These events are lated.

March 31, 2023

By David Fogarty

Singapore - A major ocean circulation (click here) that forms around Antarctica could be headed for collapse, risking significant changes to the world’s weather, sea levels and the health of marine ecosystems, scientists say, offering a stark warning about the growing impacts of climate change.

Global warming is accelerating the melting of ice in Antarctica, and the increased amount of fresh water flooding into the ocean is disrupting the flow of the Antarctic overturning circulation, according to a study published on Wednesday in the journal Nature.

The Antarctic overturning circulation is part of a global network of currents that shift heat, oxygen and nutrients around the globe....

The warmer the climate gets the worse the weather. This tornado killed Americans way outside the NORMAL SEASON FOR TORNADOES!

March 31, 2023
By Amada Holpuch and McKenna Oxenden

A large tornado struck (click here) near Little Rock, Ark., on Friday afternoon, tearing down trees and destroying homes, according to the National Weather Service, whose meteorologists in the local office were forced to evacuate.

The tornado is part of a complex and dangerous storm system began hitting the Upper Midwest and South, forecasters said.

Images from Little Rock showed debris and damage to homes from the tornado, which KATV, a local TV station, described as “catastrophic,” saying it expected widespread damage. In addition to the tornado emergency for parts of Little Rock, forecasters also declared an emergency for parts of nearby Sherwood and Jacksonville, Ark. It was unclear whether there had been injuries.

Meteorologists at the National Weather Service office in Little Rock had to move to a tornado shelter on Friday afternoon, as it became clear that their office was in the tornado’s path. The Memphis office of the Weather Service planned to issue warnings and monitor the weather on their behalf, said Desiree Meadows, a meteorologist in Memphis. In the aftermath of the tornado, another tornado warning was issued for the Little Rock area....

 

The country has been through a lot. The people don't need more of this disastrously anti-American Republican Party.

March 31, 2023
By Adela Suliman

This week Donald Trump (click here) became the first former president to be charged with a crime, after a grand jury in Manhattan voted to indict him late Thursday.

At the heart of the case the grand jurors had been hearing is evidence about a $130,000 payment made to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels during Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.

Here’s what to know about Daniels, and what she says happened with Trump.

Who is Stormy Daniels?...

I think we know how extreme the values are of this party. Women are nothing except uterus without rights. Women are to be handled. All this enforced by an anti-American news conglomerate.

31 March 2023
By Kira Lerner

A judge on Friday refused to dismiss Dominion Voting Systems’ $1.6bn defamation lawsuit (click here) against Fox News, clearing the way for the case to proceed to trial beginning in mid April.

The judge denied Fox’s motion for summary judgment, instead granting Dominion’s motion in part.

“The evidence developed in this civil proceeding demonstrates that is CRYSTAL clear that none of the Statements relating to Dominion about the 2020 election are true,” the judge wrote. “Therefore, the Court will grant summary judgment in favor of Dominion on the element of falsity.”

In a statement provided to the Guardian, Dominion applauded the decision.

“We are gratified by the Court’s thorough ruling soundly rejecting all of Fox’s arguments and defenses, and finding as a matter of law that their statements about Dominion are false,” they wrote. “We look forward to going to trial.”...

There are serious issues facing the USA and there are elements of our political system, including media and a major political party, that are anti-democracy in every meaning of the word, including depersonalizing women into a category of religious objects.

This is a serious time and we cannot ignore the very dangerous climate we are all facing on a day to day basis. 

Serious discussion regarding these issues and how to solve them is paramount to the survival of our democracy and the economy that thrives within it.

Stormy Daniels made her money as an exotic dancer. There are women that dance and it is not evil or trivial. She is a person that respected the Rule of Law and pursued justice as a women at every turn of this travesty of an episode with a wayward billionaire that made his fortune at others misfortune.

I strongly believe it is time for the FCC to step up and carry out it's purpose and protect the American people from those that intend to harm their country with lies and deceptive campaigns.

There is an unrelenting weather pattern only effected by Coriolis.

Mid-Level Water Vapor - IR - 31 Mar 2023 - 2011 UTC (click here for loop)

31 March 2023
2011z
NOAA GOES East

There is a vortex over the Dakotas, Nebraska, Wyoming and Montana that is persistent. It is not moving on and will continue to maintain the pattern of weather adversely effecting the country. The ridge that is causing deadly tornadoes is off the equator and persistent. I just don't see this system moving on any time soon.

There is another massive weather system off the west coast and it will continue to bring harsh wet weather.

That Dakota vortex continues to visit very cold air north of it and brings it down into the US. That circulating cold air is forcing the air mass from the equator to persist.

Governors need the long view. 

Until Putin and his regime is removed from power any Russian leadership at the UN should denied.

It is an obligation that the United Nations support the International Criminal Court. The United Nations needs NATO. NATO does not need the UN.

