trump (click here) praised Vladimir Putin in a podcast interview on Tuesday, describing the Russian president's justification for invading Ukraine as "savvy" and "genius."

In an appearance on the "Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show," Trump said Putin's recognition of the independence of the Ukrainian breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk — two-thirds of which are controlled by Ukraine and are not recognized by most other nations but backed by Russia — was a smart move.

"I went in yesterday, and there was a television screen, and I said, 'This is genius.' Putin declares a big portion of the Ukraine — of Ukraine — Putin declares it as independent. Oh, that's wonderful," Trump said when asked about the news. "I said, 'How smart is that?' And he's going to go in and be a peacekeeper."...

February 22, 2022
By Carrie Johnson

Attorney General Merrick Garland (click here) said the Justice Department is aware that classified material has been found on former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago property but didn't explicitly confirm a federal probe on the matter is underway.

"[T]he National Archives has informed the Justice Department of this and communicated with it," Garland said at a news conference Tuesday. "And we will do what we always do under these circumstances: look at the facts and the law and take it from there."

Archivist David Ferriero notified members of Congress Friday that some of the contents in 15 boxes of presidential records at the Florida resort were "marked as classified national security information." Ferriero said the National Archives had asked Trump's representatives to continue searching for more materials....

This is from an article in "The Economist." It shows the extensive military build up that has occurred. This is far more power than is needed even for two areas of Ukraine. It is why President Biden states it is at least a military incursion and more aggression is suspected.

...Ukraine is essentially ringed on three sides, (click here) because of a large Russian build-up in Belarus. “Allied Resolve”, a hastily-announced Russia-Belarus exercise—more likely cover for troop movements—began on February 10th and is due to end on February 20th. As many as 30,000 Russian troops may be involved, according to nato. Some are alarmingly close to Ukrainian soil. Zyabrovka, around 25km from the border, is another disused airfield which has become a swarm of activity....

A march into Kyiv from Belarus is not difficult.

The map to the right clearly shows the two territories of Ukraine on the eastern border of the country. Yet, for as small a footprint of these two regions Russia is actively amassing armed forces around the entire border of Ukraine. Putin justifies all his actions by stating the post Soviet states are not sincerely sovereign countries because they were created by Russia.

Today, some Ukrainians are sorry the country disarmed from it's nuclear capacity after the Soviet Union imploded. Ukraine wanted to be a neutral power that Russia would never find as a threat. There is some regret the nukes are gone. That is why Putin cowers from Ukraine. He knows the scientific genius that lives there and knows all to well the technology for nuclear weapons and nuclear energy. This regret comes at a time when Russia has lost a lot of it's brain trust in the nuclear sciences because of repeated accidents and the deaths of scientists. Putin is afraid of Ukraine. The decrees Putin issues certainly doesn't appear to make a real assurtion of what he covets.

The nuclear scientists of Ukraine will not be safe. If Putin overtakes Ukraine he will press them into service to Russia. If they don't want to go to Russia, they should seek asylum with their families somewhere in The West.

October 28, 2017

Ukraine's military industrial complex (click here) resulted in an unsubstantiated claim that a leak occurred that benefitted North Korea's missile program. There are many unsubstantiated claims between communists and The West. Ukraine's capacity is no joke.

The Emporer of Russia has made two decrees without any input from Ukraine or a Minske agreement that is binding.

It is difficult to know what these documents state.

This is a violation of international law. Russia has literally put the imperial ruler back in power.

The Russian Revolution occurred in 1917 aftr WW I and the Russian Civil War  began in 1917 and ended in 1923.

During these conflicts there is estimated death of between 7 million and 12 million people. The Russian Civil War that occured after the Russian Revolution was interesting. It provided for a variety of governance to face off and determine who would lead this vast country. The square miles of what was the Soviet Union is daughting. In all honesty, a country that size is difficult to defend. Even Russia, the largest of the former Soviet States is enormous and difficult to defend. So when Vladimir Putin states he wants greater and greater national security for Russia, it is impossible to supply that except if he conquered the world.

