It would seem as though the antivaxers and anti-maskers are not the majority.

The population of Houston, Texas is 2.3 million people. There have been 949,000 deaths of Americans due to the spread of COVID-19 and it's variants. That is approaching the size of half the population of Houston, Texas. The graph below shows a virus still very active and viable and still killing Americans.

At the beginning of the global pandemic the USA was underprepared for the virus. N-95 masks were in shortage and the medical community was reusing them and finding alternatives that would protect them. As a result of emergency equipment being manufactured abroad, including N95 masks, we lost more than 7000 health care workers (click here) and that was as of September.

I have been able to do home testing for the virus with a negative result and I always wear an N95 mask whenever I am in a place with more than me in the room or store. It can be a burden when trying on clothes, but, it is okay. I can have it on even in dressing rooms.

I am also vaccinated with two primary japs and two booster jabs. That is how a country ends the spread of the virus and every American should be seeking to achieve that goal.

March 1, 2022
By Amy Goldstein and Emily Guskin

Most Americans (click here) say some restrictions on normal activities should remain in place to try to control the coronavirus, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll, which finds that public wariness of the pandemic lingers even as federal health officials and a growing roster of governors have softened mask advice.

The nationwide survey also shows that, two years into a health crisis that has claimed nearly 950,000 lives in the United States, bipartisan majorities think the virus is only “somewhat under control” or “not at all” controlled. Even so, most say they have fully or mostly returned to their normal, pre-coronavirus activities....

The Russian soldiers are not committed to war.

The Russian soldiers in Ukraine were unaware of the war they are currently facing. Putin gave them no speech for inspiration. The Russian soldiers were thrown into a battle to save their own lives.

President Zelenskyy should speak to them and offer leadership to end the attacks by Russia.

Not only do the soldiers not want to kill Ukrainans, their own president is and was unsure of their loyalty to him.

28 February 2022

"Momma, I am in Ukraine. There is a war here." (click here)

Ukraine's ambassador to the United Nations on Monday read out what he said were the final text messages from a Russian soldier to his mother - describing his horror at the unfolding war before he was killed.

It came during an emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly to discuss the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine's representative, Sergiy Kyslytsya, made an impassioned plea for help, holding up a screenshot of the soldier's texts....

Putin must lock down his nulear weapons and return Chernobyl to the IAEA. The invasion into Ukraine isn't recognized by the Russian people.

All access and venues need to be closed to Russian athletes and venues.

March 1, 2022

Lauanne, Switzerland -- Russian athletes have been excluded (click here) from yet another sport that is extremely popular at home following the country's invasion of Ukraine.

Russia was banned from competing in international ice skating events on Tuesday, a day after being kicked out of soccer competitions and hockey -- President Vladimir Putin's favorite sport. The decisions follow the International Olympic Committee's request to keep Russian athletes out of sporting events around the world.

The International Skating Union, the body that runs the sport around the world, said no athletes from Russia or Belarus "shall be invited or allowed to participate'' in events until further notice.

"The ISU Council reiterates its solidarity with all those affected by the conflict in Ukraine and our thoughts are with the entire Ukrainian people and country,'' the ISU said in a statement.

Belarus has been a key ally of Russia in its attack on Ukraine.

The world figure skating championships are scheduled for later this month in Montpellier, France. The ISU decision means Olympic champion Anna Shcherbakova and 15-year-old teammate Kamila Valieva, who was the focus of a still-unresolved doping dispute at last month's Winter Olympics, will be excluded from the competition.

Also Tuesday, the International Volleyball Federation said it had stripped Russia of hosting the men's world championships in August and September and would seek another host country or countries.

"It would be impossible to prepare and stage the World Championships in Russia due to the war in Ukraine,'' the FIVB board said....

February 28, 2022

New York - Top-seeded Elina Svitolina, a 27-year-old professional tennis player (click here) from Ukraine, says she will withdraw from the Monterrey Open rather than face a Russian opponent at the Mexican tournament unless tennis’s governing bodies follow the International Olympic Committee’s lead and insist that players from Russia and Belarus are only identified as “neutral athletes.”