31 March 2023
By Julian Borger

In Ukraine, (click here) Moscow is pursuing an unprovoked war of aggression. In The Hague, Vladimir Putin is facing an arrest warrant for war crimes. But at the UN, Russia is about to take charge of a powerful international body, the security council.

From Saturday, it will be Russia’s turn to take up the monthly presidency of the 15-member council, in line with a rotation that has been unaffected by the Ukraine war.

The last time Russia held the gavel was in February last year, when Putin declared his “special military operation” in the middle of a council session on Ukraine. Fourteen months on, tens of thousands of people have been killed, many of them civilians, cities have been ruined and Putin has been indicted by the international criminal court for the mass abduction of Ukrainian children....

Stormy Daniels

Thank you for being a great American dedicated to the US Constitution and free artistic expression in all it’s magnificent forms.

Stormy is a hero.

She put everything on the line to tell the country the truth. Every American should embrace her honesty and loyalty to her country.

Narcissism

I would like to see psychological profiles of these mass killers. It would be best to seek out common traits and identify the risks in the country as well as the community before it happens. 

I expect at least one common deadly trait, narcissism. “Only I can fix it.”

Russia has to prove sabotage. It is not possible if none occurred.

March 27, 2023
By Tsvetana Paraskova

Russia could demand compensation (click here) for damages over the sabotaged Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea, a senior Russian diplomat told Russian news agency RIA Novosti in an interview.

"We do not rule out raising the issue of compensation for damages as a result of the explosion of the Nord Stream gas pipelines," Dmitry Birichevsky, Head of the Economic Cooperation Department at the Russian Foreign Ministry, was quoted as saying.

The official did not specify with whom Russia would seek compensation.

Russia will continue to insist on an investigation into the blasts that involves Russian representatives, Birichevsky said, adding that the "Western countries are actively sabotaging work" on a Russia-proposed draft UN resolution calling for an independent investigation....

There are more reasons for Russia to destroy the pipeline than anyone else.

March 24, 2023

Denmark is salvaging (click here) an unidentified object found next to a Russian gas pipeline that was damaged in a blast last September, as investigators continue to seek who was behind the attack.

The operation comes two weeks after German authorities said they searched a vessel that may have transported explosives used in the attack on the Nord Stream pipelines. Several probes are investigating the origin of the attack on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 links, designed to deliver natural gas from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea....

This video does not show a pipeline destroyed from the outside. There is no explosive evidence that one can point to that is obvious damage caused from an explosion outside the pipeline. It shows a section of pipeline separated from the other. This is pressure from inside pushing the two sections apart. There is no evidence of explosive anything. Where there is seawater and methane, there are methane hydrates. We have witnessed the power of accumulating methane hydrates in lifting a cement cap off the Deepwater Horizon breach. The fact that gas was leaking to the surface ONLY PROVES there was methane in the pipeline when it met with seawater. There was no explosion on the surface. There was no explosion that showed up BEFORE THE GAS LEAKED TO THE SURFACE.

Ukraine does not have the capacity to pull off such an operation. This is not a minor incident. Something separated sections of the pipeline. I think it was the build up of methane hydrates. There is absolutely nothing in this video to dictate an explosion or a series of explosions. Methane hydrates inside the pipeline would cause more than one separation of the sections of the pipeline after construction resumed after a period of suspended operations. There was a period of time when there was no construction going on. This occurred after the construction was restarted. There is no sabotage unless the construction crew allowed it to occur through the chemical reaction of seawater and methane.

Nord Stream

There was a pause in the construction before the gas erupted out of the pipeline. If water found its way into that pipeline, there could be complications with methane hydrates at that depth.

Gotion, Inc.

China should never be involved in a vital project that is funded by local, state and federal governments.

The EV battery plant should be nationalized while construction continues. The plant can be a U.S. government installation or the major American auto makers can buy interest in the facility.

When foreign investment by communist countries are tolerated a national security issue develops. It is no different than the Russian steel plant in Kentucky, the profits of these facilities goes back to China or Russia. In allowing this level of exploitation Ukraine is at risk as well as our military in general. Those profits will go to build more missiles and nukes that in turn can be used against the USA and our allies.

Another example is Tik-Tok. China has already stated if there was a forced sale China will step in. What the heck does that mean? China has no right to dictate policy regarding the airspace over the USA!

Communists go home and don’t come back!

The EV plant is being funded by Free World governments as if China is doing us a favor. It isn’t! Nationalize the interest in it and ask USA companies to purchase interest in it and use the batteries produced. It would be a huge leg-up for a company like Ford to reduce it’s capital expense in producing electric vehicles.

I can’t believe China is allowed to compete with Musk. That is just simply outrageous.

The Space Force…

 …needs to stay in Colorado. American taxpayers should not be paying for such ill tempered, ill-mannered president’s political preferences! Don’t talk about the budget if this kind of foolishness is allowed and tolerated.

The US Air Force Academy is in Colorado. The US Air Force Academy states it is the “Number One School for Space.”

