The strategy is working, don't stop now.

January 30, 2015
By Yousuf Basil, Jomana Karadsheh and Laura Smith-Spark CNN

(CNN) —ISIS militants have attacked Kirkuk (click here) in northern Iraq, an effort that might be an earnest attempt to capture the key oil-rich city or perhaps to divert Kurdish troops fighting to capture the Islamist extremist group's stronghold of Mosul.
For months, ISIS has been facing off with the Peshmerga -- armed fighters who protect Iraqi Kurdistan -- to the west of Kirkuk. It had gone into areas on Kirkuk's outskirts, but not the central city....

One of the problems in the Iraq War was wack-o-mole. The Kurds need to continue to recruit soldiers that are left behind of the advancing front to hold the land or cities or assets. The Kurds have to hold the land they take while continuing their destruction of IS. It can't be a police officer(s), it has to be a platoon of soldiers. 

If the Kurds don't have enough soldiers to hold their land AND move their front forward, then they should not do it. They have to provide security to their sovereign lands while planning for more. Their families are very important and the economy they build. A Homeland for the Kurds has to be valued above simply advancing against the old Ba'athists.

The Ba'athists of IS are well trained soldiers. That is the problem. This is Saddam's old military. Considering the Saddam military fell in a few days during Gulf War I the Kurds should be able to deal with them.

This is gossip, not treason.

Russia has to be joking. This is the craziest and loosest intelligence I ever heard of in my life. The problem doesn't belong to Mrs. Davydova. 

Svetlana Davydova from western Russia has been detained on charges of high treason. A criminal case has been launched against the woman, who allegedly informed the Ukrainian embassy of the possibility of Russian troops being sent to Ukraine.

According to Davydova's husband, Anatoly Gorlov, who lives with her in an apartment block in the town of Vyazma in Smolensk region, she noticed in April 2014 that a military unit of Russia's Chief Intelligence Directorate, located near their house, had become quiet and presumably empty. She also allegedly overheard a phone conversation on public transport, with an unidentified man telling someone that he – together with other servicemen – were “being transferred in small groups to Moscow, strictly in plain clothes, and then are sent on a work trip somewhere further," Gorlov told Kommersant newspaper.... 

Russians have the right to tell state secrets on public transport and now Mrs. Davydova is a spy. Give me a break.

The men were gossiping on the bus. They are the ones that didn't care about the information spilling out of their mouths. Too much vodka, probably. Send her home to her children and leave her alone. She didn't know anything. If I overheard men talking about troop movements I'd be telling everyone, too.

Russia rather blame a mother with a husband and children than the MEN that are actually responsible for the mess. 

Death by auto is a lesser charge than murder.

Several witnesses say Suge Knight ran over a man with his car in L.A. while shooting a video today.

January 30, 2015 

By Patrick Lyons

It has not been a good year for Suge Knight. (click here) In the past twelve months, he's been shot and been arrested on robbery charges, and now he could very well be facing a count of vehicular manslaughter. TMZ reports that Knight ran over a man with his car in L.A. today, possibly killing him.

According to the gossip site, a video shoot featuring Knight, The Game, Dr. Dre and Ice Cube was going down when Suge got into an altercation with two cast members. After this, he got into his car and put it in reverse, at which point several witnesses say he ran over a bystander. The victim is allegedly named Terry Carter....

There is no motive involved with death by auto. Death by auto is a charge someone can receive if there was an accident and a death within that accident. It is going to be difficult to prove murder. 

Even people with affluenza can  be charged with death by auto.

Mitt Romney is a nice man. Decent, dedicated to his faith and family. But, he just isn't cut from the right of cloth.

January 30, 2015
By Catalina Camia

WASHINGTON — Mitt Romney (click here) told supporters Friday that he's decided to skip a 2016 presidential race, putting an end to weeks of serious consideration about a third try for the White House.

The 2012 GOP presidential nominee informed his staff and then key supporters in separate conference calls.

"After putting considerable thought into making another run for president, I've decided it is best to give other leaders in the party the opportunity to become our next nominee," Romney said, according to remarks posted on Twitter by conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt....