Svitolina wrote Monday on Twitter that she did not want to play her opening-round contest against Anastasia Potapova “nor any other match against Russian or Belarussian tennis players until” the WTA women’s tour, ATP men’s tour and International Tennis Federation “follow the recommendations of the IOC” and bar those countries’ competitors from using any national symbols, colors, flags or anthems.

The Russian military assault on Ukraine was into its fifth day....

Russians are beginning to learn of the invasion and getting their legs under them.

St. Petersburg is near Europe. There is a strong cultural influence by Europe as there is frequent movement across boundaries for tourism and family visits.

The Russian people have chosen flowers at official buildings as a protest against Russian aggression.

 

Brilliant. The Russian people have to be provided the truth about their leadership.

Cancellation of cultural issues is a strong signal to the people that things have changed for the worse in their country.

Every roadblock to Putin needs to be put in place.

Support the artists that support freedom and democracy.

February 28, 2022

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched (click here) a full-scale attack on Ukraine in the early morning hours of Feb. 24 that has left hundreds dead and many injured, and in response, music artists are protesting the violence by canceling their upcoming concerts in the country.

After months of military buildup along the Ukrainian border, Putin announced that he was deploying a “special military operation” into Ukraine that has since turned into an unprovoked attack on the country. Putin is demanding that Ukraine demilitarizes, and is aiming to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO, a defensive alliance of 30 countries including the United States.

See below for our ongoing list of artists who have canceled scheduled concerts in Russia.

Green Day

Green Day had been scheduled to perform on May 29 at Moscow’s Spartak Stadium, which has a capacity of more than 45,000.

“With heavy hearts, in light of current events we feel it is necessary to cancel our upcoming show in Moscow at Spartak Stadium,” the band explained via an Instagram Story. “We are aware that this moment is not about stadium rock shows, it’s much bigger than that. But we also know that rock and roll is forever and we feel confident there will be a time and a place for us to return in the future. Refunds available at the point of purchase. Stay safe.”

Louis Tomlinson

Tomlinson was scheduled to perform in Kyiv’s Stereo Plaza in Ukraine on July 4 before traveling to Moscow, Russia, to perform at Circus City Hall on July 6 as part of his 2022 World Tour, in support of his 2020 debut album Walls.

“Due to the recent events in Ukraine, I have to sadly announce that my tour shows in Moscow and Kyiv are cancelled until further notice,” he wrote in a short note to his fans on Twitter. “The safety of my fans is my priority and my thoughts go out to the people of Ukraine and all those suffering from this needless war.”...

Ukraine is beginning to look like Syria at the height of the Russian invasion of tanks.

Picture from the Wall Street Journal (click here). Those buildings are not safe to occupy. President Zelenskyy needs to remember he and his advisors have a diaspora to lead.

There is a huge difference between the Russian invasion in Syria than Ukraine. Syria was an ally before the invasion, this is a hostile invasion into Ukraine.

The West needs to maintain their sanctions even if Ukraine falls to Russian influence. To allow the sanctions to be removed only gives permission for more of this without end. Putin will put his own administration in the so called leadership of Ukraine. There will be no election. The election in Crimea was fraudulent.

This permission for Russia ends now and ends today. The world does not need Russian oil and gas. Quite frankly, Earth needs far less.

Americans need to buy electric cars and trucks. This is the result of Russian wealth. Americans cannot provide wealth to Russia to allow more of the same. Many of the vehicles noted in Ukraine are new and purchased with oil and gas sales.

Soldiers of Fortune need to find their resolve to assist Ukraine.

The "Trump-Russia Speak" in the USA states there would be no war if he was president. The invasion started in 2014 before Trump decided to run. Honestly. Communists.

The West is always treated as though it has no conscience.

President Biden has more of a conscience in his little finger than ever demonstrated by Vladimir Putin. This has gotten to be ridiculous. 

This is what paranoia looks like.

The USA cannot even begin to remove it's nuclear tirad or reduce it's inventories because of Russia and it's willingness to use them.

 Global Nuclear Inventories 2022 (click here) 

Russia must immediately lock down it's nukes and end the occupation of Chernobyl.