End of discussion.

Americans are valuing life and the idea purity of water and food are important.

March 23, 2023

By Kelly Vaughn

Flint - As water infrastructure across the country grows older, (click here) residents and leaders in Flint say what happened to them should be a lesson to all.

April 25, 2023, marks nine years since the Flint water crisis began. Some residents said they still feel like they are living in a science experiment.

"We run the cold water and it smells like chemicals; run the hot water and it smells like sometimes dirty feet," said Melissa Mays, the operations manager for "Flint Rising," an organization helping those impacted after Flint's water was contaminated with lead in 2014.

The ramifications are still unfolding today. This week, a judge approved the $626 million civil settlement, the largest in Michigan's history.

While money is nice, what residents really want is lasting change....

Clean air, clean water, and a safe climate are all priorities to quality of life. This is not a fad that will go away. These problems for the American consumer are real. Good governance is paying attention and creating measurable improvement in all aspects of life.

PFAS can affect the fertility of Americans. Counting numbers and attributing it to women depressed over oppressive Republican regimes is not the answer. Americans know there are problems and it is time to bring about a higher quality of life concentrated on removing dangers to food and water.

January 22. 2021

By Annie Snead

Requirements (click here) such as labeling of products that contain PFAS in a WARNING is a good beginning.

Many Americans fill up a glass of water (click here) from their faucet without worrying whether it might be dangerous. But the crisis of lead-tainted water in Flint, Mich., showed that safe, potable tap water is not a given in this country. Now a study from the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit advocacy organization, reveals a widespread problem: the drinking water of a majority of Americans likely contains “forever chemicals.” These compounds may take hundreds, or even thousands, of years to break down in the environment. They can also persist in the human body, potentially causing health problems.

A handful of states have set about trying to address these contaminants, which are scientifically known as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). But no federal limits have been set on the concentration of the chemicals in water, as they have for other pollutants such as benzene, uranium and arsenic. With a new presidential administration coming into office this week, experts say the federal government finally needs to remedy that oversight. “The PFAS pollution crisis is a public health emergency,” wrote Scott Faber, EWG’s senior vice president for government affairs, in a recent public statement....

October 14, 2020

By Monica Amarelo

Washington - A peer-reviewed study by scientists at the Environmental Working Group (click here) estimates that more than 200 million Americans could have the toxic fluorinated chemicals known as PFAS in their drinking water at a concentration of 1 part per trillion, or ppt, or higher. Independent scientific studies have recommended a safe level for PFAS in drinking water of 1 ppt, a standard that is endorsed by EWG.

The study, published today in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters, analyzed publicly accessible drinking water testing results from the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Geological Survey, as well as state testing by Colorado, Kentucky, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina and Rhode Island.

“We know drinking water is a major source of exposure of these toxic chemicals,” said Olga Naidenko, Ph.D., vice president for science investigations at EWG and a co-author of the new study. “This new paper shows that PFAS pollution is affecting even more Americans than we previously estimated. PFAS are likely detectable in all major water supplies in the U.S., almost certainly in all that use surface water.”

The analysis also included laboratory tests commissioned by EWG that found PFAS chemicals in the drinking water of dozens of U.S. cities. Some of the highest PFAS levels detected were in samples from major metropolitan areas, including Miami, Philadelphia, New Orleans and the northern New Jersey suburbs of New York City....

July 27, 2022

By Rich Haridy

Researchers at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine (click here) have found strong evidence exposure to a common group of household chemicals can be associated with 13 different health conditions. The related economic costs have been estimated at between US$5 billion and $60 billion annually in the United States alone.

First developed in the 1940s, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) encompass more than 4,700 different chemical molecules. For decades these chemicals were used in a variety of manufacturing contexts, from non-stick cookware and waterproof clothing to carpets and firefighting foams.

Because PFAS chemicals tend to persist in he environment for long periods of time they have anecdotally been dubbed “forever chemicals.” And the sheer pervasiveness of PFAS in 20th century manufacturing led to studies finding traces of the chemicals in the blood of nearly every American.

Leveraging a very large body of pre-existing research, this new study looked to quantify the disease burden of PFAS exposure and estimate the economic cost of this in regards to medical bills and lost worker productivity. The goal of the economic estimate was to offer regulators a way to evaluate the cost-benefit of eliminating PFAS from our environment....

It could be a technique to increase consumption of cartel merchandise, but, it really looks like someone wants to kill Americans.

Xylazine cuts the half-life of fentanyl in half. Something like that. So, it demands a higher intake of the street drugs to obtain the same length of effect.

February 28, 2023

ByKerry Breen

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (click here) announced on Tuesday that it was taking action to restrict unlawful importing of the veterinary drug xylazine, which has been "increasingly found" in the nation's illicit drug supply.

