The January 6th Committee is doing a great job.

1:00 pm 

The committee convenes.

Chairman Thompson focuses on the vote and the fact Donald Trump attempted to coup the USA peoples' choice for president simply because it wasn't him. 

1:05 pm 

Co-chairwoman Cheney speaks to the interview of Mr. Cipollone (click here). President Trump was manipulated by others and why he continues to carry on like a spoiled brat. Really? Trump wants people to believe he was manipulated? As president to the USA he was manipulated by at the very least by Vladimir Putin. So, there might be some truth that he was manipulated and the very reason why he should never sit in the Oval Office again.

l. Evidence team lead by Giuliani knew they had no legitimate challenge to the elections of 2020.

2. Millions of Americans have to accept the fact Donald Trump lied to them and the election of 2020 is legitimate.

1:10 pm Rep. Murphy speaking and introducing the facts that the "Big Lie" is exactly that.

She said there is evidence that Trump deceived the American people by seeking cooperation with corrupt officials in his administration. That cooperation rarely occurred in those final days of the Trump administration. Trump asked for courage from all people he believed to be involved and invested, including Vice President Pence. January 6th was a call to arms, literally, to carry out a coup knowing there was no evidence of the 2020 election pointing to his winning the presidency.

Rep. Murphy will show the evidence instead to the extreme measures carried out by Trump and his minions to carry out a coup.

1:14 pm Rep. Jamie Raskin

There was an unhinged meeting by Trump at the White House to carry out the coup. 

A 1:22 am tweet put forward the movement of his followers to bring about a coup. Alliances were formed before this time to carry out the coup in a physical movement of violence by groups of followers that were already organized as White Supremacists or election organizations.

Politicians whipping up crowd violence has a place in USA history, but, all failed when attempted. Those that would seek the violence will violate all those that accept democracy and the peaceful transfer of power. 

1:19 pm

306 to 232 Electorate College count  (click here)

McConnell accepted the Electoral College outcome.

Many told Trump to accept the defeat and concede. Eugene Scalia attempted to encourage Trump to accept the outcomes. Scalia allowed there were legal processes and once they were done, the current vote would stand. 

There was an interview of Mr. Cipollone for 8 hours. He stated that Joe Biden was President - Elect and Trump was advised to concede as the White House council. He states he did not act politically, but, as someone who could provide good advice to Trump.

Barr thought there would be a new administration. 

Cipollone stated Mark Meadows understood there was a defeat by Trump. Meadows stated that within the area where Mr. Cipollone heard him.

Former press secretary to the White House, Kayleigh McEnany stated she was planning for a new direction outside of the White House because Trump was defeated.

Ivanka Trump states she had a sentiment that she would be no longer involved with the Trump White House.

Another Trump team member stated any litigation was closed according to Deere.

Barr stated the social media of Dan Scavino was asked how long Trump was going to carry on about the Big Lie. Scavino and Jared stated they were working on ending the continued "Big Lie." 

Cassidy Hutchinson also thought the "Big Lie" would end.

Pat Cipollone states everyone, including Trump, was obligated to abide by the courts. He believed that was the president''s obligation. He was the administrator of the Rule of Law from the White House. Obviously, he failed to do that on multiple fronts.

1:31 pm Raskin

Voting machines were not delivering false reports. Barr stated that any indication there was a false reporting was wrong. December 1 stated by Barr the election results were accurate and Pat Cipollone agreed.

Barr stated that the DOJ would never seize any voting machines and that was the end of it as far as Barr was concerned.

There would be a meeting subsequently with Trump advisors to begin the plot to seize machines outside the power of the DOJ. Trump was to name Sidney Powell as a Special Council to seize the machines. Pat Cipollone was not impressed that Sidney Powell was to be appointed to a Special Council. Cipollone adhered to Barr's statement and basically rejected the Big Lie. "Put up or shut up." Sounds right. There are ways to contest elections but seizing election machines was not a proper method.

Cipollone stated there was no evidence he requested to see that supports a Special Council.

...A former member (click here) of President Donald Trump’s legal team told the Jan. 6 committee that former Army colonel Phil Waldron first came up with the idea of Trump issuing an executive order to seize voting machines, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Earlier this month, Bernie Kerik — who worked with Rudy Giuliani on Trump’s legal efforts to find evidence of voter fraud — told the select committee that Phil Waldron originated the scheme, which would almost certainly have been illegal. A person familiar with Kerik’s testimony, who was not authorized to discuss it publicly, described it in detail to POLITICO....

Rusty Bowers - Guiliani had the theories for election fraud. 

Cassidy Hutchinson stated she understood there was a goal to keep Trump in office through voter fraud, but, not enough to overturn the election.

Complete lack of evidence to overturn the 2020 election didn't stop Trump and his minions. 

Patrick Burn 

December 20, 2021
By Brian Schwartz

A former Trump administration aide (click here) and a leader with a pro-Trump Christian group are helping Patrick Byrne, the multimillionaire Overstock founder and ex-CEO, run a nonprofit that has pushed false election conspiracy claims, according to a filing reviewed by CNBC.

The group, called the America Project, is led in part by Emily Newman, who served as an advisor in then-President Donald Trump’s administration, according to the document. The disclosure report was filed this month in Delaware, according to Florida’s division of corporations website. The America Project has a mailing address in Sarasota, Fla.