Government doesn't have to be kind to financial giants when those giants will put a large percentage of Americans in unemployment, home foreclosure with economic losses at least $1.7 trillion. There is just no way that friends of Wall Street are also friends of Main Street. 

We are still putting it all back together and doing a good job of it. But, some citizens suffered unmercilessly and some aren't with us anymore. I suppose when a private equity firm is looking at huge amounts of monies in pensions and warehouses full of unsold merchandise the answer appears to be a garage sale. That is not the right answer. The answer is better merchandising and expanding markets, sort of like the Former Bill Clinton carried out.

I wish Mr. Romney and his family happiness.  

Peace.

It would seem as though the FDIC sent a letter to gun dealers in the USA stating they have been running a law enforcement operation called "Operation Choke Point." 

It is understandable how the right wing media prefers to be stenographers in reporting all this, but, given the facts of the incredible work by the Holder Justice Department there is no doubt the operation was successful.

Unfortunately, drug cartels don't like to be leaned on so there was violence within these countries to intimidate government and citizens alike. We saw some of that in the recent bombing of a woman and baby's hospital. Evidently, there seems to be more that has to be done to finally alleviate Latin America of this plague.

I was never good at stenography, but, I tried like hell. (click here) Who knew I was better suited for science. Logic. And a woman no less. I tested in the 98 national percentile in mechanical ability in the fourth grade. It runs in the family. Some of my cousins took a different route and went to work for the Big Three auto manufacturers. Pretty cool, huh? Yeah. Two of them became design engineers for opposing car manufacturers. Life is a party and there was plenty of competition. "Deany," Geraldine, even got a Dodge Viper to drive all the time. Some girls are just lucky.

And if that isn't enough for you, there is teh money laundering of the Mexican drug cartels.

Justice Department Officials Announce Charges Against HSBC (click here)
 
Charts prepared by the US Department of Justice are on display during a news conference to announce money laundering charges against HSBC on December 11, 2012 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. HSBC Holdings plc and HSBC USA NA have agreed to pay $1.92 billion and enter into a deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice in regards to charges involving money laundering with Mexican drug cartels....

In addition to all that there is the money laundering the Obama Justice Department has been chasing down.

December 16, 2015
COLUMBUS, Ohio 

A federal grand jury (click here) has charged Andre W. Byrd, A.K.A. “Fat Dre”, 39, of Pickerington, with one count of the possession of a firearm, one count of the possession of heroin, one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute heroin and cocaine, two counts of money laundering and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering in a superseding indictment returned in Columbus....

...The superseding indictment also seeks the forfeiture of two firearms and ammunition, $10,000 in currency that was seized from his residence, a 1969 Oldsmobile Cutlass, and jewelry.

Possession of a firearm of a convicted felon is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Heroin and cocaine conspiracy charges can include a sentence of up to 40 years imprisonment. Money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

Byrd was arrested on November 3, 2014 by IRS and Columbus Division of Police. He remains in custody.

There could be a real reason why Republicans have been bought to roll back banking regulations.

Add caption

It could be why all the financial executives have been chasing the Presidential rainbow.

...Overall Accomplishments (click here)
As of the end of FY 2011, the FBI was investigating 1,846 cases of securities and commodities fraud and had recorded 520 indictments/informations and 394 convictions against this criminal threat. Additional notable accomplishments in FY 2011 include: $8.8 billion in restitution orders; $36 million in recoveries; $113 million in fines; and $751 million in forfeitures. The chart below reflects securities and commodities fraud pending cases from FY 2007 through FY 2011....

We aren't doing this anymore. We aren't fighting Wall Street wars.

We aren't going to be a divided country because truth has been sacrificed for fear. 

The USA has been in combat continually since October 7, 2001 when the first troops were deployed into Afghanistan. (click here) 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
DEDE MILLER 562 500 9072
DEDE4PEACE@GMAIL.COM
Cindy Sheehan, Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox (click here) and the Soapbox People's Network announce a joint effort in Washington DC opposing the wars and spreading police state. Such diverse organizations as World Can't Wait and Military Families Speak Out have endorsed the action.
The four day action will involve components of community building, protest, education, and planning for a future of protesting wars that will be more diverse, powerful, strategic, and, most of all effective....