The action, an import alert, allows for the detainment of shipments of xylazine and the ingredients used to make it. The alert "aims to prevent the drug from entering the U.S. market for illicit purposes," the agency said in a news release. An import alert allows the FDA to detain shipments of products that appear to be in violation of the FDA's laws and regulations.

The drug, an animal tranquilizer used by veterinarians to sedate large animals like horses, will still be made available for "legitimate uses."

When used in people, xylazine can cause "serious and life-threatening effects," including severe skin wounds and dead tissue, the FDA says. It can also depress breathing, blood pressure and heart rate to "critical levels."...

The FDA did the right thing in reporting on a growing trend in the drug trade in the USA. It really looks as though the drug cartels are going out of their way to find ways of making their imports deadly. Narcan doesn't work.

...Some people (click here) who use drugs say xylazine knocks them out for six to eight hours, raising concerns about the potential for serious injury during this "profound sedation," said Dr. Laura Kehoe, medical director at Massachusetts General Hospital's Substance Use Disorders Bridge Clinic.

ehoe argues that the surge of xylazine heightens the need for supervised consumption clinics, where people can use drugs under the watch of trained staff. Legislation that would have allowed a pilot program in Massachusetts died in committee at the State House this year....

This level of concern by physicians interested in protecting lives is introducing the idea all illegal drugs on the market should be converted to physician administered and supervised. If pharmaceutical companies were producing Scheduled Drugs there would not be this level of lethality in their use.

There is going to have to be an approach to scheduled drugs that are currently legal now. Companies hiring people that tend to use such drugs, including legalized marijuana, are going to have to write a policy that allows them to test for such indicators as THC. This requires blood tests and otherwise. Currently, police that pull a motorist over for erratic driving can run breathalyzer tests. When that proves negative they have a method of testing for THC in the field. 

Drug Schedules (click here)

Legalized drugs do not mean legalized behavior on drugs. Just because an individual may have a physicians' order for a drug, that doesn't mean anti-social behavior is acceptable in all aspects of life. People still need to be held responsible for unacceptable behavior on the job. A four martini lunch that results in sexual harassment afterwards is no different than a mellow experience in THC vaping that results in naps or outrageous behaviors. All that has to receive intervention and a path to a good life without DEPENDENCY, legal or not.

DeSantis, his legislature and administration is about the Republican nomination for president.

DeSantis is trying to harvest Trump supports in demonstrating he can get the job done.

In the wake of his ambitions Florida is becoming a problem. The latest extremist bid includes a no permit gun ownership. In other words, other than what is brought on by federal laws, there are no regs or concerns from the State of Florida. It shows.

March 24, 2023
By Lorena Inclan

This time, the scene of the crime (click here) was the entrance ramp to the Palmetto southbound near Northwest 36th Street.

Images showed a white BMW SUV riddled with bullets as Florida Highway Patrol investigated the crime that led to a major backup on the highway.

Retired Miami-Dade police major and attorney Ignacio Alvarez said there are two logical reasons that could spark this violence.

“It could be some type of retaliation, or it could be just simple road rage,” Alvarez said

Earlier this month, NBC 6 covered two highway shootings in Broward County on I-95. In one of the shootings, a man suffered life-threatening injuries.

And back in November 2022, Broward County was once again the scene of what deputies called a road rage incident that left a preschool teacher dead....

DeSantis was elected in 2019 and drug arrests have been on the decline ever since across Florida.

2014 there were 624.9 drug arrests per 100,000 persons. 2020 there were 316.8 drug arrests per 100,000 persons. That means there is less trafficking interference and more cartel merchandise making its way into the country. That nigh level of arrests is consistent across that entire space of time 2014 to 2019. There was an enormous drop off as soon as he became Governor of Florida.

Anyone protecting the Rule of Law that receives death threats needs protection as well as their families.

March 24, 2023

By Jonathan Dienst, Dareh Gregorian and Laura Jaffett

The FBI and NYPD (click here) are investigating a letter containing a death threat and white powder that was mailed to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, whose office is investigating former President Donald Trump, law-enforcement sources told NBC News.

The letter was addressed to Bragg and said, "ALVIN: I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!” the sources said. It contained a small amount of white powder.

There were no evacuations or injuries, officials said.

It was the latest in what a senior law enforcement source described as "several hundred threats" aimed at Bragg and his office in recent weeks. A couple dozen of the messages were considered to be directly threatening serious harm to Bragg, the source said....

US House Republicans…

 …have no right to tamper with local government or prosecutors or investigations. There are States Rights and Republicans in DC are overreaching past the US Constitution when it comes to prosecutions of former President Trump.

The US House is a legislative branch. The DOJ is the Executive Branch office responsible for the Rule of Law. 

McCarthy needs to stop grand standing to raise money for Congressional races. I think there is a need for an ethics investigation to the motive of the US House overreach.

Agreed. There should be a law. And funding besides.