Rob Weaver, who has a leadership role with the Jericho March, a pro-Trump Christian coalition, is listed on the form as the group’s chief financial officer....

There were a variety of characters of powers and people that was causing the voting machines to produce wrong reports as to the outcome of the vote. There was a great deal of tense moments in a meeting where the minions were attempting to come up with a viable method to prove the election fraudulent due to the foreign influence of Venezuela, China and Iran. Of course, Russia was never a partner in crime to Trump.

Trusted political advisers were actually co-plotters or as Giuliani stated, "You are all pussies." Those advisers were unable to satisfy Giuliani's ambitions for the fraud by Trump. Giuliani liked the cabinet room the best. 

Cassidy Hutchinson sent memos that described the meeting as unhinged and broke up after midnight. Mark Meadows escorted Giuliani off the White House grounds. Sidney Powell was provided security clearance and established by Trump as Special Council. Trump was told the appointment would be meaningless. Cipollone states he did not see Sidney Powell with any special status.

December meeting was the point where Sidney Powell believed she was appointed to carry out the capacity of Special Council and also seeking to be Special Council with validation by others in the White House besides Trump. She was mostly unsuccessful by the people in the White House.

Trump's purpose was to mobilize a crowd. Well, that is an understatement. He was trying to mobilize a crowd in every venue he attempted to influence to carry out a coup. The crowd were organized in many instances before the Trump re-election campaign and now attempted coup.

WILDPROTEST.COM

Alex Jones, the war mongering idiot. The extremist media were a part of the coup. They cooperated in raising alarm and organizing the violence at the Capitol. Salty Cracker. "...the time for action is now...where were you when history called..." 

"Red Wedding" is out of Game of Thrones (click here)

There was information on social media that provided guidance to the mobs in that twitter would be the most important communication tool to the coup.

"Stand back and stand by" became an important statement to consolidate those that would bring violence on January 6th at the Capitol.

It sounds like the people involved with the actual violence was manipulated with populous content and quotes by Trump that provided excitement to the violence. 

"Firing squad," oh, why not? Blood everywhere. 

This entire time Trump was raking in millions of dollars (click here).

Former U.S. President Donald Trump raised $250 million in donations in the weeks after the November 2020 presidential election for an organization ostensibly intended to fund court challenges in support of his false claims that the election was fraudulent. Instead, he directed that money to an unrelated political action committee, or PAC, according to congressional investigators....

Promising of the best of all outcomes, including a successful coup and plenty of blood in achieving it would bring in more money and more a feeling of success was at their hands. Power. Trump was the power that relegated the best of outcomes regardless of the violence.

2:07 pm 10 minute recess

It was all about money and those that were audience to their best hopes of defeating the government and killing those responsible for democracy was a good use of their money. The Trump supporters, regardless of their status, were a ship of fools to believe this would actually happen. The only reason the White House staff was confused about the path of the president, was because they didn't see the banking balance Trump was viewing. Not one of them asked to know if there was fund raising connected to the "Big Lie." They never saw that level of corruption permeating their positions via Trump. Nor did Trump offer that perspective. 

To their credit, the White House staff first felt the responsibility of their positions and to the country before their loyalty to Trump. Pat Cipollone singularly stood the line to end Trump's plans for violence. He even advised Ms. Hutchinson to stand on the right side of the law and the country. It was that deep understanding of their oaths that maintained that line they did not cross. Considering the disharmony Trump insisted on in the White House these are exceptional Americans. The country owes them an understanding of their dedication to the country and the Rule of Law. Bill Barr was also standing the line to end Trump's plans.

2:17 pm

Witnesses are seated in the committee room. They are protesters.

2:31 pm Committee returns to room after technical difficulties

2:32 pm Committee reconvened

Dr. Donell Harvin reports groups were aligning to meet in Washington, DC. The collaboration was nothing that would not have occurred without the understanding of a common cause.

Rep. Raskin describes the groups that attended the violence of January 6th. The information this committee is bringing to the American people is incredible.

The Ministry of Self-Defense including maps and plans to approach DC and how to move. Flynn connects to Oath Keepers. December 12th in picture with Oath Keepers as body guards to Flynn. Trump pardoned Flynn and Stone between the election and January 6th. "Friends of Stone." Friends of Roger Stone were marchers and Stewart Rhodes called for the coup in order to minimize the shedding of blood to achieve their goals. 

Enrica Tarrio was the one Bannon wanted to bail out of jail on January 5th so it would not effect the coup.

Encrypted chats by Oath Keepers and Roger Stone. Stone was taking steps to become a member of the organization. That was all in his capacity as a Trump associate. As far as I am concerned, Stone was enlisting cooperation and loyalty with the Oath Keepers by appearing to be one of them.

2:41 pm Rep. Murphy

There was no evidence that the president and others did nothing to cool the temperature of the groups and followers.

Roger Stone
Alex Jones
Ali Alexander

Trump "likes the crazies" that support Trump.

Ms. Pierson received a phone call from Meadows? Who the heck are all these people with unfettered contact with the White House? 

