Maybe Turkey has finally figured out they need to take their border with Syria seriously.

21 July 2015

...If confirmed, (click here) it would be the first such attack by IS fighters against Turkey, a regional military power and NATO member.

Local resident Mehmet Celik told AFP the town was 'in chaos'.

Alp Altinors from the pro-Kurdish HDP party said the group of around 300 activists who gathered in Suruc from across the country were from the Federation of Socialist Youth Associations and that most were students.

'They were planning to build parks in Kobani, hand out toys for children and paint school walls,' he told AFP.

Davutoglu said the blast aimed to undermine Turkish democracy.
'This attack targets us all,' he said, dispatching three ministers to the southeastern region.

'Daesh threatens not only Syrian people but also Turkey,' he added.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest condemned the 'heinous' attack, as did Russian President Vladimir Putin, who labelled it a 'barbaric act' and called for greater international cooperation in fighting terrorism.

Daesh doesn't believe in toys or paint on school walls. The children under the control of Daesh decide as soon as they can hold a gun whether they will be suicide bombers or jihadists. 

How long have everyone asked Turkey to close their border? Years. Well, it starts. 

It bears noting, Jordan has closed it's borders to Iraq. No one is crossing into Jordan anymore. 

If confirmed, it would be the first such attack by IS fighters against Turkey, a regional military power and NATO member.
Local resident Mehmet Celik told AFP the town was 'in chaos'.
Alp Altinors from the pro-Kurdish HDP party said the group of around 300 activists who gathered in Suruc from across the country were from the Federation of Socialist Youth Associations and that most were students.
'They were planning to build parks in Kobani, hand out toys for children and paint school walls,' he told AFP.
Davutoglu said the blast aimed to undermine Turkish democracy.
'This attack targets us all,' he said, dispatching three ministers to the southeastern region.
'Daesh threatens not only Syrian people but also Turkey,' he added.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest condemned the 'heinous' attack, as did Russian President Vladimir Putin, who labelled it a 'barbaric act' and called for greater international cooperation in fighting terrorism.
- See more at: http://www.skynews.com.au/news/world/europe/2015/07/21/suicide-bomber-kills-31-in-turkey-blast.html#sthash.fWDOBOAL.dpu

Some of the National Guards are going to be permitted to carry personal protection.

There is a constitutional provision that prevents the US military from arming against the people of the country. But, the National Guard is a state organization so there are abilities to provide for their own protection. I think there is that possibility of self-defense ONLY for US military recruits or those in uniform while in the country. They are sitting ducks otherwise. The times are dangerous and people who normally wouldn't carry out assaults on our service men are screwed up in their priorities. It is just to dangerous and there needs to be concessions for self-defense.

July 20, 2015

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Gov. Mike Pence (click here) and Indiana Adjutant General Corey Carr say soldiers and airmen will begin carrying personal handguns at National Guard armories and recruiting stations Monday to defend themselves following the fatal shootings of four Marines and a sailor in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Pence said at a news conference Sunday at Stout Field in Indianapolis that the new policy applies to the state's 62 Guard armories, two air wings, 12 recruiting stations and the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center in Jennings County....

Of course it is the Republican Governors carrying out these measures with their National Guards, but, there needs to be an assessment of the dangers in the country and the military federal or otherwise need to be allowed self defense when in uniform.

July 20, 2015

Although not always (click here) at the forefront of popular ideas, Gov. Rick Scott has demonstrated his leadership by ordering our National Guard personnel to more secure armories and allowing them to carry firearms while on duty.
This is a necessary first step in protecting those men and women who serve and protect our country and communities.
Now is the time for the politically correct Obama administration to step forward and allow our active and reserve personnel the ability to protect themselves.

Charles Miller, Davie

There are too many guns on the streets. Too many very dangerous guns.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article27960220.html#storylink=cpy

The Republicans do not have a dialogue for peace.

It is fascinating to hear Republicans struggle with anti-war speech. They haven't got the language. They are afraid of it. A simple bit of tarnish of a current Senator as a war hero and the entire party loses it's moorings. It's a darn shame. Republicans can't articulate what peace looks like.