I am absolutley sure Lenin in rolling over in his grave. Does he have a grave yet? Or is he still on display?

But, not to be glib. This is Vladimir Putin being in office forever and deciding unilaterally to take land away from a sovereign country. This is the second time he has done this, the other being Georgia. 

Russia, once again, has come full circle and has a czar by the name of Putin. 

Just put that into context. One man in Russia at the head of the government and military has ripped the map of Ukraine into pieces all because as he states, Ukraine is not a country, Russia made it. Amazing, the arrogance and elitism that goes along with the leadership in Russia these days. And are the people rejoying?

February 22, 2022

Rostov-on-don, Russiaa -  A court in Russia's southwestern city of Rostov-on-Don (click here) has handed prison terms to three individuals from the North Caucasus region of North Ossetia who took part in a massive rally in April 2020 against anti-coronavirus restrictions.

The Kirov district court said on February 22 that it found three men, whose identities were not disclosed, guilty of taking part in mass disorders and sentenced them to four years in prison each.

More sentences are expected to be announced against other people involved in the protests against measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus in North Ossetia.

On April 20, 2020, police in North Ossetia detained dozens of protesters when about 2,000 people gathered in the central square of the regional capital, Vladikavkaz, demanding the resignation of regional leader Vyacheslav Bitarov.

The rally was violently dispersed by police.

The protest was initiated online via social networks by North Ossetian opera singer Vadim Cheldiyev, who permanently resides in St. Petersburg....

When do the threats end? When will peace find permanent footing? When will human rights abuses end?

This story appeared on Instagram from NatGeo (click here). I will try to find the reference so the entire story can be read.

It is such a magnificent reflection of a man that survived World War II as a soldier and found peace living in the USA.

This is the year 2022. World War II ended in 1945. The peace it was supposed to bring somehow got lost in power struggles where people suffer and lose their lives.

How many more generations of human beings will have to endure the pain and suffering of others divided in a world where human life is not upheld as the pinnacle of each and every government on Earth? When will the power clashes stop and the world finally find an enduring peace where problems are confronted and competency in leadership is secure election after election?

I was born to a Korean War Veteran. Four years of his life was spent on the Korean peninsula. He expected all his life to have the end of that conflict result in peace on the Korean peninsula. When Americans go to war it is supposed to have a purpose to bring about the end of war, not continue it indefinitely.

The USA is not the great evil although as a scientist involved in climate, I expect far more of my government than it delivers all because one political party is somehow umbilicaled to the petroleum industry. Not even the car industry which is moving on to produce electric cars, but a petroleum industry that never receives a wake up call to the damage it does to my planet. Yes, my planet. I am going to start listing Earth on my return address on every envelope I send. Below the city and state and zip code I am going to put USA, Earth. It is where I live.

But, war always seems so easy to get into and peace so difficult to permanently commit to and turn to economic stability and growth. The war economy is a human rights abuse, especially when it has no end.

Russia is wrong in all it is doing. Russia's Putin wants the propaganda to win the day and maintain his ideology as the only ruling understanding of the people. There are many populations of people in Russia that do not adher to the propaganda and fight for the freedom of fair elections to bring about competent leadership that no longer embraces Russia's nuclear capacity and seeks peace with all countries.

Eugene Polinsky is an example of the direction any war should seek to take. An end to violence and a turn to economic growth and prosperity. He is a hero. He lived a magnificent life after surviving one of the most deadly wars in Earth history. It is time for the memory of Eugene Polinsky to be honored along with all the men and women that died during WWII to bring a lasting peace to Earth and an end to war and killing. They expect that. That is not an unreasonable expectation. Soldiers expect that their sacrifice means something. Their loyalty to the fight is based in a clear understanding there is something worth fighting for to bring peace.

Ukraine deserves peace as a country seeking to be neutral in all it's dealings to promote a strong economy for the well being of it's people. It is time to end this hideous idea of war.