January 6th was to be announce to his supporters to a directive to meet at the Ellipse in DC at 10 AM. There is no doubt the violence was a method Trump intended to use. It was a secret to most and not a spontaneous movement.

Trump's very speech on the Ellipse is the evidence of the intent as stated and planned earlier. This was a method and not a social gathering.

Congressman Brooks 

Congressman Mo Brooks (R-AL), (click here) a candidate in the Republican primary for the 2022 Senate race, engaged in a systematic effort to cast doubt on the integrity of the 2020 U.S. presidential election and to make the case that its result should be overturned by state legislatures and Congress. Using incendiary language, he encouraged President Trump’s supporters — in remarks at the Rally immediately preceding the insurrection on January 6th — to march to the U.S. Capitol:

Today is the day American patriots start taking down names and kicking ass. Now our ancestors sacrificed their blood, their sweat, their tears, their fortunes, and sometimes their lives to give us, their descendants, an America that is the greatest nation in world history. So I have a question for you, are you willing to do the same? My answer is yes. Louder! Are you willing to do what it takes to fight for America?...

Eastman Theory - Not much of a theory. It is criminal in it's content.

Mr. Cipollone stated he did not believe the Vice President had the power to overturn the election. Cipollone has respect for the former Vice President. He believes Vice President Pence did a great service to the country. 

Right, Giuliani did have a team. A team of fraudulent nonsense stating the election was not true to the "real vote." The voting machines were the problem as were foreign entities.

Bannon states, "All hell will break loose tomorrow...." He was referring to the violence of January 6th. He endorsed and glamorized it. As did Roger Stone, Alex Jones and Ali Alexander.

January 6th the White House vibrated to the music playing at the Ellipse. His mood improved as the violence neared in a way that he did not express before for weeks.

The crowd were fired up or angry because the election was fraudulent. Stone, "Epic struggle between dark and light, god and the godless, etc." That is a cult. A religious cult. Do these people believe their souls are on the line with this movement? They had Qanon and the Shaman. What the heck were they thinking about god in relation to these other belief systems?

Washington is being inundated to those that do not want an election stolen, etc. states Trump. While he was raking in Big Bucks. I guess the Big Lie paid off even if he wasn't going to have the presidency after the insurrection.  I do believe Trump expected to be president forever after January 6th. 

Debbie Lesko was worried about security. She blame Antifa and she states there will be Trump supporters that will "Go nuts" when the election is not overturned. 

Trump edited his speech to bring about inspiration to violence. He edited the speech to his mob until the early morning hours after midnight. He included Vice President Pence in those edits. The White House staff Stephen Miller stated speech writer Eric Hershman had thought the inclusion of Vice President to be counter productive. 

Trump talked to Vice President Pence stating he was a whimp and other derogatory terms after Trump insisted he overturn the election at the meeting of the Electoral College. Ivanka's Chief of staff stated Ivanka Trump attempted to calm her father, Donald John Trump, before the rally at the Elipse. Ivanka Trump is known to have her thumb on the pulse of Donald John Trump. That has been the case since Trump first announced his candidacy. I am not surprised Ivanka "read her father" in a way that caused her concerned before the speech at the Elipse. 

Trump insulted the Republicans that did not support the Big Lie. He insulted them including Pence to the mob. 

Trump lied to all those around him and rallied the emotional content of anger to fight for him at the insurrection. 

The insurrection resulted in American deaths.

3:13 pm Mr. Ayers, Mr. Rhodes 

Mr. Rhodes is a former Oath Keepers.

Mr. Ayers pleaded guilty to charge involving the insurrection. 

The witnesses are sworn in. They agree to the oath they just swore.

3:15 pm Chairman Thompson

Mr. Rhodes describes his experience with the Oath Keepers. He was an independent journalist at several standoffs by the Oath Keepers. He was hired as a media expert by the Oath Keepers. He states they are a violent militia. Stacked military formation going up the steps of the USA Capital. Steward Rhodes courted right wing extremists.

The core idea of Elmer Stewart Rhodes’ group, (click here) the Oath Keepers, is that its members vow to support the oaths they took on joining law enforcement or the military to defend the Constitution forever and the group’s own list of 10 “Orders We Will Not Obey.” The list is a compendium of perceived, unrealized threats from the government – orders, for instance, to force Americans into concentration camps, confiscate their guns or cooperate with foreign troops in the United States.

These supposed threats are, in fact, part of the central conspiracy theory advocated by the antigovernment movement of which the Oath Keepers is a part – the baseless claim that the federal government plans to impose martial law, seize Americans’ weapons, force those who resist into concentration camps and, ultimately, push the country into a one-world socialistic government known as the “New World Order.” In 2013, the group announced the planned formation of “Citizen Preservation” militias meant to defend Americans against the New World Order....

This description aligns with the description of Mr. Rhodes. The impoverishment of these people are not unusual to those that populate the group. They have a grievance with society in general and focus on the government as the problem. 

Do I dare say these folks are largely from Red States?

Oath Keepers: Guardians of the Republic (click here)

Mr. Ayers believed completely the "Big Lie" was real and the election was stolen. In time he moved away from the media that was driving his false belief. He did his own research and shutting down of the websites was what convinced him that his beliefs were wrong.