Oh, wow. We may need a war president on day one and Walker is prepared to do that. Sure. What else would anyone expect from the King of Rhetoric.

Here is a bit of advice for Scott Walker: he'll know the country is at war if he reads the New York Times daily. Otherwise, the generals run the show. They might ask for permission, but, just say yes and get out of the way.

Oh, yeah. During that time frame before the inauguration be sure and ask for an orientation to the bomb shelter under the White House. I think it's used as a bowling ally when not needed to avoid death. And take the wife and kids they'll need that information with you in the Presidency.

That is good advice and it's free.

I hope the family buries him in a nice place.

July 10, 2015
By Joseph Kolb

The city of Albuquerque (click here) has agreed to pay $5 million to the family of a homeless man shot to death by police last year in a mountainside encounter captured on video that prompted protests against excessive force by officers, officials said on Friday.

The payment settles a wrongful death lawsuit brought against the city by the family of James Boyd, a man described by relatives as mentally ill who was killed in March 2014 near his makeshift campsite after a four-hour standoff with police.

Two officers from the Albuquerque Police Department, Dominique Perez and Keith Sandy, were charged with second-degree murder in his death.

"The parties believe that this was the right time to reach a settlement," said Albuquerque City Attorney Jessica Hernandez. "We are hopeful that resolving this difficult and emotional case is a significant step in moving forward as a community."

Hernandez said city officials and the police department are committed to reform efforts already underway "including specialized training in managing situations involving mental health issues."...

The City of Albuquerque needs to put it's German Shepherds up for adoption.

Sandra Brown's Facebook posting is not credible evidence. 

The world is depressed at least one hour a year for no other reason except their birthdays.  

The arrest of Sandra Brown is based in the same fiscal abuse as was found in Ferguson, Missouri. What else is there to understand?  

Were police known to take bribes from citizens to avoid tickets and posting bond? Don't bring that forward without proof. A group of citizens known to be exploited is proof, one without documentations is not proof.

Do not lie no matter how tempting to correct the corruption within in this issue with Sandra. Any claim has to be substantial and corroborated with evidence. Where corruption stands as the norm the people involved in it aren't stupid, but, they usually get sloppy. 

We witnessed the same thing in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Sheriff was shining everyone on at the beginning until the facts came out and he couldn't cover it up anymore.   

This same inane paradigm is turning up more and more in states where black people are finding themselves dead in fear of the police. it is time to call it what it is and end this madness.

Thank you to Dick Meyer

He has been magnificent. I have had my disagreements with his view sometimes, but, he is incredibly honest to this country. He will be measured among the greats in our democracy. The picture reflects his character and complexity. 

July 17, 2015

...Changing minds (click here) with a keypad is a fool’s errand; I’m surely a fool, but not on that count. I simply offer some points for the open-minded to ponder.

1. The Iran deal: Time will reveal if the deal worked, not today’s talking/tweeting heads. What cannot be in dispute is this was a momentous initiative, a gutsy political risk, a diplomatic success and, potentially, a giant step in defusing a long-ticking time bomb.

2.  Obamacare: In the midst of the worst economy since the Great Depression, Obama delivered one of the most important domestic programs since the New Deal. Only LBJ’s Great Society laws compare. Obamacare has survived two challenges in the Supreme Court and constant, kabuki-style congressional votes to repeal. It’s now off life support. Key goals are being met. It will evolve and improve. One day it will be taken for granted and people will say, “Keep the government out of my Obamacare.”

3.  The financial meltdown: Obama inherited it, then managed the recovery to the degree possible in the global economy. The recovery has been steady, though slow. The worst-case predictions didn’t happen. He began to reverse the deregulation of the financial industry. He delivered a significant Asian trade deal. Yet few give Obama much credit.