I hope things are going well, Harry.

You know, not to say your doctors are not worried about you, but, increased blood pressure can translate into increased interocular pressure. 

Who's second in command, Harry?

Get well and we'll see you soon. The Democrats need a spokesman. Things are getting really silly and getting sillier everyday, Harry.

Iran today is different than Iran in 1979. If Iran works to remove sanctions it may have talents and contributions we don't realize yet.

McCain and Schultz were brought in to testify to the Senate committee regarding Iran and nuclear missiles. This is outrageous. These men have absolutely no intelligence for decades and they are the ones the Republicans are calling in to testify?

A picture is worth a thousand words. End of discussion. 

This is your Americans dollars at work. I am confident there is an incredible amount of records in the archives that are even open to the public about the years of Kissinger and Iran's Shah.

This is what we have to look forward to from a group of old, white men in the Senate and House. That hearing of the Senate Committee has no standing. Kissinger and Shultz have not a clue about the Iranian government that has existed since 1979. They never met anyone from Iran since the change in government. 

You know, there is a reason Republicans like to disconnect from communication with countries that throw out the USA figure head governments, it allows them to reach back in time to reference hostile relations based on decades past. If there are no new connection with governments in power for over 35 years there is no basis for rational decisions regarding war and peace. Hello, America!

Now, to finish this dance with destiny, Netanyahu is coming to parlay the fears of Israel while FOX News is on death watch of his family.

What the Republicans are doing is 'planned drama' to increase the drum beat of war in anticipation of another Bush in 2016. None of what they are doing is based in fact or has standing as accurate. It carries no brevity. 

This is from the Brookings Institute. Following the overthrow of the Shah the poverty of the people diminished. This graph only starts in 1984. The Iranian Revolution took place in 1979. It isn't easy being in a country that has just  radically changed their government, so I really would not expect any information much before 5 years out, unless it is an Iranian scholar within the country. Maybe there was one unpublished or something. It would be interesting to hear from any Iranian scholars from that time period if they still are with us. They could be provided peer review and perhaps level some as well. 

The Shah was known to live a very extravagant lifestyle while the people starved and died. This study by Brookings at least began a reconnection with the leadership in subtle and valuable ways. 

January 29, 2009 
By: Djavad Salehi-Isfahani

...Poverty
Despite a lack of improvement in inequality, (click here) poverty has declined steadily in the last ten years. Figure 3 shows the proportion of individuals who were poor (the Headcount ratio) during 1984-2006 using separate rural and urban poverty lines. Poverty rates increased sharply during 1984-88 but, contrary to popular belief, fell during the economic reconstruction and market reforms. Poverty rose again briefly when the economy had to adjust to the balance of payments crisis of 1994-95. Since then, poverty has declined steadily to an enviable level for middle-income developing countries Despite claims to the contrary, during the eight years of the Khatami Administration, poverty fell by more than 2 percentage points each year. Significantly, in the first two years of the Ahmadinejad government, urban poverty appears to have increased by 1.5 percentage points, or about 680,000 individuals (rural poverty remained unchanged). Given the huge inflow of resources into the economy in 2006 and the Ahmadinejad government’s active redistributive efforts, the increase in urban poverty is quite striking. The data for 2007 and 2008 are not available to reach a definitive conclusion on the current administration’s efforts at redistribution and poverty reduction, but the available evidence on inequality and urban poverty does not bode well for his re-election....

Bombs are not the answer for Iran, but, this type of political theater does nothing to improve relations or hopes of the people either. It is the people that brought about a government willing to talk and work with The West. If the Iranian people lose hope then we lose everything. Maybe that is the Republican plan.

If the Israeli Prime Ministers family is under threat I would expect the White House and USA Ambassadors in Israel to know about it. FOX News shouldn't feel such a burden, especially when they don't really have all the facts.

Death by auto.