Mr. Polinsky was celebrated at Rutgers' University in New Jersey, USA, Earth (click here).

Peacekeeping missions are deployed by the United Nations, not Russia unilaterally.

To the best of my knowledge peacekeepers don't have conflict of interests either. Vladimir Putin is going to be a problem in the region for a very long time considering Russia is as corrupt in it's politics and elections as it is.

This might be an opportunity for NATO to have deployments to the Ukraine border as peacekeepers as well. NATO needs to decide about the intensity of the threat to Ukraine. I don't see Ukraine remaining independent, so much as a member state of NATO. The deterrent this time was not there. NATO is a deterrent to Russian aggression in the region and Ukraine cannot afford to be without it.

February 21, 2022
By Andrew Osbor and Dmitry Antonov

Moscow - Russian President Vladimir Putin (click here) recognised two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as independent on Monday and ordered the Russian army to launch what Moscow called a peacekeeping operation into the area, upping the ante in a crisis the West fears could unleash a major war.

Putin told Russia's defence ministry to deploy troops into the two regions to "keep the peace" in a decree issued shortly after he announced recognition for Russia-backed separatists there, drawing U.S. and European condemnation and vows of new sanctions....

Do different than the issues with China and Taiwan

China is complaining that Taiwan buys munitions from the US. War machines from the USA. Now, China is imposing it's demands on Olympians representing Taiwan. It isn't exactly the same circumstanes, but, because this relationship exists between the USA and Taiwan, Russia believes it can cause issues in Ukraine and Georgia. 

The people of the USA are sincerely concerned for Taiwan because when we leave countries they collapse into chaos and human rights violations as in the Phillipines. We are scared for Taiwan for very real reasons. One of the reasons we are concerned for Taiwan is because we witnessed the terror in Hong Kong. China broke it's agreement when it entered Hong Kong and caused enormous problems for the people there. These actions by communist countries are a problem.

20 February 2022
By Sam Goodwin

The Premier of Taiwan (click here) has called for an investigation into the circumstance surrounding a Taiwanese speedskater wearing what appeared to be a Chinese uniform at the Winter Olympics.

Huang Yu-ting, one of four Taiwanese athletes at the Winter Games in Beijing, posted a video on her social media page on January 23 showing her training.

However she appeared to be wearing a Chinese team suit in the video, copping a raft of backlash from Taiwanese fans on social media.

Huang has since apologised and removed the video, saying she received "too many unnecessary comments as well as messages sent to her privately.”

“Sport is sport. There is no nationality in the world of sports," she wrote.

"Every athlete is a friend when we are not competing against each other....

Chronic war and human rights abuse.

The difference between Georgia and Ukraine is that Putin has imposed a chronic war on Ukraine. That is not the case in Georgia. Ukraine is going to have a chronic threat from Russia within it's borders, in Crimea and Eastern Ukraine.

The issue in Eastern Ukraine is that the rebels are supplied munitions by Russia. The civil war could easily end there if Russia would stop causing war by imposing it's military industrial complex on the rebels. The reason the rebels continue their fight is because they would become war criminals with Ukraine when the fighting finally ends.

I think there is a place in this for the United Nations to seek to help the people of these regions that are marginally held by Russia through oppression and lies. There are plenty of examples of agreements that end wars and bring about prosperity. The diplomacy must continue and end the conflict and division imposed by Russia. All people are important and the land they live on is just as important. These countries should not be burdened by decades long war. Solutions have to be found to end the hatred.

There is no MInske Agreement Putin is willing to subscribe to. He has done this before in Georgia.

Russia (click here) recognized South Ossetia and Georgia's other breakaway region, Abkhazia, as independent states after Russia and Georgia fought a brief war in August 2008.

Georgia considers Abkhazia and South Ossetia are disputed territories and occupied by Russia. The only countries that recognize Abkazia and South Ossettia as independent from Georgia are Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru and Syria.