4.  The First: Becoming the first black president is itself an epic triumph. Obama doesn’t get much good will for that any more. We properly canonize Rosa Parks, Jackie Robinson and Martin Luther King. Of Obama, we ask, “What have you done for me lately?” That’s fair, he’s president. He doesn’t ask for credit for being the first black one. He and his family are at risk every day and we take their courage for granted.

5. Dignity and honesty: Obama’s administration has been as free of corruption and, well, peccadillo as any in memory. It’s the first two-term presidency not to be derailed by scandal since Eisenhower. A few will stay in paranoid lather about Benghazi or Fast and Furious, but those pseudo-scandals don’t compare to Watergate, Iran-Contra, Bill Clinton’s carnal antics or the phony evidence used to justify attacking Iraq.

Obama has weathered a recession, invisible racism, a reckless Republican Congress, a lily-livered Democratic Party, attacks from the richest pressure groups ever (Super PACs) and a 24/7, ADHD press corps under existential pressure to deliver page views and Nielsen ratings. He has done it with the “No Drama Obama” style that befits the office....

The unexpected is what should be of concern.

This is just a convenient illustration from Australia. 

The beauty of the USA West Coast is it's mountain ranges. While tsunamis are a concern they are limited in scope and damage to certain elevations. 

There are the occasional surprises.

On the night of July 9, 1958 (click here) an earthquake along the Fairweather Fault in the Alaska Panhandle loosened about 40 million cubic yards (30.6 million cubic meters) of rock high above the northeastern shore of Lituya Bay. This mass of rock plunged from an altitude of approximately 3000 feet (914 meters) down into the waters of Gilbert Inlet. The impact generated a local tsunami that crashed against the southwest shoreline of Gilbert Inlet. The wave hit with such power that it swept completely over the spur of land that separates Gilbert Inlet from the main body of Lituya Bay. The wave then contiuned down the entire length of Lituya Bay, over La Chaussee Spit and into the Gulf of Alaska. The force of the wave removed all trees and vegetation from elevations as high as 1720 feet (524 meters) above sea level. Millions of trees were uprooted and swept away by the wave. This is the highest wave that has ever been known. 

"...Mature forest did not extend all the way down to the shoreline...bands of younger trees of mature forest..."

The evidence to types of activity of Earth isn't necessarily in the way or where one expects it.  The more scientists know the safer society is.

Is there any evidence that would lend to a catastrophic event? Yes. There is a bay within relatively short distance from majestic mountains. Those mountains put pressure on the land surrounding the bay. The pressure became too much for the weight of the existing land and water.

The ratio of mountain to the land that surrounds it at lower elevations dictates the potential to land slides. In this case, the ratio of a drastic change in elevation caused a cataclysmic event. It makes sense. The pressure from rock at elevation was far, far higher than the pressure of land at sea level to compensate to create a stable region. But, once the pressure was relieved it was over. At least for now.

...four topographic parameters (click here) (elevation, slope angle, plan form curvature, and aspect)...

Science in response to the need for knowledge. The glaciers would add a moving pressure and changing weight of the land as well. This landscape is complicated, but, not so much that it is undetectable to what occurred.

To completely explore the events a team of scientists would be required, a geologist (land), hydrologist (littoral water), oceanographer (bay) and glaciologist (ice) and a climatologist to bring life to the temperatures and winds. Water is sensitive to wind and temperature at it's surface and this is Alaska. 

The Pacific has been very active. There are a couple of ways to look at this.

I am not going to pretend to know more than those that study the potential danger to the west coast, but, activity in the Pacific Ocean doesn't dictate the occurrence of nightmare quakes.

The frequency of quakes in the Pacific could indicate there is actually going to be more quakes and of lesser magnitude. Click here for record of northwest quakes (click here).

Lesser magnitude simply because there are more quakes transmitting energy than storing it for a later calamity.

Of the thirty quakes listed at this webpage, the majority occurred at 10 km depth and primarily offshore. The first one occurred 34 years ago at 5.8 on the Richter scale. That was followed by 30 years ago with the magnitude 6.3 Richter. All the others have been less in magnitude since that event.