He went to the January 6th rally and was angry and charged up and continued those feelings at the rally by the speech of Trump. He went to the Capitol because Trump asked him to and expected Trump to be there as he said at the rally.

He want to talk about truths. The insurrection was to be the spark that started the new Civil War. "Community Preparedness Team" and "Veterans Group." The Oath Keepers leader was actually a paramilitary leader and was hoping the Insurrection Act would be the way forward to be a force in the country. Wow.

Stewart Rhodes focus fell in line with violence and believed Trump's nod was permission for the violence the Oath Keepers were ready for.

I believe these men see the law rolling out convictions based in solid evidence changing their point of view. They want the truth to be known as a basis for their morality.  They are concerned for the country. They believe the elections will not serve the country well if the votes are manipulated. 

Ayers went home when Trump came out and asked the mob to disperse. They were brainwashed by the right wing media. That is my opinion. There is media set up to completely sympathize with Trump's point of view.

Losing a job and sold house will do that, too. A lot of the charges against him changed his life and not for the better. He is angry because Trump continues with the Big Lie. He was invested in the outcome that Trump promised. 

"I consider myself a family man and I love my country. I don't think any one man is bigger than those....He feels like he had horse blinders on. He wants people to take a step back and realize the truth before it is too late." He is a moral man. He was misdirected. 

Rep. Raskin - Trump's tweet is unique in history calling for an insurrection.

The Founders of our Constitution predicted there would be people like Trump. They warned such a power in the US Constitution would empower demigods to result as an ambition to rule the country, hence, destroying democracy.

There were serious injuries among the police officers that defended the Capitol on January 6th.

Trump's rage brought about his own words "American carnage." 

Rep. Raskin is stating his understanding and loyalty of the people that came forward to speak to the Committee. Trump wanted to use these people to topple the Constitutional order. He believes the American democracy needs to be fortified. Trump asserts January 6th was the real election. Authoritarianism by the Republican Party loyal to Trump is a priority today. "Constitutional Democracy is the Golden Apple of Freedom exists." 

3:46 pm Rep. Murphy closes with a statement

Evidence has been the leader the committee followed. She loves this country as an immigrant from Vietnam during the Vietnam War. She states Trump used fiction to create the "Big Lie." It is why evidence is the basis of everything the committee has aspired to hold above all else. 

3:48 pm - Chairwoman Cheney

There was an organized effort to carry out deceit and corruption to change state election results from multiple states. Trump brought a mob to the US Capitol for the purpose of over throwing the election, a coup. He oversaw and directed the activity on January 6th. Trump's legal team was working to achieve the result of the mob. Trump's response to pleas from Congress to stop the insurrection did not come until hours later after the violence first started. Trump never called any law enforcement or the National Guard to help stop the violence at the US Capitol. 

Trump is attempting to influence the witnesses to the committee. The referral was made to the DOJ.

3:52 pm Chairman Thompson

What role the federal government should play in our lives. The federal government and the USA Constitution brought about the end of slavery and elevated every person in the USA to be a citizen equal to other citizens. 

January 6, 2020 tested the strength of the federal government. It makes his blood boil in the reality of the insurrection. A president would have been reassured the people to the fail safe of the country. Trump did not do that, but, sent a mob instead to disable and destroy the government. Our system of government held. We came all too close to the disaster inspired by Trump.

3:56 pm

Committee adjorned. 

continuing...

A much needed advocate for sanity.

Besides being a poor investment, crypo is not climate friendly.

Why is crypto failing? Because all the million-billionaires that thought it would replace the US dollar or any sovereign currency is simply trying to get out of it. The incremental drop in crypto is similar to a stock no longer holding value. It is a standard exist of investors without having to take a beating on it's end.

Crypto is a day traders investment. The bubble has to be mastered in order to make money.

July 11, 2022

By Anissa Gardizy

...“[I was] seeing people get screwed over again (click here) and again and again,” White said. “There wasn’t a permanent record of what was actually happening and how poorly a lot of these projects were ending.”

Her first instinct was to start writing Wikipedia articles about crypto and the related field of “web3.” But she quickly realized Wikipedia wouldn’t be the best place for her work — among other things, it would have required her to take a neutral approach.

“I have a pretty strong opinion,” she said....

Journalists on MSNBC are advocating golf in Saudi Arabia based on economic ideology? Really? You should be fully ashamed of yourselves.

I think there is a problem with this video. It appears to have an endangered tortoise.

That appears to be a Centrochelys sulcata species. It strongly resembles the African Spurred Turtle. It looks like it is a younger turtle so the plates of the shell may be slightly different in configuration.

According to the IUCN Red List it is classified as endangered. (click here)

The caretaker obviously loves the tortoise, but, if this is the one I believe it is, owning one is not legal. I do not believe the tortoise is mistreated in any way, except, as an endangered species it is not contributing to increases in the numbers and the genetic diversity. The tortoise needs to be transported to a protected zoo and evaluated. It needs to be placed with other tortoises of the same species. It will be happier there than having a dog as a sibling.

I'd be very interested in knowing where they bought it. It is not legal to sell endangered species.

 

California needs to reach out to these folks.