As to whether the two countries are okay. It all depends who one talks to. This takes place because of strong ethnic divisions in these countries.

February 21, 2022

By Yuliya Talmazan, Alexander Smith and Allan Smith

Russian President Vladimir Putin  (click here) on Monday formally recognized the independence of two Moscow-backed breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine where Russia has been supporting armed separatists in an eight-year conflict.

The move by Putin was seen by the United States and its European allies as a dramatic provocation and possibly part of a pretext to invade Ukraine. The U.S. and European Union both swiftly announced sanctions.

Many experts believe that Moscow's formal recognition will effectively scuttle a previous ceasefire agreement that some Western allies hoped could provide a route out of the crisis.

In a wide-ranging televised speech Monday evening, Putin described Ukraine as a historical part of Russia that was illegitimately taken from Moscow and is now run by a “puppet regime” controlled by the U.S. and the West.

"Ukraine is not just a neighboring country, they are a part of our culture," he said....

It is another Taliban Style takeover. Those that can leave now, should leave and seek asylum in The West.

Russian state TV claims the Queen, Prince Charles, and Prince Andrew (click here) are pushing for war in Ukraine to distract from scandals at home.

Does no one in Russia know it's government aggressive stance at the Ukraine borders? Ukraine is surrounded. How ignorant are Russians to their governments corruption? This is the information network in Russia. Amazing. Is it run by Murdoch?

I don't know why The West and namely NATO is not coming to the defense of Ukriane. When Putin invades Ukraine he won't stop there. We already know that is the fact. We know Russia makes long term plans and this is one of them. He wants to reconstitute the Soviet Union and this is the first step. He has been planning this for a long time. There was never any doubt that once Crimea went to Russia there would be consequences for the entire country of Ukraine. I think NATO needs to realize they need a strong border with Russia that ends these ambitions that are nothing more than ideology.

I think NATO needs to take a hard line with Russia and end the aggression that is laced with human rights violation. Enough is enough. This is not a matter of ending a runaway Donbass regime, this is about invading the entire country and destroying it's democracy. Corruption will return quickly. I think The West needs to decide about the invasion and what it cares to do about it. Ukraine can't stop Russia. 

Ukraine is a neutral country. Putin has no respect for that.

February 21, 2022
Andrea Mitchell and Dennis Romero

The U.S. (click here) has warned the United Nations that it believes Russia has plans to kill large numbers of critics, dissidents and "vulnerable populations" in Ukraine or send them to camps after an expected invasion.

The Kremlin denied the report on Monday, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov calling it an “absolute fiction.”

Ambassador Bathsheba Nell Crocker, the U.S. representative to the Office of the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, recently made the assertions in a letter to the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, the contents of which were first reported Sunday evening by The Washington Post.

NBC News obtained the letter, which says, "We have credible information that indicates Russian forces are creating lists of identified Ukrainians to be killed or sent to camps following a military occupation."...

I hope everyone is enjoying the three day weekend.

Americans need to temper their spending since inflation due to Wall Street greed is rampant. There are plenty of jobs so the spending isn't really benefiting the worker so much as the already wealthy.

"The Sale" has become a permanent verbiage of the American culture now. "Black Friday" now lasts all the way to Christmas and then the after Christmas sales run until Black Friday next year.

Some stores are downsizing and closing shops. What were long trusted shops, such as Sears, is gone now. "The Sale" has become a form of shame, really. Do we need sales to incentivize prudent purchases? The old culture was the wise purchase was important and not the cheap purchase. 

President Day Weekend has become a shopping holiday rather than an extra day of time at home with family and friends. It isn't like a picnic will be at the top of the agenda in February, but, that is better in some ways. People actually have to spend time conversing and living in the same space for three entire days. Families can close gaps and parents can have a reality check with the kids to know where they are headed socially. 

I would like to think this weekend means more to Americans than shopping. I think shopping is a bad vice that Americans may need a 12 step program to end.