January 30, 2015
By Terrance McCoy

Rap mogul Shuge Knight (click here) has been arrested on suspicion of murder in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles County Sherriff’s Office announced.
A spokeman said late Thursday that it appeared Knight had run over two men after an argument. One was killed. The other was injured. Neither have yet been named by police.  “Looks like he drove backwards and struck the victims and drove forwards and struck them again,” sheriff’s office spokesman Lt. John Corina told reporters. “The people we talked to say it looked like it was an intentional act.”...

Do society a favor. When these criminals are sentenced be sure they aren't writing songs and performing from their jail cells. America does not need a new "Jail House Rock." If anything if their connection to the public is not dismantled, they need to be put in a maximum security prison.

While on the subject of babies, this is Mexico. I think the cartels are more than out of hand.

Why wait until they can walk and have the ability to hold onto the side of a rail car?

January 30, 2015

Lizbeth Diaz and Joanna Zuckerman Bernstein

A gas truck explosion (click here) ripped through a maternity hospital on the western edge of Mexico City on Thursday, killing one woman and two children and injuring dozens, authorities said, with several babies found alive in the rubble.

A nurse and a child died after the blast, which destroyed around 70 percent of the hospital, Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera said..... 

Sending unvaccinated children home is a legitimate quarantine.

January 29, 2015
By Lenny Bernstein

The 2015 measles outbreak (click here) already has spread to 84 people, more than health officials typically see in an entire year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Thursday.
Most of the cases are traceable to an outbreak at Disneyland and another theme park in Southern California that began in late December and now has spread to six other states, including Utah, Washington, Oregon and Colorado. In all, measles has reached 14 states, according to Anne Schuchat, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.
The outbreak has generated sometimes fierce criticism of people who, for personal reasons or because they mistrust the vaccine, choose not to have their children immunized and prompted at least two school systems in California to ban unvaccinated students from school....

I've always wanted to ask the parents of the unvaccinated children if they were vaccinated and what led to their decision for their own children. I think they are great parents. They invest a great deal of time and thought to what their children are exposed to, but, at the same instance I don't know if they have thought this entire thing through. There is nothing preventing their children from being vaccinated as an adult. And. Where does that put them when it comes to college acceptance and/or a job. Private universities and employers do not have to accept unvaccinated students or employees, unless they accept federal monies.

The school systems sending children home because they are not vaccinated have to provide tutors while on quarantine. Right now it is my suspicions parents that work and have unvaccinated children are sorry they didn't. They probably are facing childcare problems as well.

I can understand how many parents link autoimmune diseases with vaccines. I know how a beautiful child in front of a parent can make them cringe at the thought of compromising their wellness as an adult. I do understand that, but, just few things to think about. 

To begin we have a vast infrastructure to investigate severe debilitation of any person, be it adult or child. The USA is probably one of the more caring countries in the world. We still don't have great ratings in some areas, but, with a national health insurance initiative hopefully that will change.

Then a political issue manifests about disability insurance in the USA. It is there for a reason and it's impact spans more than fraud. Fraud is a serious problem and it always should be addressed, but, we accept disease and injury as part of life in our society. 

In defense of that aspect of our society there has been a consistent number of disabled people for a very long time. It is not an exact number, but, a fairly consistent percentage regardless of the numbers of population. That is a respectable observation. Why? Because it means there are people encountering disability at about the same rate, be it genetic, injury or otherwise. That disability rate does not include veterans. Veteran disability of fairly young and healthy men and women increases and decreases with war.

But, where there is a consistent disability rate there is a clear understanding the statistics bear out as an acceptable norm that does not alarm the society unless it is found to spike. The USA addresses disease and seeks to solve problems with MS and Lupus and all those ugly diseases that rob adults of their dreams and aspirations. With genetic research there may actually be a magic pill. But, with unvaccinated children entering to at least young teens by now, the 20 year study about such adults hasn't been done yet. Will autoimmune diseases disappear because a significant number of adults were never vaccinated? I don't think so. I think we know enough about autoimmune diseases and it's etiology to state, we won't find significant differences within a population of Americans without vaccinations. 

If the statistics were there I'd be screaming along with everyone else, but, I don't think there is sound statistics to back that point of view. What might be the reality of the circumstances of those that manifest autoimmune diseases is that their genetics may be as much a trigger as any vaccine. 