We know that truck owner-operators are not necessarily real owner-operators so much as a driver for a major carrier that dumps costs for maintaining the truck on the driver, hence, lowering his or her income. The community of truck drivers seems to be having trouble deciphering the law. The State of California needs to develop outreach and/or a process to complete the demands of California Assembly Bill 5. 

In recognition of the need for an outreach to these drivers an extension in the filing will be necessary. I would think a document linked to renewal of driver's license is a reasonable demand to satisfy the law.

July 9, 2022
By Augusta Saraiva and Ngai Yeung

About 70,000 truck owner-operators (click here) who form the bedrock of California’s transport industry are in limbo as state-level labor rules start applying to them, creating another choke point in stressed US supply chains.

Almost a dozen truckers told Bloomberg News they’re unsure how to comply with California’s Assembly Bill 5, which requires workers satisfy a three-part test to be considered independent contractors, or else be seen as employees entitled to job benefits. The trucking industry relies on contractors — who until now have had flexibility to operate on their own terms — and has fought to be exempt from state regulations for years.

California truck owner-operators must now comply with AB5 after the Supreme Court on June 30 refused to review a case challenging the legislation that sets out the tests for employment-status classification....

Venezuela and Iran are breaking sanctions.

The British navy intercepted an Iranian ship carrying missiles. 

When the USA ends it's DEPENDENCE on the petroleum industry all this will stop for the most part. When is the USA going to achieve net Zero and absolute Zero carbon emissions. If Iran doesn't sell these commodities anymore because they are not in demand of some kind, it won't be able to build missiles.

When is the world going to make the leap of faith and simply stop using carbon energy?

December 2, 2021
By Deisy Buitrago

Iran last year began providing PDVSA with condensate (click here) that is used to make the South American nation’s extra heavy oil exportable. This year, PDVSA and the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) signed a swap deal 

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-iran-oil-exclusive-idCAKBN2GL09S 

that formalized the exchange of Venezuelan crude for Iranian condensate.

The swaps, occurring amid U.S. sanctions on both nations and their oil industries, have allowed PDVSA to ramp up crude output this autumn to levels close to those of early 2020.

“Two million barrels of diluent have just arrived. Where? – from Iran,” said Angel Rodriguez, a lawmaker from President Nicolas Maduro’s socialist party. “This shows what is the country’s situation. We are forced to receive products we used to make due to the blocking,” he added, referring to the U.S. sanctions.

Rodriguez did not disclose the name of the vessel. PDVSA and NIOC did not reply to requests for comment.

Washington imposed trade sanctions on PDVSA and its subsidiaries in 2019 as a way to oust Maduro after it called his re-election a sham. The measures barred exports to the United States, which used to buy most of Venezuela’s crude....

Regarding the Franciscan nuns in Massachusetts.

Dominos's Pizza supports religious efforts. One of them is at Domino Farms, the "Ave Maria University Chapel (click here)." The chapel has an office there and a book store and conducts fund raising. There may be a chance Domino's Pizza would be interested in working with the Nuns in Massachusetts to protect their monastery. 

Solar windows

(click here for video)

ubiquitous energy (click here)

From the IPCC:

...Opportunities (click here) to advance climate resilient development in cities include implementing integrated, inclusive planning and integration of climate change concerns into investments in urban infrastructure, including social and ecological infrastructures. Safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystems and ensuring equitable outcomes contributes has multiple be to multiple benefits for health and well-being, including for marginalized and vulnerable communities....

July 9, 2022
By Alex Knapp and Alan Ohnsman

...Last week, BP released its annual Statistical Review of World Energy, (click here) which provides a comprehensive look at the global energy industry. One of the most interesting statistics within it was the growth of renewable energy, consumption of which grew 15% in 2021. Hydroelectric, nuclear and renewable energy accounted for about 18% of energy consumption around the globe, with the balance being provided by fossil fuels. Wind and solar power combined accounted for 10.1% of total global energy production, the first time that number has been above 10%. “Together, wind and solar power provided 2,894 Terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity in 2021,” writes Forbes senior Energy contributor Robert Rapier. “For perspective, in 2010 that number was 380 TWh.”...

"Good night, moon"

The waxing gibbous

11.7 day old moon

89.8 percent lit

July 10, 2022

By Len Melisurgo

The second (click here) of two consecutive “supermoons” will be glowing brightly in the night sky this week, as the full “buck moon” of July 2022 rises and gives sky watchers a special summer treat.

Here are a few things to know about the July full moon, when to see it and why it’s so unique among this year’s moons.

The first full moon of the summer season (the June moon turned full a week before the summer solstice) will officially reach its fullest phase at 2:37 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, July 13. So, it will be at its biggest and brightest when it rises above the horizon Wednesday night....

Sister Simone Campbell was awarded the Medal of Freedom.

Pope Francis is a Franciscan Jesuit (click here).

President Joe Biden (click here) awards the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Sister Simone Campbell, a longtime advocate for economic justice and health care policy, during a ceremony at the White House in Washington July 7, 2022

July 10, 2022
By Emily Sweeney

...Kathy Kottaridis, (click here) the executive director of Historic Boston Inc., said the monastery appears to be the oldest remaining purpose-built women’s monastery in New England. Many in the community want the building to be preserved.

“I’m glad they’re moving in that direction,” she said. “It has such an institutional presence right there, and it has an interesting history.”