Happy President's Day. I liked it better when it was Lincoln and Washington's Birthday.

It is on record now California is Pro-Life.

The State of California is second to Texas in the number of deaths that occur due to gun violence. It is followed by Florida, Georgia and Ohio (click here). Every one of those deaths are felt by the people and they want it to stop. California has one of the lowest gun death rates per 100,000 people, but, it is one of the largest states in area and the largest state in population with 39,613,493 in 2022.

The legislation passed in California empowers each and every citizen to report gun crimes and concerns about high powered guns that are known to kill multiples of people in seconds.

February 18, 2022
By John Woolfolk

California lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom (click here) announced legislation Friday modeled on Texas’ restrictive new abortion law that would subject firearm manufacturers and distributors to lawsuits over weapons banned by the state.

Senate Bill 1327 by Sen. Robert Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, would let citizens sue anyone “who manufactures, distributes, transports, imports into the state or sells assault weapons, .50 BMG rifles, ghost guns, or ghost gun kits.”

A plaintiff could obtain an order to stop the spread of those weapons and recover damages of at least $10,000 for each weapon involved, as well as attorney’s fees.

It was part of a package of bills that also includes AB 1594 by assembly members Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, Mike Gipson, D-Carson, and Chris Ward, D-San Diego, which would let individuals and the California Attorney General sue manufacturers and sellers of firearms for the harm caused by their product....

The escalation in the civl war in Ukraine is now heading into a national emergency.

This could be the first salvoes of the Ukraine-Russian war. It appears President Biden is correct.

19 Februray 2022

With tension escalating (click here) between Ukraine and Russia, full military mobilization was ordered on Saturday by separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine. Also soldiers have been put on standby in Kremlin-backed eastern territories Donetsk and Luhansk. As Ukraine's President Volodymr Zelenskiy asserted that the country is looking at ‘peace’, the US vice president Kamala Harris said, The world “is at a decisive moment in history." Meanwhile, several European nations have asked citizens to leave Ukraine. Check the latest development here....

Putin's Pro-Russian forces are in violation of the ceasefire. As soon as Ukraine takes action they will off to the races and it will activate Putin's Russian forces. What should be happening is Russia moving to end the shelling. The shelling is offensive and coming from Pro-Russian separatists with munitions provided by Russia. Russia needs to step in and stop the shelling.

1:40 PM
By Grayson Quay

Ukraine's military said artillery shells fired by Russian-backed separatists (click here) killed two Ukrainian soldiers and wounded four others in eastern Ukraine on Saturday, Reuters reported.

According to Reuters, the "Ukrainian military said on its Facebook page" at around 5:00 p.m. local time that "it had recorded 70 ceasefire violations by separatists since the start of the day compared with 66 cases over the previous 24 hours." Since 2014, around 14,000 people have been killed in fighting between the separatists and Ukrainian government forces.

Fox News foreign correspondent Trey Yingst, who pulled back from the front in eastern Ukraine on Saturday afternoon after the unit with which he was embedded came under separatist artillery fire, said the Ukrainian forces he was with did not return fire. He also said other Ukrainian troops he had spoken with earlier in the week said they returned fire in response to other attacks, but only "within the confines of the [Minsk] Agreement," which banned heavy weapons from the front....

Ukraine is surrounded on three borders by the Russia military. Russia is ready to pounce at first hint of a REASON. Any reason will be good enough. Every one of those forces other than border patrols at roadway check points should be removed from a threat to Ukraine. 

Russia needs to stop fueling the fire with the separatists and end the muntiuon GIFTS to them.

The FACT is that Russia's willingness to provide munitions to rebels is a huge problem for the entire world (click here). The Rebels backed by Russia are anarchists. They have no rules. They have no treaty they follow. They are a wild card that Russia cannot control.

I ran head long into the outcome of a politically conservative father on Wednesday.

I was on an elementary school playground when one of the fourth graders came to me and stated her classmate was crying and won't tell her why.