 

March 21, 2023

THINK OF THE worst invasive species you know. (click here) Kudzu: smothering trees and houses, growing a foot a day. Burmese pythons: stripping the Everglades of small animals. Asian carp: hoovering streams clean of plankton and swimming toward the Great Lakes.

They all came from somewhere else, arrived with no natural predators, outcompeted local flora and fauna, and took over whole ecosystems. But they all have their limitations: Kudzu dies in a hard freeze, carp can’t tolerate salt water, and pythons can’t cover long distances very fast. (Thankfully.)

Now imagine a species with all those benefits—foreign origin, no enemies—and no roadblocks to dominance: One that is indifferent to temperature, comfortable in many landscapes, able to run a lot faster than you, and muscular enough to leave a big dent in your car. That describes any of the possibly 6 million feral hogs in the United States, the most intractable invasives that most people have never heard of....

Frank Figliuzzi makes an excellent point, when will Trump end his money making rallies?

March 21, 2023

By Frank Figliuzzi, MSNBC Columnist

In a Truth Social post (click here) on Saturday in which he claimed he’ll be arrested by New York officials Tuesday for hush money he paid adult film star Stormy Daniels, former President Donald Trump called for his supporters to “PROTEST, TAKE OUR NATION BACK!” Trump’s post is one of the reasons we need to be concerned about whether in response to any of the criminal investigations he faces, violent extremists will mobilize on his behalf as they did Jan. 6, 2021....

There will most probably be confrontation, especially with counter protesters. There will be police dangers as well with Trump rallies and protests. The protections at the US Capitol that were put in place after the insurrection of January 6, 2021 need to be maintained and strengthened. President Biden and Vice President Harris need the best protection we can give them, too. 

There is absolutely no doubt Donald John Trump intended for the rally on that day to end in violence insurrection at the US Capitol while disrupting the proceedings to bring in the next freely elected president. The US Justice Department should not be afraid of the truth and bring charges against Trump for his attack on his own Secret Service to get to the insurrection to lead it to complete the violence he expected.

Trump's presidency brought violence to this country as well as a compromised national security by insulting NATO and seeking to make it weaker while allowing breaches in national security with Russia and quite possibly China.

US Justice also needs to add to the list the very fact Trump sought to undermine support for Ukraine. His oath of office was violated.

March 21, 2023
By Wesley Parnell

New York - Demonstrators (click here) who want a Donald Trump indictment far outnumbered MAGA supporters Tuesday morning outside the Manhattan Criminal Court, where the former president is expected to be charged as early as Wednesday.

The pro-indictment protesters gathered in front of the building where Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is investigating Trump over a hush-money payment made to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign....

No Labor Unions - No Middle Class

The Republicans will begin to act against the Michigan return to sanity. They will investigate and hold hearings and try to pin all sorts of criminal content on unions and their leaders.

In the past, unions have been corrupted by power and money. There is no doubt about that, but, they were always found out. Unions are powerful because people within a democracy are powerful.

I worked as a shop steward in a nurses union. There was never any corruption. There was concern for the profession and the professionals. The union also collected dues at a reduced amount for those that did not join the union. Why? Because non-union employees benefited from the unions negotiations and their quality of life was no different than those paying full dues.

If corruption ever exists with union leadership, there needs to be investigations to keep everyone honest. But, where unions are acting in the best interest of the people they represent at bargaining tables, they deserve the confidence in knowing their union dues will keep the offices humming and the lawyers paid.

March 21, 2023
By Lauren Gibbons

Michigan Democrats (click here) approved prominent labor bills and sent them to the governor

Right-to-Work repeal would end a 2012 law that prohibits compulsory union dues or fees

Prevailing wage restoration guarantees union-scale wages on government-funded construction jobs

Lansing - Michigan Democrats on Tuesday voted to repeal the state’s Right-to-Work law and restore prevailing wage rates, targeting major Republican labor practices despised by unions.

The bill package — House Bills 4004 and 4007 and Senate Bills 6 and 34 — cleared both chambers Tuesday. The House voted through the Senate legislation in party-line votes, and amended versions of the House bills were approved later Tuesday afternoon.

The legislation now moves to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat who has signaled she will sign the bills.

Democrats pushed the bills through the Legislature over protests from Republicans, who contend the changes will make Michigan less competitive for employers....

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Wall Street wants their profit margin back.

I have just one question.

Just one.

When is the great Xi going to broker a peace with Taiwan?

 

Good shooting.

A little practice goes a long way. The International Criminal Courts should note these Russian missiles were intended to kill more Ukrainians in very vulnerable cities where people currently feel safe. The Ukrainian military did the right thing and destroyed the danger before it occurred.

It may be wise to encourage families with children to flee the area simply because of the determination and ruthlessness exhibited by Vladimir Putin's plans for them. It will create refugees, but, the children will be safe and parents will still be able to raise them. There are too many Ukraine orphans.