Sister Clare Frances McAvoy, the abbess of the monastery, said although the demolition plans are “off the table,” the sisters are moving forward with their plans of vacating the property.

“We do need to move,” she said. “This building is too big. And it’s too expensive.”...

This really does seem wrong. Their income is not all that. I am sure there is a foundation somewhere that can smile on this monastery. Maybe modernize it and make it more livable. But, to allow them to simply move to a different place while their home is taken in as a historical building just doesn't seem right. I am glad the building is valued, but, it needs nuns in it to keep it alive.

Either we believe in longevity or not.

President Biden is liked by a lot of people. Governor Pritzker is supposed to have already endorsed his run for a second term. I strongly believe after the exploitation of the USA with Russia during the time Trump was in office, especially with NATO, Joe Biden as president was a brilliant decision by the American people.

I think it is important for the Democratic Party to be comfortable with him in the presidency, but, in all honesty, except for stuttering from time to time there are really no complaints. The stuttering has been a characteristic for all his life, not simply as he aged. A president with a stuttering disability is no one to be ashamed of either. Who really notices?     

We as a society have valued longevity for a very long time. The only time longevity was not valued for all Americans is when Trump was in office. He didn't care who lived or died during the global pandemic and it was no error because of age; he just didn't care.

President Joe Biden is just the opposite. He cares a great deal about Americans. Refreshingly, he cares a great deal about the Middle Class. I think the country has vastly improved from the Trump years and it was Joe's leadership that did it. He knows what he is doing. He knows the American people. He has had a great presidency to date. NATO is back and not only back but standing the ground against genocide by a country we once trusted enough to be trade partners.

He wants the gun violence to stop. He knows the climate crisis is real and must be addressed. He is appalled by the decision by the Supreme Court about Roe v. Wade, which was considered settled law. He values everything American and wants peace as a top agenda item, but, he is also realistic in knowing other countries don't care about peace.

I have no problem with President Biden being 79 years old. Correct me if I am wrong, but, isn't Social Security encouraging Americans to work until the age of 75? Isn't the benefit for SSI scaled now to reflect some degree of penalty if one retires at the age of 65. So, what are we saying when we worry about President Biden? Are we saying we are worried about him and his ability to lead longer, or are we saying he is simply to old and we want someone else. 

Really? Someone else? Because of age? 

Is that who we are? Is that who we really are?

President Joe Biden gets respect from nearly everyone, except, those that want to replace him in 2024 with who? With Donald John Trump. 

Really? Trump? Is that who we really are? 

July 9, 2022
By Peter Baker

Washington - When President Biden (click here) leaves Tuesday night for a four-day swing through the Middle East, he will presumably be more rested than he would have been had he followed the original plan.

The trip was initially tacked onto another journey last month to Europe, which would have made for an arduous 10-day overseas trek until it became clear to Mr. Biden’s team that such extended travel might be unnecessarily taxing for a 79-year-old president, or “crazy,” as one official put it.

Aides also cited political and diplomatic reasons to reorganize the extra stops as a separate trip weeks later. But the reality is that managing the schedule of the oldest president in American history presents distinct challenges. And as Mr. Biden insists he plans to run for a second term, his age has increasingly become an uncomfortable issue for him, his team and his party...

It seems all the sewer rats are afraid of the flood of truth coming to Americans.

Mr. Bannon has acted as a criminal before with his offshore office. He was caught fair and square, but, his buddy Trump gave him a pardon. Now, he broke the law again, refused to be interviewed by the January 6th Committee, is about to stand trial and he comes forward with his tail between his legs looking for a way out.

I think he should be interviewed, but, he has no right to demand it be televised. He must follow the process everyone else has followed and be interviewed in a closed session with cameras running. If his testimony is found to be credible then perhaps have him face the American people in the public forum of the committee. I think to provide him a special interview session as a public forum would be unfair to all the other witnesses that freely came forward and answered questions.

I don't know what he could add to the information anyway. Most everything about him is already known from others and from his podcast. All he can do is validate the facts already discovered. It is up to the judge and any jurors to decide about refusing to cooperate with Congress. 

July 10, 2022
By Katie Wadington

Former White House strategist Steve Bannon (click here) has told the committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol that he may be willing to testify, after all.

Bannon, who was in contact with former President Donald Trump in the days leading up to the riot on Jan. 6, 2021, refused to comply with a subpoena issued last fall, claiming executive privilege from Trump. Both the committee and full House voted to hold him in contempt of Congress.

Overnight Sunday, the committee received a letter from Bannon's lawyer stating the former adviser would testify.

"Mr. Bannon was obligated to honor the President’s invocation (of executive privilege), unless and until, either your Committee reached a constitutionally required accommodation with President Trump as to the invocation of executive privilege or your Committee obtained a ruling from the Federal District Court that the invocation of executive privilege was improper or did not apply to the particular question or document sought," attorney Robert Costello wrote. "While Mr. Bannon has been steadfast in his convictions, circumstances have now changed."...

Mitch McConnell is corrupt to the core and must be replaced as soon as possible.