Whenever I teach and a child regardless of grade or college year secludes themselves from social interaction an alert goes up in my mind that this is bullying. 

So, I approached a fourth grade girl sitting on a swing with her head in her lap and when I stood in front of her she looked up and huge crockadile tears where running down her cheeks in 40 degree weather with melting snow all around. I looked into her eyes and asked her, "What happened," giving her the opportunity to tell me what occurred on the playground that caused her all these tears and hurt. She looked at me and stated, "My father died." 

Oh, no. I reached down to her and pulled her to standing and wrapped my arms around her as strong as I could muster. I rocked her gently back and forth saying, "Oh, sweetie, I am so sorry." We stood there for what seems like an hour but actually was about five minutes as I cried for her. I wiped her tears away and told her these things happen and she will miss her father for a time to come, but, the hurt will start to be tolerable. 

She stated her mom was crying a lot at home. So, I walked her to a bench and state down with her and told her to speak about her mom so she could incorporate all her pain into a single event that both shared and she could even find ways to help her mother at home. She stated her father became very ill at home and couldn't breath and went to the hospital with Mom. She said Mom was scared and she didn't come back home right away and she had to stay with the neighbors.

I listended as this lovely young girl told me about a father she loved and a mother in profound grief. I stated that life can be unfair for what seems like no reason at all. I told her she and her mother would miss her father for some time. I told her there is no way to know when Mom would seem more normal and didn't cry and was able to go about life as usual. There could be changes in her life that she could not stop or control. I told her she needed her education and she had to come to school everyday and be sure her mother knew she was awake in the morning and getting ready to for school. She was to tell her mother she was leaving for the bus. I told her she could ask the school for breakfast and lunches.

This young girl was robbed of her father by COVID-19 or one of it's variants. Gratefully, her mother was okay and she was not an orphan. But, her father died of the virus. This area of the country has a strong conservative presence that is either Libertairan, but, most frequently Republcan. I am confident her father died due to political ideology.

So, there you have it. When politicians rattle on and on as they currently are doing in North Carolina among the Republicans in demonizing decency and the expertise of the medical researchers and scientists and the vaccines they discovered constitutents or soon to be constituants suffer. When they say COVID-19 is a fraud and dreamed up by those on the left. When all that demonizing of THE BEST OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA goes on people die. So, ranting and raving all these anti-social diabribes at voters is not being a patriot or esposing liberty, it is killing people, injuring their survivors deeply to the point where they will never be the same. That widow probably won't vote for years because she was disillussioned by her own government. Are we so proud to have vicious politics taking place that literally kill people and leave enormous grief in the wave of a death?

I never hear Republicans take down Pfizer or Moderna or J&J. They never denounce CEOs for manufacturing the vaccines. I never hear them complain about profiteering of Wall Street causing inflation. What I do hear is how they CHOOSE to victimize voters to allow such paradigms of grief and suffering. They complain about spending money to get Americans through this time in history and they chronically complain about Democratic spending and focus. But, I never hear them state how great the researchers for cures are or how they are fortunate to have them in this country that cares for it's citizens. 

Every Republican that ever spoke an ill word about vaccines demonized the ONE method that it proven to save lives. Every one of them is responsible for the death of fathers, mothers, siblings and grandparents as well as sons and daughters. They are responsible for a fourth grade child's tears and grief and a wife's widowhood after only three days of witnessing the death of her husband. The virus took him in three days. Every person that ever spoke ill of vaccines should be charged with at the very least a public nuisance crime. 

No Knock Warrrants

End “No Knock” warrants. If the Fourth Amendment is to be respected for the power within the USA Constitution that protects those arrested for wrong doing, then a warrant MUST allow a citizen the opportunity to defend themselves. A No Knock Warrant is unconstitutional. The federal government needs to defend the innocent and their right to a trial without the threat of assassination with a No Knock Warrant.

Federal legislation is appropriate in this measure. Protect the rights of innocent people to live a life without fear of assassination.