Progress and history is being made in Afghanistan.

June 7, 2018
by Mushtaq Yusufzai, Saphora Smith

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani inspects an honor guard at the presidential palace in Kabul.

Peshwar, Pakistan — The Taliban's top military council (click here) was meeting Thursday to decide whether to accept Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's cease-fire offer, two senior commanders told NBC News.

Ghani announced earlier that government troops would observe a cease-fire beginning on 27 Ramadan, or June 12 on the Western calendar, and last through the Eid al-Fitr holiday, or around June 19. A statement from the president's office said the cease-fire does not include Al Qaeda or the Islamic State.

The group’s leadership "will thoroughly discuss the pros and cons of the cease-fire announcement," said a member of the Taliban council....

The G-7 Summit should prove to be cutting edge and it is held in Canada.

The G7 Summit is being held in Quebec which is short trip from Washington, DC

June 7, 2018

The Quebec Treasury Board (click here) has launched a large-scale call for applicants for professional jobs in Quebec’s civil service and is hoping anglophones get aboard the hiring bandwagon.

There are currently 1,500 full and part-time positions available, largely in the Quebec City and Montreal regions as well as others in the regions, including Abitibi-Témiscamingue and Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine.

“There’s a hiring blitz. The important thing is we want to be really proactive by using our networks.

The message is ‘we need you in the civil service and it’s an interesting career,’ ” Kathleen Weil, minister responsible for relations with the English-speaking community, said in an interview Thursday.

“We want to get them when they are very young. I have met with school boards and high schools, universities.”...

The Summit

Friday, June 8, 2018

12:30 – 14:00 (click here)

G7 working lunch

• Theme: Economic growth that works for everyone
• Location: Le Point Cardinal, golf clubhouse, Le Manoir Richelieu
• Participants: Leaders and sherpas
• Media: Closed

Saturday, June 9, 2018

I fully expect Ivanka Trump to be in attendance.

08:00 – 09:00

G7 and Gender Equality Advisory Council breakfast

• Location: G7 Outreach Meeting Room, Le Manoir Richelieu
• Participants: Leaders, sherpas and council members
• Media: Photo opportunity

09:30 – 10:30

G7 working session

• Theme: Gender equality and women’s empowerment
• Location: G7 Summit Room,Le Manoir Richelieu
• Participants: Leaders and Sherpas
• Media: Photo opportunity

The climate crisis is a very big deal for all attending, except the USA. So, expect the Trump crowd to seek distraction of one kind or another. Perhaps if Donny is too much for anyone to handle, they will consider making it the G6.

10:45 – 11:45

G7 working session

• Theme: Climate change and clean energy
• Location: G7 Summit Room, Le Manoir Richelieu
• Participants: Leaders and sherpas
• Media: Closed

15:00 – 16:30

G7 working session

• Theme: Economic growth and the future of work
• Location: G7 Summit Room, Le Manoir Richelieu
• Participants: Leaders and Sherpas
• Media: Photo opportunity

18:30 – 20:00

G7 working dinner

• Theme: A more peaceful and secure world
• Location: Black Bear Chalet, La Malbaie
• Participants: Leaders
• Media: Closed

And it looks like there is a Sunday agenda:

12:15 – 13:15

G7 and outreach working session

• Theme: Oceans
• Location: G7 Outreach Meeting Room, Le Manoir Richelieu
• Participants: G7 and outreach leaders, and Sherpas
• Media: Photo opportunity

13:15 – 13:45

G7 and outreach family photograph

• Location: Press theatre, Le Manoir Richelieu
• Participants: G7 and outreach leaders
• Media: Photo opportunity

13:45 – 15:15

G7 and outreach working lunch

• Theme: Oceans
• Location: G7 Outreach Meeting Room, Le Manoir Richelieu
• Participants: G7 and outreach leaders, and Sherpas
• Media: Closed

16:00 – 17:00

Chair’s press conference

• Location: Press theatre, Le Manoir Richelieu
• Participant: Prime Minister of Canada
• Media: Open coverage

Of course, Putin is all bent out of shape that he won't be there, so he is throwing in a special poison to Europe. It is really meant for Ukraine.

June 7, 2018

By Anton Troianovski

Moscow — As he watches Europe’s confrontation (click here) with President Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to be enjoying an “I told you so” moment.

European leaders long ignored his warnings about the dangers of a world dominated by the United States, Putin said Thursday during his nationally broadcast annual call-in show . With Trump’s new metals tariffs, Putin said, Europeans are now finally getting their comeuppance for showing excessive deference to Washington — and getting a taste of the way the United States had long treated Russia.

“In essence, these are sanctions,” Putin said of the tariffs. “What, did they ‘annex Crimea,’ as many of our partners say?”