I think McConnell is a communist. It is far too easy for oligarchs and his Chinese family to talk him into a corrupted state of mind to benefit their own purposes. This is just too much already. Just before the 2020 elections he changed a vote to allow a Russian oligarch to build a steel rolling plant in Kentucky. We also know while his wife was Secretary of Transportation preference was given to Kentucky to receive monies for roads and bridges.

Not only that but McConnell had a hissy fit over the Supreme Court and any adjustments that need to be made to secure equal representation of all Americans not just the wealthy, Evangelicals (click here). McConnell wants a majority US Senate to control the Supreme Court. Make no doubts about it, that is his purpose.

Now, besides ending abortions, he wants to end a bill that will bring balance back to the USA when it comes to important domestic production of vital products such as medications and silicon computer chips. The US Senate seat in Ohio has the issue of computer chips at the center of the race. 

Blocking this innovation bill serves no one except the Chinese and it has to end. The bill must go forward and now. The USA has to function when any emergency hits and realizing the failure of the Republicans during the pandemic only brings home the very wrong path the Republicans are taking the USA. We must stop them. They are compromising our national security, in practice and not in policy.

McConnell's wrongful priorities need to be investigated. This is more than a bad habit.

July 7, 2022
By Michael Lee

The White House lashed out at Senate Minority (click here) Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., over his threat to hold up negotiations on the bipartisan innovation bill if Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., moves forward with a reconciliation bill aimed at tackling prescription drug costs and climate change.

"Senator McConnell is holding hostage a bipartisan package to make more in America and strengthen our competitive edge with China to protect big Pharma’s profits. It’s outrageous - we can and must do both," a White House official told Fox News.

"Leader McConnell himself agreed last fall that bipartisan negotiations shouldn’t be paused for other priorities saying: ‘Republicans have been negotiating in bipartisan good faith to meet the real infrastructure needs of our nation. The President cannot let congressional Democrats hold a bipartisan bill hostage over a separate and partisan process.’"...

Louisiana doesn't have the energy problem it thinks it has.

The Louisiana offshore 90-meter (m) height wind map (click here) and wind resource potential estimates are provided on this page. Areas with annual average wind speeds of 7 meters per second (m/s) and greater at 90-m height are generally considered to be suitable for offshore development.

Louisiana's entire offshore is completely able to produce electric power for the state. I look at it this way. It won't be underwater when sea level rise hits.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has produced these estimates of the gross (not reduced by environmental or human use considerations) offshore wind potential expressed in "installed capacity." This is the potential megawatts (MW) of rated capacity that could be installed at offshore areas with mean annual wind speeds of 7 m/s and greater at a 90-m height, assuming 5 MW of installed capacity per square kilometer of water. The offshore wind potential tables present the resource broken down by annual wind speed, water depth, and distance from shore.

St. James Parish President Pete Dufresne may or may not be influenced by the petroleum industry, but, one thing is for sure the companies he wants to see in his parish want alternative energy. The people of the USA want the switch and they want it now.

American agriculture has never been more important. The agricultural land may also be compatible with wind turbines, too. But, for Mr. Dufresne to simply exclude alternative energy production as wrong is irresponsible. The people want it and valuing their consumers, the companies want it. While a reassessment is in order to determine the importance and production of the farmland, there are plenty of opportunity for solar that are mounted on top of buildings as well. 

That said, METHANE IS NOT A GREEN ENERGY.

Cities across the USA must provide a forum to move them from petroleum based energy to alternative energies.

IT MUST HAPPEN.

There is no politics or back room deals to be tolerated. Alternative energies must take hold and now. 

July 10, 2022
By David J. Mitchell

..."That's the most valuable real estate we have. (click here) That's the most valuable real estate, accessible to rail and river, and it's just taking away so many opportunities that could be other clean projects, as well, you know, that could actually bring jobs, and that's what our concern is," Dufresne told a few solar, utility and media representatives after a recent Parish Council meeting.

"We need jobs. I mean these thousands of acres of solar farms is not bringing any jobs, and who's getting the benefit? Who's getting the real benefit of these solar panels," he added.

Dufresne's and other local officials' concerns reflect the unease that has arisen among some in rural Louisiana over the proliferation of solar farms over thousands of acres agricultural land....

This is a disgrace. Some how human fecal discharge is occurring.

There is no hiding from this because enterococci comes from human colons. The US EPA needs to begin to hand out summons and fines for the towns or countries that are contributing to this problem. There are fisheries along the Gulf Coast. At least there used to be before the Deepwater Horizon. I thought there was serious rehabilitation of those areas. The fisheries are vital and there cannot be this level of abuse of coastal waters anywhere anymore.

July 8, 2022
By Roshaun Higgins

There are only two beaches in Louisiana (click here) that are open and safe to swim in: Cypremort Point State Park and Lake Charles North Beach. Every other beach is either closed or has a swimming advisory.

Every year, from April 1 through October 31, the Louisiana Department of Health does weekly water quality sampling for 24 coastal recreational beaches.

Swimming advisories are issued when an area is deemed so polluted with enterococci bacteria that it could have adverse health effects. Advisories are separate from the standing swim at your own risk notice for all Louisiana waters.

Under the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act of 2000, the water quality must be in line with the EPA's recreational water quality criteria....

Hurricanes are a bit of the old world. The best word to describe these storms are system.