Chernobyl must be returned to the custody of the IAEA. Immediately.

February 28, 2022

Russia (click here) also calls for 'the demilitarization and denazification of the Ukrainian state'

Russia's President Vladimir Putin told his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Monday that the demilitarization of Ukraine and Western recognition of Russian sovereignty over the Crimean peninsula were prerequisites to ending fighting in Ukraine, the Kremlin said.

"Vladimir Putin stressed that a settlement is possible only if Russia's legitimate security interests are unconditionally taken into account,” a Kremlin readout of the call said.

These interests include “the recognition of Russian sovereignty over Crimea,” in addition to “the demilitarization and denazification of the Ukrainian state and ensuring its neutral status," the Kremlin continued....

Putin is acting as though he has a legitmate grievance with the world in general. It is ridiculous. He is emboldened and that is a clear indication his estimation of the circumstances is completely wrong.

February 28, 2022
By Jay Cannon,Celina Tebor, David Jackson, Caren Bohan, Katie Wadington, Matthew Brown, and Rick Rouan

Countries tightened the vise around Russia's economy on Monday, (click here) announcing new sanctions on its central bank and individuals, with even Switzerland breaking its neutral stance to join the EU in its actions.

The moves came as Ukrainian and Russian delegations met at the Belarusian border for their first direct talks since Russia's invasion began on Thursday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office said it would demand an immediate cease-fire.

In response to Russia's invasion, the U.N. was meeting in two separate forums: The General Assembly gathered for only its 11th emergency meeting, and the 15-member Security Council came together again to discuss the crisis in Ukraine.

Also Monday, the U.S. announced it was expelling 12 Russian diplomats stationed at U. headquarters in New York. for engaging in “espionage activities” that undermine U.S. national security....

The people in Crimea are Ukraineans, not Russians. If Vladimir Putin is paranoid about Russia's national security, it is his problem, not the world's!

Febraury 12, 2022

Chonhar Crossing, Ukraine — Oleg dragged his suitcase (click here) down a long cement road, crossing from a territory Russia invaded eight years ago to a territory Russia may be preparing to invade, to go visit his mother-in-law.

He had set off from his home in Crimea, passing a Russian military convoy along the way. Nearing the boundary, he walked past an abandoned hotel from the days before the hostilities, when Crimea's Black Sea resorts were a top vacation destination. Then he showed his papers to the armed Ukrainian guard on the other side, and waited for a lift next to little stray dogs and a row of dried fish dangling from the open trunk of a merchant's car....

This is the result of propaganda. The people do not accept the fact that Russia has borders and expansionism is an international violation. That is Soviet Speak and not that of an independent Russia.

February 23, 2022

As the world waits (click here) to see if Russia will invade Ukraine, an exclusive new poll of both countries for CNN finds that twice as many Russians believe it would be right for Moscow to use military force to prevent Kyiv from joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as say it would be wrong.

One out of every two Russians (50%) says it would be right, while only a quarter (25%) say it would be wrong. The other quarter (25%) are unsure, according to the survey.

But the poll also found that more Russians think it would be wrong than right to use military force “to reunite Russia and Ukraine” – two countries with a long and complicated history of being intertwined....

Why does NATO exist? Putin needs to answer that question. We, in The West, know why NATO exists and Putin is clearly demonstrating with Ukraine why NATO exists. Putin has no right to reach outside Russia's borders to define where Russia's national security interest begins and ends. NO RIGHT! Putin is why out of line and it needs to end.

The communists have these ideas that are part of their political dialogue all the time that The West is interested in destroying them. WRONG! Just because Putin is paranoid about Russia's national security he needs to PROVE concretely that his ideology is actually backed by facts. It is not!

Russia invaded Ukraine. Ukraine did not invade Russia. Russia invaded and is occupying the Chernobyl nuclear power plant without any agreement with any other international authority regarding the state of the facility or the right to occupy the land. Putin's plans have caused a spike in radiation and now Ukraine is starting to look like Russia, poisoned and exporting poison to it's neighbors.

Putin is reckless and dangerous.