The one below occurred at 10 km as well. There is nothing that dictates the worse case scenario. I am sure there are tsunami warning buoys offshore as well. This is an article to the science regarding tsunamis (click here). It illustrates clearly there is a detailed science that accompanies the idea of warning a population to danger.

5.9 magnitude earthquake

2 months ago

UTC time: Monday, June 01, 2015 20:11 PM

Your time: Monday, June 1 2015 4:11 PM

Magnitude Type: mwb

USGS page: M 5.9 - Off the coast of Oregon

USGS status: Reviewed by a seismologist

Reports from the public: 25 people 

Not every quake produces a water displacement that results in devastating tsunamis. But, there is sound science that can discuss the most likely scenarios as well as the worst case scenarios.

If one takes the time to look at that webpage the TREND in magnitude and depth is there to find. The first quake at any depth tends to be the worst and the subsequent quakes are of less and less magnitude. 

The worst quake in the region was 7.2 magnitude and that occurred ten years ago at 16 km depth. There was one other quake at that depth approximately a year ago with a magnitude of 5.8 Richter. That means two things to me, l. the quake was an adjustment by and in reaction of other quakes at shallower depths and 2. That depth indicates the quakes are rare. Why? Because the deeper the quake the more pressure there is to stabilize the quake by Earth itself. Rock is heavy. A quake at depth carries with it the potential to stop simply by pressure above it alone. But, if 7.2 is the worst quake in recent history, then what are the chances of anything worse and in precise displacement that will cause devastating tsunamis?

Sixteen years ago there was a quake at 40 km depth. That was only 5.8 Richter. I have no doubt a quake at 40 km depth will not translate into enormous displacement above it simply because of the weight of the rock. 

Five years after the 40 km occurrence that was a 20 km quake that resulted in 6.3 Richter. It appears from these statistics the closer to the surface the quake the larger the Richter. It makes sense to me. 

Is there going to be a quake that will cause cataclysmic damage to the west coast of the USA? That is a good question. I worry more about a Yellowstone Caldera than a destruction of the west coast simply because Yellowstone is inland with very little place to transmit it's energy than in regions of higher population.

Preparedness is always the answer and every year that should be a warning that occurs as if it were the real thing. It is better to be aware than to languish in ignorance. Just one day ago there was a wildfire that consumed cars. People didn't expect such danger and didn't know what to do. We were lucky they all escaped with what could have been their deaths. It is this unknown component to the world we live in that lurks as dangerous.

Practice to anticipated disaster makes for a safer society.

July 15, 2015
By Richard Read

Leave it to The New Yorker (click here) to publish the definitive treatment of horrors bound to spring from a Northwest Cascadia subduction-zone earthquake and tsunami.

Authors of voluminous state task-force reports have labored to catalog the probable effects of the colossal double disaster that experts say will certainly someday — perhaps in our lifetimes — kill thousands, erase Oregon coastal towns and decimate Portland, Seattle and other cities....

I think prison reform will pass quickly through the federal system.

When a prison system passes 18 year olds from juvenile facilities to adult facilities is there any doubt there are profound problems with incarceration. Young minds and hearts are far easier to reform and bring a better understanding to the meaning of life. But, it doesn't happen and career criminals start young.

July 19, 2015
By Peter Funt

...The tide of opinion (click here) is turning quickly concerning the gaping hole in America’s promise to treat citizens fairly. Our poorly run, overcrowded, shamefully inequitable incarceration system is all of a sudden under intense review.
At the El Reno prison in Oklahoma, the president stood outside a 9-by-10 cell that confines three men at a time. “These are young people who made mistakes that aren’t that different from the mistakes I made,” he said, referring to his experiments with drugs while growing up in Hawaii. “The difference is, they did not have the kind of support structures, the second chances, the resources that would allow them to survive those mistakes.”
The president made clear that his focus is on nonviolent offenders, many serving terms imposed under rigid mandatory sentencing laws which have caused the nation’s prison population to explode. This has disproportionately affected young Hispanic and African-American men....