March 21, 2023
By Ashish Dangwal

On March 20, (click here) Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate (GUR) claimed that an explosion in the Crimean city of Dzhankoi destroyed “multiple” Russian Kalibr cruise missiles as they were being transported by rail.

These Russian cruise missiles were reportedly meant to be employed by the Kremlin’s Black Sea fleet. Russia has regularly utilized sea-launched Kalibrs to attack civil infrastructure.

On its Telegram channel, the GUR claimed, “An explosion in the city of Dzhankoy in the north of the temporarily occupied Crimea destroyed the Russian ‘Kalibr NK’ cruise missiles during their transportation by railway.”

The explosions on Monday, which occurred roughly 90 miles from the front lines, accelerated “Russia’s demilitarization” process and helped to prepare “the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea for de-occupation,” according to the GUR, which did not specify the precise cause of the explosions.

Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine’s interior ministry, shared footage he claimed showed the city’s railway station area. The footage depicts a single loud, scorching detonation followed by a column of smoke in the night sky....

As sad as it is…

 …President Biden is correct to deport Russians seeking asylum. The Russian government is ruthless and even if given asylum, individuals would be threatened as would be their families to act against Americans. The best example is Maria Butina, a benign figure involved with political structures in the USA that elected Donald Trump.

Russia is currently making dual citizenship of Russian citizens nearly a criminal act. Russians are pressured to make choices to ensure their loyalty to Putin. Russians seeking asylum are risking their lives and the lives of their families.

Russians seeking asylum are never adequately protected. Never. There is a trust issue with asylum seeking Russians and it is not their fault. The problem is the Russian government and its long arm of hatred of free nations of people.

It is a very false sense of security for Russians seeking asylum away from Putin. It is best if they find other ways of being safe like refusing to commit genocide.

Russians within the borders of free people is a national security consideration, as if Trump wasn’t enough of one.

Nord Stream Pipeline Explosion

There is an article in “Wired” magazine that tries to nail down through open source data what exactly happened.

Let me propose a different way of looking at it that seems more realistic, at least to me. We have been looking at external explosions as a means of sabotage. I have very sincere doubts about that.

Undersea pipelines are tough stuff. The composition of the pipe requires Ni Steel, aerogel insulation, carbon steel casing and concrete weight coating. There is also the issue of seawater.

Let’s just think about the saltwater surrounding the pipeline. For every 100 feet down there is one atmosphere of pressure on that pipeline. It is also cold and dense water and very dark. 

If an explosive charge was carried out on the exterior of the pipeline the seawater would absorb some that energy. So, putting an explosive charge on top or under a very well constructed cylinder would be highly inefficient and could possibly fail.

If the pipeline was sabotaged it would probably be set inside the pipeline and not externally. Examining the remains of the pipeline might indicate the direction of the explosion in relation to the integrity of the material itself. The steel would show an explosion from the inside out or the outside in.

I don’t think there is enough information and guess work is highly irrelevant. No one can lay the blame on anyone through speculation. I think there must be far more forensics of the pipe to know where to look.

Two of the most stupid, brutal men in the world.

March 20, 2023

By Rachel Pannett, Leo Sands, Kelly Kasulis Cho, Robyn Dixon and lily Kuo

Chinese leader Xi Jinping (click here) arrived in Moscow on Monday for three days of talks, in the strongest show yet of support for Russia since its invasion of Ukraine. Beijing has billed the state visit as a peace mission, which comes as a welcome show of solidarity for an increasingly isolated Moscow. Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin are styling themselves as the leaders of a new world order — and their alignment is based largely on shared opposition to U.S. power.

Officials around the world are eyeing the trip for signs it could provide Putin with a morale boost and a tacit endorsement of his brutal war. In an article published in a Russian newspaper ahead of the visit, Xi said Beijing has “always taken an objective and impartial position” on the year-old Ukraine conflict and made “efforts to promote reconciliation and peace negotiations.” Putin, meanwhile, said Russia is “open to a political and diplomatic resolution” to the war....

Communists are stuck in a two class system of inhumanity, the oppressors and the oppressed, and engage in fear in international relations regardless of it's idiocy.

Argentina is a passive, beautiful, lush part of the world where there is no conflict. Unless. The Argentine government is convinced the Falklands are a place to begin an invasion of the Free World.

The Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) are a remote South Atlantic archipelago. With rugged terrain and cliff-lined coasts, its hundreds of islands and islets are home to sheep farms and abundant birdlife. The capital, Stanley, sits on East Falkland, the largest island. The town's Falkland Islands Museum has themed galleries devoted to maritime exploration, natural history,

Quite frankly, I think the Brits have been good neighbors. They need to stop playing politics at home with it. Seriously. The Brits should consider giving it Belize status.

March 17, 2023
By Gabriel Honrada

China may be close to clinching a huge weapons sale to Argentina (click here) involving fighter jets and armored vehicles, a deal that would give Beijing military clout in a region traditionally seen as America’s sphere of influence.