I would think he would welcome peace talks in Geneva, it would allow him to breath fresh air and know what it actually feels like.

There is too much going on today.

I have the information lined up to put on the blog about the organized crime that is making a mess of our Seniors and their future, but, there is just too much today that occurred. The world needs to get caught up on events that have the ability to change the world in 30 minutes. 

This is just crazy. A straight jacket comes to mind.

The EU shutdown their air space to Russian planes of any kind. I think all of NATO needs to do the same thing. Putin likes Russians at home, so they should go there.

I think a boycott on Russian vodka is in order, too.

The sanctions on the SWIFT financial network makes sense (click here). The SWIFT network is how wire transfers occur. It is conducted through major banks, like the Bank of Mellon in New York. There are SWIFT network banks all around the world. During war time it only makes sense to end the ability of the enemy to transfer money around Earth.

An alternative to SWIFT, albeit more expensive, is crytocurrency. It would be wise if the crytocurrency system was limited to free countries. Putin is known to favor crytocurrency. Right now the crypto networks charge as much as 15 percent or more per transaction. Civilized countries will want to limit the overseas ability of their domestic networks, including ATMs. The draw back to that is that it may be a vehicle for fleeing families and a bit of a lifeline, but, there needs to be some degree of inhibition to that network as it is favored by Russia instead of it's own currency. 

Currently, Russian oligarches are told they may not abandon the Russian Central Bank. It is easy to have it operate within Russia so long as it's Russian Ruble (currently valued in exchange for USA dollar at $0.012) is used among the people. If foreign currency is perferred that may be a problem. That is why it is important crytocurrency is brought under sanctions as well.

Russian imports will become very expensive within Russia, so limiting imports might be a good idea. There needs to be an understanding, also, of the role China might be playing to bolster Russia's economy, including imports, expecially of raw materials with a military purpose. Wall Street will want to move away from companies doing business exclusively with Russia and/or China. Western citizens in Russia or China may want to plot a path home. There are lots of jobs here.

Good night for now.

If President Zelenskyy is going to participate directly in peace talks with Russia perhaps Geneva.

15 June 2021
by Nicolas Camut and Benjamin Vuillemot

The city of Geneva (click here) has been the scene of numerous negotiations and agreements since the end of the Second World War. Its humanitarian tradition, strategic location in a neutral country and political stability make it an obvious choice to host a variety of diplomatic meetings. Ahead of the Biden-Putin summit on Wednesday, we look back at a timeline of historic top-level meetings held in Geneva....

US Senator Mitt Romney is a very moral and important man.

In an interview (click here) with former presidential candidate and now US Senator, Mitt Romney refers to Russia as a "...(emboldened) committed adversary." I think that is an excellent word to describe Putin's Russia.

US Senator Mitt Romney brings a strong moral view of the world to his party. They should appreciate him more.

Romney: Well, I think you’re seeing a fringe of our party that still admires Putin. But the larger group that was celebrating his audacity has, from what I can tell, changed their pleadings and are suddenly coming to the support of Ukraine. And perhaps that will continue. I imagine that this isolationism and this hero worship of an authoritarian like Putin is coming face to face with the new world of media, where everybody has a cellphone, and people are seeing real human beings suffer. And they recognize, this is not a war. It’s not a battle between two militaries. This is a brutal invasion of a free democratic people by an authoritarian thug, and there’s no justification for it. And its brutality and vile nature is able to be seen by people all over the world.

The interview with US Senator Romney also makes clear that someone in a seat of power as he is must be able to have very clear vision to understand the circumstances and the players for who they are. He is very clear minded about this invasion.

President Biden receives designer political ridicule for his style of speaking and speaking his mind. It is age discrimination and a very deep disrespect for his clear view of the world. I think it is time for the media to apologize to President Biden. Knowing that isn't going to happen, it is time they show him respect for his knowledge and resolve.

February 27, 2022
By Connor Perrett

Utah Sen. Mitt Romney (click here) on Sunday implied that members of his own party were "morons" after they attended a Florida event associated with white nationalists.

"Look, there's no place in either political party for this white nationalism or racism. It's simply wrong," the Republican lawmaker told CNN's Dana Bash during a Sunday appearance on "State of the Union."

GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Paul Gosar of Arizona attended the third-annual America First Political Action Conference in Orlando, which was held Friday and organized by the far-right figure Nick Fuentes....

No country will remain neutral if they face a growing threat from Putin.

Musk states his satellites are active in Ukraine.

February 27, 2022
By Caren Bohan, David Jackson, Kevin Johnson, Joey Garrison, Michael Collins, Jordan Culver and Tom Vandenbrook

As Russia's assault on Ukraine (click here) reached into its second largest city, and Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was putting nuclear forces on high alert, the EU announced unprecedented new actions against Moscow.

Putin's order to make his nuclear weapons more ready for launch – made Sunday in response to “aggressive statements” by leading NATO powers and economic sanctions by the West – represent an unnecessary and dangerous move, according to the Pentagon.

A senior Defense Deparment official said Russia is under no threat from the United States and its NATO allies. The Pentagon is confident it can protect the United States and its allies, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters.

Meanwhile, the European Union plans to close its airspace to Russian airlines, fund a weapons purchase to assist Ukraine and ban some pro-Kremlin media outlets in its latest response to Russia’s invasion, European Commission officials said Sunday. It marks the first time the block would finance military equipment for a country under attack....

The undeclared war with Russia started years ago.

You could say Germany has been buying peace with Russia for quite some time. France nearly ended it's nuclear weapons program. But, Russia's war against The West had begun with it's influence in elections and in the case of Trump it reaped plenty of rewards.

We may be at war with Russia, but, not necessarily the Russian people. The only Russians that endorse Putin's madness are those that profit from his ideology.

Americans should remember that. There are many, many Russians that may not know Putin invaded Ukraine. The families of the soldiers know they are deployed, but, may not know it is into war. Just another nuclear accident in Russia's north or a tragic accident in military games when the body bags arrive at their doorstep. But, many Russians when they learn of his barbarous antics will not approve and will demand he end them. 

So, The West has friends in Russia, they simply are not in power.

CPAC is where you find the American communists.

February 26, 2022

Trump is selling memberships.

From the moment the stage crew (click here) began to set up Donald Trump's lectern on the stage at the 2022 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), there was a change in the atmosphere.

Part of it was the lectern itself. Heavy enough to require handing by several workers and equipped with its own hardshell travel cover, the design of the stand Mr Trump has used during recent public appearances evokes – perhaps deliberately – the “Blue Goose” the famous lectern used by whoever the sitting president of the United States might be on any given day.

Whether use of the ersatz presidential speaking stand – devoid of the seal which now travels with the man who defeated Mr Trump in November 2020 – was Mr Trump’s deliberate choice meant to keep a presidential aura around him or a selection made by the security detail charged with keeping the ex-president alive because the lectern is (like its more famous doppelganger) bulletproof, Mr Trump’s representatives would not say in response to queries from The Independent (though one agent stationed in the CPAC press area said the agency “doesn't get involved in his lectern decisions, but we couldn’t tell you if we did anyway”)....

It looks like Turkey is still a NATO member.

Turkey's membership was a little questionable considering Erdogan's friendship with Putin and it's dependence on Russia for tourism. Erodgan should be on the phone to Putin to try to talk some sense to the guy.

Febraury 27, 2022

Istanbul - Turkey called Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a “war” on Sunday (click here) in a rhetorical shift that could pave the way for the NATO member nation to enact an international pact limiting Russian naval passage to the Black Sea.

Under the 1936 Montreux Convention, Turkey has control over the Dardanelles and Bosphorus straits that connect the Mediterranean and Black seas and can limit the passage of warships during wartime or if threatened.

Balancing its Western commitments and close ties to Moscow, Ankara has said the Russian attack is unacceptable but until Sunday had not described the situation as a war....

Germany has refused delivery on USA LNG.

The US Congress passed the law that would allow exportation of natural gas some time ago. Along with it was monies for LNG export piers in Alaska and one on the east coast of the USA. The primary reason this bill was passed was to allow any country in Europe dependent on Russian natural gas to receive shipments from the USA.