The human nervous system is not mature at birth. The human nervous system is only complete at the age of one year. No different than the skeletal plates of an infants head doesn't close at birth, it takes time into the early years that complete the person. Nutrition is important and the environment is as well, healthy water and air to just name a few. 

But, I think parents that don't vaccinate have a real argument up to the age of one year old. Beyond the completion of the myelin lining the nervous system, the parents lose their argument. The fear of many parents is that the vaccines even though unable to cause disease will imbed in the myelin sheaths as the child grows that first year. They may have an argument. But, beyond that first year they lose validity.

I don't think there should be laws forcing parents to vaccinate their children, it would cause an underground we don't want to realize as a nightmare to this country. But, there is nothing wrong with educating parents about the myelin and vaccinations while doctors accept postponement of vaccination to one year.

Let's hope the vaccines will continue to be manufactured if the demand is lost as well.

It has always been a great annoyance to me Republicans carry on about the southern border and the undocumented, but, when it comes to defending our east and west borders where the land meets the sea, they don't do a darn thing to sink the lousy Drug Subs.

Thank you, Vice President Biden!

It is a national shame our neighbors to the south are so troubled and forced to place their precious children in the path of danger in order to avoid a greater and eminent danger.

January 29, 2015
Op - Ed
Vice President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
 
...Last summer, (click here) as our countries worked together to stem the dangerous surge in migration, the leaders of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras asked for additional assistance to change the climate of endemic violence and poverty that has held them back. In June, I made it clear to these leaders that the United States was ready to support them — provided they took ownership of the problem. Mr. Obama drove home this point when the leaders visited Washington in July.

And they responded. Honduras signed an agreement with Transparency International to combat corruption. Guatemala has removed senior officials suspected of corruption and aiding human trafficking. El Salvador passed a law providing new protections for investors. Working with the Inter-American Development Bank, these three countries forged a joint plan for economic and political reforms, an alliance for prosperity.

These leaders acknowledge that an enormous effort is required. We have agreed to intensify our work together in three areas....

We are spending plenty of money to train soldiers in the Middle East that primarily run the other way when faced with a real challenge, yet dearly no funds are spent to train and equip the national militaries in Central America. At least in Central America we have a profound interest in national security.

Superbowl.

Do you know what I see when I look at:

Super Bowl
    XLIX

???????????????

Next year it will be Superbowl 50. What will the Roman Numerals look like?

Super Bowl
        L

I'd be curious how many fans knows that.

Sorry, once a scientist always a scientist.

Walter Reed would do the entire country a huge favor if the physicians would put the House and Senate Republicans on this.

Why is the committee reaching this far back into history?

Henry A. Kissinger (click here) was sworn in on September 22, 1973, as the 56th Secretary of State, a position he held until January 20, 1977. He also served as Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs from January 20, 1969, until November 3, 1975.

Does the country need to be reminded about the wrongful war into Vietnam? 

It is so ironic to have John McCain and Kissinger in the same room.  McCain the POW and Kissinger Secretary of State. 

Vietnam. Oh, yeah. The remnants of WWII that just won't die. The Domino Effect that never happened. The Tonkin Incident that was nothing more then radar "ghosts." The escalation under Johnson that gave the USA Treasury to spill out lots of money for a war that was a killing machine. By the time the USA left in 1975, there were over one million dead people and over 50 thousand America troops buried to be listed on a black wall in DC. America at it's greatest. All the hearing needed was the current Secretary of State John Kerry and the picture would be complete.

I can't believe the Republicans called a 91 year old man to testify to the committee just to get back that feel good feel of bloodshed. 

If Vietnam could ever resolve their fears of China there might even be a trial of war crimes. Code Pink is not very far from the truth. Defoliants and cancers and birth defects. The suffering didn't end when the USA left. Vietnam could go forward with charges against the USA if it had records to document the war and witnesses to the ravages of the country. There was so much damage done to that region of the world. It wasn't difficult for the Khmer Rouge to come to power with a more devastating war taking place across the border. They looked tame compared to the tactics of the USA.