July 20, 2015

China has deported 20 foreigners (click here) from Britain, South Africa and India for watching video clips that advocated terrorism and religious extremism, the official state media reported, while two of the tourists reportedly blamed their detentions on a documentary about Genghis Khan.

Xinhua News Agency said the foreigners watched an unspecified documentary in a hotel room and later some of them watched video clips that advocated terrorism. Police also found similar clips on a cellphone belonging to one of the South Africans, Xinhua said.

It cited the foreign affairs office of Ordos city in China's Inner Mongolia region, where police had stopped the 10 South Africans, 9 Britons and one Indian on July 10 as they were going to fly to Xi'an, home of the terracotta warriors and their next stop on a 47-day tour of the country. The British Embassy had said the group included nine Britons and two with dual British-South African nationalities....

The idea the Iran Agreement is wrong and isn't tough enough is propaganda. The other alternative is no better.

The American policy of depravation does nothing except creates incredible hardship for the people within the country. There are examples to prove it. 

Permanent sanctions in North Korea has caused greater hostilities and aggression and not less. The country has nothing to loss. The North Korean policy is a failure and never prevented the development of nuclear weapons. Bush stated North Korea is a rouge country and a member of the Bush imagineering of the Axis of Evil at the DMZ. He and Cheney are sadists. The Axis of Evil was the biggest joke in the world. Look what it did.

Spare me the romanticizing of war. The USA has run two illegal wars to date and the death toll is in the millions. I would not call that romantic.

Next time an American gets the urge to hate enough to instill war, they should simply watch the OK Corral or the Alamo on reruns.

"Morning Papers"

The Rooster

"Okeydoke"

There isn't anything Donald Trump can do to harm the Republican Party, it is can't get any lower than it is today.

May 30, 2013
By Philip Geraldi


...McCain’s own tale (click here) of his torture and the confession he recorded for the North Vietnamese comes largely from his book Faith of My Fathers, in which he describes his shame at cooperating with the enemy. But some of McCain’s fellow prisoners, who were tortured and did not collaborate, have challenged his narrative, expressing their belief that McCain was not physically abused at all and that he was well treated. Others who were also in the prison camp dispute that claim. But by McCain’s own account he may have begun cooperating with the North Vietnamese within three days of his capture and was fully on board within two weeks, providing specific intelligence on his aircraft carrier, its aircraft, and the support vessels attached to it, information that was later featured in North Vietnamese radio broadcasts. One account that appeared on a wire service entitled “PW Songbird is Pilot Son of Admiral” reported that McCain may have gone beyond an acceptable level of collaboration in assisting the psychological warfare offensives aimed at American servicemen: “The broadcast was beamed to American servicemen in South Vietnam as a part of a propaganda series attempting to counter charges by U.S. Defense Secretary Melvin Laird that American prisoners are being mistreated in North Vietnam."...

It is old news. There have been detractors for a very long time. 

...His recent visit to Syria to demonstrate support for the rebels is, in fact, a violation of the Logan Act which forbids the conduct of foreign policy by anyone outside the executive branch of government.... 

The Logan Act (click here) has remained almost unchanged and unused since its passage. The act is short and reads as follows:

Any citizen of the United States, wherever he may be, who, without authority of the United States, directly or indirectly commences or carries on any correspondence or intercourse with any foreign government or any officer or agent thereof, with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government or of any officer or agent thereof, in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States, or to defeat the measures of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.

This section shall not abridge the right of a citizen to apply, himself or his agent, to any foreign government or the agents thereof for redress of any injury which he may have sustained from such government or any of its agents or subjects.

March 12, 2015
By Josh Zeitz
 
It’s been over 200 years (click here) since members of Congress wore white silk stockings and silver shoe buckles on the House floor, but if you read Tom Cotton’s letter to the leaders of Iran, you wouldn’t necessarily know it.
 
On March 9th, 47 Republican members of the United States Senate appeared to violate the Logan Act—a law dating to 1799 prohibiting unauthorized citizens from negotiating with foreign governments during a dispute with the United States....