6000 miles of sustained tropical system. That is unheard of before now. This is the climate crisis.

July 8, 2022
By Jesse Ferrell and John Murphy

The second named (click here) system of the year in the Atlantic Basin, which crossed over Central America and became a post-tropical cyclone away from land in the Eastern Pacific basin on Sunday, July 3, was anything but a typical tropical cyclone. From its unusual track to the locations it has impacted, Bonnie was full of surprises....

Do NOT turn these young people over to a private prison or jail!

July 8, 2022
By Elyse Carmosino and Paul Cobler

Some of the state’s most rural parishes (click here) are struggling to find places for their youngest criminal defendants after Alabama announced this week it would no longer house Louisiana’s juvenile inmates. One district attorney with no local facility to hold youths is calling on state officials to fund the construction of regional facilities.

Alabama’s decision, announced Wednesday, left 18th Judicial District Attorney Tony Clayton and others scrambling to find places for the teens in a state that has long held underage pre-trial inmates in other jurisdictions because of a purported lack of adequate in-state resources....

...

The PGA did the right and best thing.

The game in the USA is better for the shake up. I firmly believe that. It seems like more of a sport to me.

This is from "Forbes."

July 9, 2022
By Derek Saul

...LIV Golf formally launched last fall (click here) with Australian former world No. 1 Greg Norman as its chief executive, but began to truly make waves in February when Mickelson defended his ties to the Saudi-backed league with inflammatory comments about the Saudi government’s involvement in the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi and its criminalization of homosexuality. Mickelson said and disappeared from the public eye for months before playing his first tournament in June at LIV Golf’s first-ever tournament at the Centurion Golf Club near London. The PGA Tour announced last month the suspension of any golfers playing in LIV Golf tournaments from the tour. DeChambeau made his LIV Golf debut at the series’ first U.S. tournament June 30, where Koepka, Reed and Ancer also made their debuts....

The USA military at least a decade ago, if not two, stated the climate crisis was a national priority.

This is why and it is only beginning. This problem must be solved. It is complex and can be treacherous politically. But, this is the 21st Century and water is a valuable commodity complicated by a war no country on Earth wanted, except for Russia's Putin. I doubt the people of Russia want this war, but, it rages just the same. The water issue in the USA West must be solved. Conservation is important and protecting forests are important as they act to purify water and maintain a cooling effect on the land and air.

Everyone that has a stake in this must be heard and a solution found. 

July 10, 2022
By Stephanie Elm

With a megadrought draining water reserves in the West, (click here) states are looking for alternatives to handle water rights, many of which were set more than 100 years ago when water supplies were far more abundant.

Back then, just posting a sign next to a water diversion was enough to be considered a right, one which could still be honored now. But the climate crisis is now straining those rights. There just isn't enough water in California to satisfy what's been allotted on paper.

For years, debate has raged in California about the best way to fix the water rights system for life in the modern era. Many of the senior water rights held in the state were set before 1914 when the permit system was established and when mining was big business.

"It's an old water system that many perceive isn't set up to deal with current climatic and hydraulic conditions," Nathan Metcalf, a water rights attorney for California law firm Hanson Bridgett, told CNN. "It's just not really set up to deal with climate change and the changing needs for water both from an environmental standpoint, and then there's also the rub between agriculture and municipal."...

This problem must be solved.

I have one word for California agriculture.

"Ukraine."

July 8, 2022
By Tom Stokley

California’s once-abundant salmon (click here) runs are on the verge of collapse. That’s a tragedy, but this story is bigger than the extinction of an iconic fish that once fed millions of people and was the basis of thriving commercial, tribal and sport fisheries. Salmon (to mix zoological metaphors) are the canary in the coal mine for California’s water and power ratepayers.

Our salmon are flirting with extinction because they’re not getting the cold water they need to survive. Over the last few decades, that water mostly has been supplied from Shasta Dam on the Sacramento River, other dams on Sacramento and San Joaquin river tributaries, and Trinity Dam on the Trinity and Klamath river system. These rivers comprise the state’s remaining salmon strongholds.

The ongoing drought and resource mismanagement, however, have left such cold water in short supply. Although they were aware of the growing water crisis, state and federal water managers have drawn down reservoirs rapidly over the past three years, leaving cold water — indeed, any water — in short supply. Why? To provide water to a small subset of commercial growers....

July 10, 2022
By Paul Rogers

Californians continue to miss conservation targets (click here) by a large margin, new numbers released Friday show, despite Gov. Gavin Newsom’s warning six weeks ago that mandatory statewide restrictions are on the way if local conservation efforts don’t improve.

Last July, Newsom declared a drought emergency and asked California residents to voluntarily cut urban water use by 15% compared to 2020 levels. Although Northern Californians reduced consumption by 8.5% in May, Southern California regions fell far short at just 2.2% and dragged the statewide reduction in use to 3.1% compared to May 2020.

The new numbers represent only a slight improvement from last July through May, when residents, businesses and government agencies cumulatively reduced water use statewide by 2% compared to the same period in 2020, according to the State Water Resources Control Board.

Is a crackdown coming, with mandatory conservation targets for each city? That’s what former Gov. Jerry Brown imposed during California’s last drought, but Newsom’s office wasn’t saying on Friday....