E. Jean Carroll

"Trump attacked me in the dressing room of Bergdorf Goodman." (click here)

The plight of beautiful women.

I admire her courage, today, as well as 23 years ago. I find her story commonplace. She was and still is a powerful woman with a magnificent career. When she talks about respect, I find that a defense to prevent an opinion that could hurt her. She is a public figure. She was compromised before it even began and I think her assailant knew that.

She stated she was leaving Bergdorf Goodman while he was entering. Did she ever wonder if he was entering because she was there?

Women do blame themselves for these attacks. Especially women that are used to taking care of themselves and are resilient to life's ups and downs. Women like to be in control and blame themselves as not being smart enough when something like this happens. I don't read minds, I doubt she does either. How could any woman ever blame herself for being attractive and enjoying attention afforded her because she is who she is?

The climate of tolerance of sexual assault is different because of women that came forward that said, "No more." I find her reflection of the women at the border being raped and facing issues of abortion and homelessness in a country that they are not familiar with admirable. She has made a life of worrying about others. I am confident those women would appreciate her focus on them.

Today, E. Jean Carroll came forward about a rape she never spoke of before except for her strictest of confidants. That is a personal accomplishment and I applaud her. We know a lot more about Donald J. Trump we didn't before and it all adds up, doesn't it?

She is a good person, this was not her fault, she had no defense against it and today she is free. I thank her for her honesty. I want her to be free of this burden of all these years and realize a beautiful woman is allowed to receive the attention she considered lighthearted without assault or without the threat of defaming herself by coming forward to report it.

She did the right thing for herself 23 years ago, no different than other women have done the right thing for themselves. The burden is on society, not the women. Rape is serious and women are not stupid for having it occur.

She is as much a great woman today as she was 23 years ago. I hope her life is enjoyable and lighthearted and as graciously social for the rest of her life. I thank her for joining the "Me Too" movement. It is a great moment for all of us, too.

June 21, 2019
By Madeline Ciak

Fadwa Hammoud was sworn in on February 14, 2019 (click here)

Flint - According to a news release, (click here) Michigan Solicitor General Fadwa Hammoud and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy will be coming to Flint.

They are scheduled to visit the city on June 28.

They want to have a community conversation with the resident of Flint following the dismissal of pending criminal cases related to the Flint Water Crisis.

Kim Worthy in her 2010 campaign for office. (click here)

I think this is necessary. I am sure these great women have considerable information and evidence from the previous administration, however, they are reopening the investigation because of new evidence. It is only correct to retrace the steps of so many years ago and look under every rock and turn every page to be sure there isn't more undiscovered evidence. Flint and Michigan should be proud of their efforts to unearth the truth.

There is an ongoing problem with McLaren Hospital. It never removed the threat of Legionella from the hospital environment. Just a couple of things, did this hospital ever have problems with Legionella before the Flint water crisis and if so what is the exact history in the way of numbers of victims and the dates at which they were diagnosed along with their outcomes.

Also, there is no excuse for a hospital showing any traces of Legionella bacteria. They need to consider closing the hospital until the State of Michigan determines it is in compliance.

To note McClaren is near the Flint River. 

There are other options. Hurley Medical Center and Hurley's Children Clinic may be able to pick up the patients from McLaren. The State may want to take over McLaren and possibly replace the entire management staff with help from the University of Michigan. I am quite sure there are administrators within the UM hospital system that can do a far better job of determining the fate of the McLaren hospital than the current administration for that hospital. I think the state needs to move immediately to dissolve the credentializing of the hospital until it is determined to be safe. There is no excuse for this. People have to be safe first and foremost.

McLaren-Flint will have to be quarantined until further notice.

June 21, 2019
By Ron Fonger

Flint - McLaren-Flint (click here) says it’s finding low levels of Legionella bacteria in hospital water not because of internal issues but because it’s working so hard to identify and fix problems coming from the city’s water distribution system.

In a brief filed with the Michigan Office of Administrative Hearings and Rules this week, McLaren says it has spent more than $2 million to safeguard its water system in less than three years -- only to be punished by the state Department of Health and Human Services because its intensive testing has “occasionally” found “very low levels” of Legionella....