This week, South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that Argentina’s Ambassador to China Sabino Vaca Narvaja and Argentinian Defense Minister Jorge Taiana met in Buenos Aires recently to discuss defense cooperation plans with China, which includes the possible purchase of JF-17 fighter jets, 8×8 armored vehicles and military personnel exchanges.

SCMP mentions that the JF-17, which China co-produces with Pakistan, is a potential candidate to fill the Argentine Air Force’s longstanding fighter gap. The Chinese fighter is reportedly competing against India’s HAL Tejas, Russia’s MiG-35 and secondhand Danish F-16s....

This military armament ideology of the communists is exactly the example that is needed to prove how completely stupid they are.'

Argentina has no reason to arm itself like this. Neither does South Africa. The southern hemisphere is mostly ocean. It is a highly wild ocean water, too. The one true ally the USA has in the southern hemisphere is Australia. The history of Australia and China has been one of primarily peace, cooperation in international enforcement regarding the drug trade and economic benevolence. UNTIL. Recently.

Xi has escalated international tensions beyond repair. Now, countries enjoying a good quality of life and enormously satisfying benevolent governance have to increase their military prowess because the communists, post Trump, have decided now is their only opportunity for world domination.

There is no reason to dominate international air space with a communist takeover of Argentina and South Africa.  Antarctica is currently nothing more than a benevolent scientific study of Earth and its place in the universe. There is very important work taking place in Antarctica, but, that will end too as the world divides and enters into a forever war stance.

BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) is broken forever. China and Russia will be economically ostracized from the very democracies that nurtured their transition to capitalism in anticipation of a lasting peace and ever increasing quality of life of their people.

This is complete betrayal by Russia and China of the world order headed into peace and prosperity. There is no going back. Wall Street made their money and now they need a rude awakening to the reality China is not interested in wealthy men or international monetary policy. China likes controlling it's internal economy with two currencies. Their international currency won't be needed by the Free World anymore.

I don't know what is going to come out of the meeting of Putin and Xi, but, whatever makes the newspapers will be nothing but communist propaganda designed to harness the sympathies of democratically governed peoples. There won't be any worthwhile international resolve to Ukraine as China only seeks to increase global dependency on it's military machines. 

France's Macron is correct. It is necessary to increase the retirement age to 64. It is a huge paradigm change for France and it is painful, however, President Macron is not blind to the future of the Free World and what it sill take to shore up it's securities, especially national securities and international alliances.

Here is the reality that should exist. Xi should be facilitating Putin's arrest. 

Dr. Mona would like to have Flint families supported in a project leading to a national model.

...In 2021, (click here) 1,205 women died of maternal causes in the United States compared with 861 in 2020 and 754 in 2019. The maternal mortality rate for 2021 was 32.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, compared with a rate of 23.8 in 2020 and 20.1 in 2019 (Table)....

March 15, 2023
By Ron Fonger 

Flint - The pediatrician (click here) whose research helped end the Flint water crisis has a prescription for fixing the city’s sky-high childhood poverty rate -- cash allowances for every expectant mother and every child during their first year of life.

Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha is pushing to create a first-of-its-kind citywide pilot program called Rx Kids, a demonstration project for the nation that would provide all expectant mothers a one-time prenatal allowance of $1,500 and all families with infants a $500 monthly payment.

“We would like to give every pregnant mom and every infant in Flint ... an allowance -- an unconditional cash allowance -- that they can spend to help raise their family because it is hard to raise a family,” Hanna-Attisha told the Flint City Council during its meeting on Monday, March 13....

With a continuing increase in the maternal death rate, why won't anti-abortion advocates also in favor of a continuing monthly check for parents?

March 14, 2023

It’s been less than two months (click here) since tax season started. And Jaqueline Marcelos, who leads the free tax clinic at the Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) in San Francisco, has already heard the same concern from dozens of families: Why has my tax refund changed so much?

"Many clients are coming here thinking that this year they're going to get the same refund as last year," Marcelos said. One client, she says, qualified to receive thousands of dollars in her return when filing in 2022 — but this year she’ll actually end up owing money to Uncle Sam.

What changed? Among other things, the extended child tax credit from 2022 has ended, and many parents and caregivers are seeing a major drop in their tax refund....

The Child Tax Credit lifts children out of poverty. There is still a strong disparity in the earning ability of women compared to me and more so by ethnic delineation.

The women's-to-men's earnings ratio (click here) varied by race and Hispanic ethnicity. White women earned 82.2 percent as much as their male counterparts, compared with 94.1 percent for Black women, 78.5 percent for Asian women, and 87.6 percent for Hispanic women.

On average women are earning only 85 cents to every $1.00 men are earning. The ethnic/racial disparity is a national disgrace.

March 9, 2023
Juliana Kaplan and Ayelet Sheffey

A view of the White House decorated in Halloween theme after U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden greeted trick-or-treaters during a Halloween event on the South Lawn of the White House October 31, 2022 in Washington, DC.