Putin went on: “Our partners probably thought that these counterproductive policies would never affect them. . . . No one wanted to listen, and no one wanted to do anything to stop these tendencies. Here we are.”

One of the show’s hosts responded, “They got what they deserved.”...

The US oversight committees should consider holding hearings when Australia and the US were on joint operations.

7 June 2018
By Nick McKenzie and Chris Masters

Some members of Australia’s elite special forces (click here) allegedly committed war crimes in Afghanistan amid a “complete lack of accountability” from the military chain of command, a confidential defence inquiry has found.

The report reveals that special forces insiders have confidentially disclosed “unsanctioned and illegal application of violence on operations” by Australian special forces soldiers which extend to a “disregard for human life and dignity”.

...The confidential inquiry also warns that Australia’s national security is being damaged by “major gaps in knowledge” across government about the capability and culture of Special Operations Command, and poor coordination between its two key units, the Special Air Service Regiment and the Commandos....

...Allegations of war crimes are the subject of an investigation by NSW judge Paul Brereton into the activities of Australia’s special forces in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2016. The Brereton investigation was prompted by the Crompvoets report.

Previous efforts to obtain the Crompvoets’ report under FOI laws have been blocked....

Oklahomans are too afraid of their own political shadow to stand up to Trump.

June 5, 2018
By Randy Krehbiel

Four Republican candidates (click here) in the 1st Congressional District covered the usual issues — taxes, abortion, guns, immigration — during a Tuesday night forum at Tulsa Tech’s Lemley Campus, but the biggest commotion came near the end, when Danny Stockstill rose to moderator Russell Mills’ invitation to
criticize President Donald Trump.

In truth, Stockstill did not chide Trump so much as he did fellow Republicans who won’t hold the president accountable for his actions, especially toward women.

“We like President Trump because he says what he says and he means what he says,” Stockstill said in response to Mills’ question. “So why are we so afraid to say, ‘There’s no way I want my son to act like (Trump)’?

“If my daughter ever dates a man who treated her like he treats women, I’m going to use my Second Amendment,” Stockstill said. “If I ever find out my son has treated women the way he has, I don’t care how old (my son) is, I’m going to come down on him.

“If we can’t stand up and say out loud, ‘I disagree with President Trump in the way he treats people,’ shame on us.”.

“Shame on you!” shouted a woman near the stage.

Stockstill’s remarks were otherwise met with a scattering of applause, grumbling and silence.

Stockstill was responding to a question Mills had asked of four gubernatorial candidates one night earlier and repeated Tuesday: What did they think of U.S. Sen. James Lankford’s remark that he does not consider Trump a role model for children?...

Trump seems to have this 'thing' with sex offenders, right? He had that staff member that beat two of his former wives (click here) and was dating the communication director. Then the attempted murder guy (click here) was picked up at the White House. I think a lot of this speaks to the 'Don's network' of close advisers. They are on the opposite side of the Law Enforcers Trump states he loves so much.

"Trump Dating" looks like a Caucasian only site as well.

February 20, 2018
By Avi Selk

Trump.Dating (click here) is an odd site, and not just because it featured a convicted sex offender’s smiling face on its homepage. More on that shortly.

It’s strange in nearly every way a dating site could be strange. Its all-caps slogan — “MAKE DATING GREAT AGAIN! FIND YOUR PRO-TRUMP MATCH TODAY” — may be the least weird thing about it.

The site’s premise, at least, makes some sense: “like-minded people have a far better chance at success in a relationship,” as a news release announcing the site’s launch put it this month. “Users can rest assured every person they are talking to is behind the president, with red, white, and blue blood that flows for America each and every day.”

Nothing wrong with that. Who wants to have a border wall argument over wine? But Trump.Dating’s peculiarities begin to surface with the first mouse click and never quite stop.

...The common denominator among the site’s users is supposed to be that they, unlike most opinion poll respondents, support President Trump. But try to register, and the first thing you’re asked is whether you’re a “Straight Man” or “Straight Woman.” Gay people (let alone bisexual, transgender or queer) simply don’t exist in the menus....

Everyone deserves a second chance, but, the tone of the country is not especially accepting of sexual assault or harassment. It is a tough time for former sex offenders.

Sex offenders do set themselves at odds with society. There is the registry and fear by most parents that child molesters and pedophiles are simply a danger that should not be tolerated, hence, the registry. So, the idea a former sex offender could successfully attract people to a dating site is really out on the extremes as to what is possible.

"Trump Dating" (click here)

February 20, 2018
By Sofia Lotto Persio

...The photo (click here) serving as a backdrop to the registration menu portrayed a couple, the man wearing a red “Trump” cap backward and the woman a pink hat reading “Make America Great Again.”

Local North Carolina news website Triad City Beat identified the couple as Barrett Riddleberger, also known as Brett, and Jodi Riddleberger, Greensboro residents who were involved in setting up a Tea Party–inspired Conservatives for Guilford County political action committee (C4GC)....