One Congressperson does not even make a quorum.

...But at least one member of Congress (click here) appears to believe the warnings from Trump's top Iran hawks, National Security Adviser John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and it's former Vice President Dick Cheney's daughter, Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.). In a classified briefing Wednesday, Cheney "argued that the intelligence warranted an escalation against Iran," the Post reports, citing a person with knowledge of the briefing. "In response, Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton (Mass.) (click here) accused her of exaggerating the threat in what the person described as a 'very heated exchange.'"...

I might point out that Congressman Seth Moulton was a soldier. He understands war. He even has his health care needs attended to by the Veterans' Administration. I believe him to be trustworthy. He does not want to plunge the USA into an unnecessary war causing thousands and thousands of deaths. I know who I can trust with the military of this country and it is not a person willing to believe the worst without balancing the costs of human tragedy.

Congresswoman Cheney is looking toward becoming a US Senator in 2020. I don't think she will make it if she is unwilling to think before she acts. 

On the first day of Summer, Amazon is announcing growth into Texas.

This will bring new jobs, competition for wage labor, health care benefits and a chance for advancement. I wish everyone good luck in this new venture.

June 21, 2019
By Maria Halkias

Amazon is planning to open (click here) one of its new 4-Star stores in the Dallas area.

4-Star stores are designed to bring Amazon's online experience into a physical space with employees who can answer questions and displays that feature products that are top sellers in local markets.

Amazon hasn't yet disclosed the Dallas-Fort Worth location, but it has started hiring and posted a job for a store manager on its website. The ad's job details included Frisco....

Iran and the USA need to return to peace talks and the Iran Nuclear Agreement before it is too late.

I sincerely appreciate the fact President Trump did not take the next step in escalating tensions. That is a sign of hope and he should build on it.

I understand Iran has the drone.

June 21, 2019
By Ivana Kottosova

The aborted US strikes against Iran on Thursday (click here) were meant to target a limited set of Iranian radars and missile batteries, according to a US official with direct knowledge of the matter.

The strikes were set to begin on Thursday night when the White House called them off, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information.

No US weapons had been launched when the decision was made to call the strikes off, the official said.

The decision to call off the strikes was first reported by the New York Times....

The Navy Seals played their hand well.

June 20, 2019
By Vanessa Romo

The war crimes trial of Navy SEAL Chief Edward Gallagher (click here) took a dramatic turn Thursday when a lead prosecution witness — another SEAL who has been granted immunity to testify — confessed that he was the actual killer of a 17-year-old ISIS prisoner.

Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Corey Scott stunned prosecutors as he described a previously unheard version of events, saying he asphyxiated the teenage Islamic fighter as an act of mercy.

Among other charges related to his 2017 military service in Iraq, Gallagher is accused of killing the insurgent.

Scott began his witness testimony as prosecutors had expected, KPBS reporter Steve Walsh told NPR. Like several other witnesses who have taken the stand earlier this week, Scott first said Gallagher plunged a knife into the neck of the wounded ISIS captive as they were providing him with medical care....

How does it feel to be an American today? Safe?

All this is because Trump carried through with a campaign promise to leave the Iran Nuclear Deal, which is an act of war.

Trump needs to apologize to Iran, reverse course and return to the peace table and the Iran Nuclear Deal.

Trump never attempted in any way renegotiations. Germany attempted to seek renegotiations, but, Trump never did and there was not one meeting with Iranian officials to register a complaint about the Iran Nuclear Deal. It is an act of war.

June 21, 2019
By Jon Gambrell 

Dubai – Major airlines from around the world (click here) on Friday began rerouting their flights to avoid areas around the Strait of Hormuz following Iran’s shooting down of a U.S. military surveillance drone there, as America warned commercial airliners could be mistakenly attacked.

Australia’s Qantas, British Airways, Dutch carrier KLM and Germany’s Lufthansa said soon afterward that they will avoid the region as well.

The FAA previously warned of a risk in the region, but Friday’s warning threw into stark relief a danger both it and analysts warned was real after the shooting down of a Malaysian Airlines flight over Ukraine in 2014. That could further imperil the bottom lines of Gulf long-haul carriers, which already have faced challenges under the Trump administration....