In all honesty, Germany was correct to refuse USA LNG. It is a bit of a hare-brained scheme, especially in wartime when ships would have to cross the Atlantic and they would be targets. There would have to be warships escorting them over the Atlantic.

But, it was an alternative proposed by primarily Republicans and passed by primarily Republicans. The point is there is an LNG shipping facility in the works somewhere on the USA east coast and I want to say Virginia. These facilities take some time to build because it is natural gas and things can explode and a port would have to be built over and over. So, I don't know how far along the port is or the infrastructure to supply it. 

Germany may change it's mind under a new Chancellor.

December 21, 2022
By Scott Disavino

The United States (click here) is set to become the world's biggest liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter in 2022, surpassing Qatar and Australia, and may hold that title for years to come.

In a year when China and other large economies in Europe and Asia scrambled to source enough supply for heating and power generation, the United States was sitting on a bevy of supply - one that will grow in coming years.

Global LNG demand has hit record highs each year since 2015, due mostly to surging demand in China and the rest of Asia. Much of that global appetite has been met by steadily rising U.S. LNG exports, which have reached new records every year since 2016 and is poised to continue in 2022....

Febuary 25, 2022

Adazi Military Base, Latvia, Feb 25 (Reuters) - The presence of U.S. and other NATO troops (click here) in Latvia sends a message to Vladimir Putin that Russia should stay away, Latvian Defence Minister Artis Pabriks said on Friday as he greeted a small deployment of U.S. soldiers.

The group of some forty U.S. service members arrived from Italy early on Thursday - before hostilities in Ukraine began. The deployment is expected to grow to more than 300 soldiers.

"We are a small country. We are ready to do whatever is needed to defend ourselves. We are not afraid to die for that. But we might be overwhelmed, so this is very much why we welcome you here," Pabriks told the troops in Adazi military base on Friday.

Russia invaded Ukraine by land sea and air on Thursday after massing more than 150,000 troops around the country's borders including in Latvia's neighbour Belarus....

Ukraine has always been a country to contend with, even as a SU (Soviet Union) State

You can dress as a ballerina, but, unless you can perform there are no applause.

February 27, 2022
Reporting by Pavel Polityuk, writing by Anna Pruchnicka, editing by Andrew Cawthorne

Russian forces (click here) have lost about 4,300 servicemen during their invasion of Ukraine, Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Malyar said on Sunday, adding however that the number was being clarified.

She also said on her Facebook page that Russian troops lost about 146 tanks, 27 aircraft and 26 helicopters....

About Chernoyl, there has been a radiation spike detected. Russia is now a profound danger to the world, but, I think they are making dirty bombs.

I hate to say this and escalate things but the process the Russian soldiers are in needs to stop at any cost. The sarcophagus is most likely open. That level of widespread contamination needs to a priority to all neighboring countries, including NATO. That uranium can also be exported by tanks and trucks. But, more than likely the Russians have a missile launcher of sorts. It is probably being conducted by a squad that committed themselves to a certain death. They will not stop by contamination lone if that is the case and there are enough to continue the process. They successfully have entered the sarcophagus. They knew they would be exposed. And we thought al Qaeda's suicide bombers were a nightmare.

Russia has to be stopped in Ukraine. There is really no alternative. Whatever they are doing at Chernobyl it isn't good. Now, Putin has his nuclear forces on high alert. He is a madman with ill placed values. This has to end now.

No Rules

The ultimate war erases all the rules of engagement, including treaties.

The West is civilized and relies on civilized instruments to maintain life and peace. Civilized instruments like treaties and trade agreements.

If your enemy is dead at the end of the war, there are no more rules, so why not fight to kill the enemy beyond any return to power?

If the enemy is still alive and viable at the end of the war and civilized instruments have survived to bring about justice, then what difference does it make? The civilized people will leverage justice and death will come anyway.

Putin will be ruthless without being hemmed in by civilization.

Civlized soldiers will think differently than their ruthless leader which creates the question, why did the Russians primarily strike residential areas and buildings? They are in violation of international law. Or. Are they warning everyone as to what was supposed to be coming?