...Barrett's criminal record then resurfaced a few years later, when the Riddleberger couple was among the plaintiffs in a defamation lawsuit against Greensboro blogger Jeff Martin, who wrote a satirical blog post saying that C4GC's most prominent members included the owners of a strip club and a child sex offender. According to a Greensboro News & Record report of the lawsuit, Barrett had filmed himself having sex with a 15-year-old girl when he was a 25-year-old man....

Then there is the issue of what Trump says and what Trump does. He wrapped himself in the LGBT flag during his campaign, but, once in office turned his back on them.

Now, the LGBTQ community can't even ask a Christian to back a wedding cake. This is America?

More Trump fraud, colluded by FOX News. Now, the FCC should do something about FOX, but, with Trump in the White House FOX becomes his propaganda arm.

June 6, 2018
By Sarah Fitzpatrick

...The filing Wednesday (click here) alleges that Trump attorney Michael Cohen "hatched a plan" and "colluded" with the adult film actress' lawyer, Keith Davidson, in an attempt to get her to go on Fox News in January and falsely deny she had an affair with Trump more than a decade ago.

Cohen even referred to Davidson as "pal" in one text message attached to the complaint.

The lawsuit against Davidson and Cohen also claims that Trump was aware the two attorneys were communicating and coordinating for his benefit — unbeknownst to Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford.

The suit further accuses Davidson of breaking client confidentiality and tipping off Cohen that Clifford was about to switch to a new lawyer, Michael Avenatti, and announce in court papers that she'd had sex with Trump and signed a $130,000 agreement to keep quiet about it just before the 2016 election

"Mr. Davidson abdicated his role as an advocate and fiduciary of his client Ms. Clifford and instead elected to be a puppet for Mr. Cohen and Mr. Trump in order to advance their interests at the expense of Ms. Clifford," the suit says....

"It's the Bomb" Twitter (click here)

Former Mayor Giuliani has stated he doesn't trust a porn star. Well, there are many Americans that don't trust liars either. 

June 6, 2018
By Kerry Justich

...The video has Daniels (click here) wearing a black and white tux while walking around a mansion, then stepping out of a car to a sea of loud paparazzi and flashing cameras. Across the screen reads: “Truth can be thought of as just a temporary belief of knowing something in a moment of time until it advances and then changes.”

While the brand — or Daniels herself — has yet to disclose what the inspiration or meaning behind these words are, many on social media have their theories....

I want a bottle. Where can I find it?

June 6, 2018
By Samantha Sasso

...The limited-edition, (click here) gender-neutral scent will be exclusively distributed by It's the Bomb, and is infused with "sensual pheromones." Although the announcement comes devoid of other important details — like when it launches, how much it costs, or what it actually smells like — we do know there are some glorious campaign teasers to go along with it, many of which lend to the assumption that this perfume is inspired by Daniels' legal battle with Trump and his former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, and her intention to #embracehertruth (which stands as the product launch's tagline)....

Evidently, rewriting history to create a distraction from the real problems of the USA is Trump's specialty.

 August 23rd

On this day in 1814, (click here) during the War of 1812 between the United States and England, British troops enter Washington, D.C. and burn the White House in retaliation for the American attack on the city of York in Ontario, Canada, in June 1812.

When the British arrived at the White House, they found that President James Madison and his first lady Dolley had already fled to safety in Maryland. Soldiers reportedly sat down to eat a meal made of leftover food from the White House scullery using White House dishes and silver before ransacking the presidential mansion and setting it ablaze.

According to the White House Historical Society and Dolley’s personal letters, President James Madison had left the White House on August 22 to meet with his generals on the battlefield, just as British troops threatened to enter the capitol. Before leaving, he asked his wife Dolley if she had the “courage or firmness” to wait for his intended return the next day. He asked her to gather important state papers and be prepared to abandon the White House at any moment.

The next day, Dolley and a few servants scanned the horizon with spyglasses waiting for either Madison or the British army to show up. As British troops gathered in the distance, Dolley decided to abandon the couple’s personal belongings and instead saved a full-length portrait of former president George Washington from desecration. Dolley wrote to her sister on the night of August 23 of the difficulty involved in saving the painting. Since the portrait was screwed to the wall, she ordered the frame to be broken and the canvas pulled out and rolled up. Two unidentified “gentlemen from New York” hustled it away for safe-keeping. (Unbeknownst to Dolley the portrait was actually a copy of Gilbert Stuart’s original). The task complete, Dolley wrote “and now, dear sister, I must leave this house, or the retreating army will make me a prisoner in it by filling up the road I am directed to take.” Dolley left the White House and found her husband at their predetermined meeting place in the middle of a thunderstorm....