President Joe Biden's funding wish list is out (click here) — and it has some good news for parents.

On Thursday, Biden unveiled his budget proposal for fiscal year 2024, which outlines his investment priorities in every federal agency for the upcoming year. It aims to cut the deficit by nearly $3 trillion over ten years, and it includes a revival of his previous tax proposals, like a minimum billionaires tax and higher corporate tax — as well as the restoration of the expanded Child Tax Credit.

Biden's American Rescue Plan gave $3,000 per child to families with children over the age of six, and $3,600 per child to families with children under the age of six. The ARP also paid out the tax credit in monthly checks, rather than as part of an annual tax refund.

However, the expansion of that credit expired in December 2021 due to Republican opposition and pushback from conservative Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin. Now the president wants to restore the program fully....

Water and food security is a problem in nearly every corner of the world, the Middle East is no different.

The USA military very early on stated water security is going to be a problem. That is playing out in international relations and building relationships that work for the people.

March 16, 2023

The Ministry of Water and Irrigation (click here) on Thursday launched the National Water Strategy 2023-2040 to serve as a long-term plan to achieve water security in Jordan.

The strategy outlines the government's goals and plans to achieve water security in line with His Majesty King Abdullah's vision, tackling issues such as water scarcity, population growth and climate change, said Minister of Water and Irrigation Mohammad Najjar, deputising for the prime minister, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Noting that Jordan's per capita share of water currently stands at less than 61 cubic metres per year, Najjar highlighted Jordan's need for new water sources, optimal management of current water resources, water security and sustainable development.

Najjar noted that non-conventional water sources, including the National Water Carrier Project and wastewater treatment for agriculture, are essential components of Jordan's efforts to boost water supply and sustainability.

He highlighted the potential of non-conventional water sources to decrease water loss, improve water supplies and provide water for industrial, agricultural, and tourism projects.

The minister emphasised the importance of building an effective management system, tackling climate change and minimising groundwater depletion.

The strategy aims to reduce water losses, install modern smart meters and control systems and improve water sector governance, management and operation via modernising water sector institutions, streamlining processes and saving costs, he said....

16 March 2023

Minister of Water and Irrigation Mohammad Najjar (click here) confirmed that Israel supplied Jordan with about 100 million cubic meters of water in 2022.

Among the 100mcm of water that entered Jordan last year, about 35 million through the 'peace treaty', and about 50 million additional ones outside the treaty were purchased, and about 10 million are stored in Sea of Galilee.

Jordan and the Israeli occupation signed a declaration of intent to rehabilitate and improve the environment and water system of the Jordan River and the Dead Sea, on the sidelines of the Sharm el-Sheikh climate summit.

A quarter of Jordan's water resources are shared with neighbouring countries, according to Ibrahim Hiyasat, advisor to the Minister of Water and Irrigation.

The Secretary-General of the Jordan Valley Authority, Manar Mahasneh said that the water supply to Jordan outside the treaty (50mcm) over a period of 3 years began in May 2021 and it will end in May 2024.

March 16, 2023

...This invention by the Technion researchers consists of a unique wind turbine, (click here) that does not require any electricity for it to run, and is cheap and easy to use and maintain.

The electric energy consumed today by desalination processes stands at about 3.5 kilowatt-hours (kWh) for each cubic meter of water. For the sake of illustration, approximately 4% of all electric energy produced in Israel in 2015 was used for desalination.

 
In addition to the high environmental costs of such vast energy consumption – energy which is produced in Israel mainly by burning fossil fuels – the need for so much electricity keeps the technology of desalinating and purifying water beyond the reach of over a billion people around the world who have no access to clean drinking water.

At the core of the new invention lies a turbine not known by many – the vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT). This turbine rotates around an upright axis (to visualize the movement of the turbine blades, imagine a man running around an electric pole), unlike the more familiar wind turbines, whose axis is horizontal....

Of course the real answer is for normal rainfall to return along with far more reduction of greenhouse gases.

With the serious issues facing the Middle East, it doesn't make sense that Saudi Arabia has chosen to create tensions with Israel. These tensions aren't even about delicate issues, this is about tourism.

13 March 2023

A man rides his bicycle past a mosque in the Circassian village of Kfar Kama in the northern Galilee region, on December 21, 2022.

...Saudi Arabia (click here) refused to issue visas for an Israeli delegation to a UN event honoring spots picked as the world’s top rural tourist destinations for 2022, Israeli officials confirmed to The Times of Israel on Sunday.

The delegation was representing the Circassian town of Kfar Kama in the Galilee region of northern Israel, which was selected in December as an international “tourist village” by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

The town, whose 3,500 residents are Muslim, was named among 32 villages from 22 countries including Morocco, Italy, Jordan, Mexico, Peru and others....

Israel is doing a lot of good work in regard to conservation and clean waterways.

28 December 2022
By Sue Surkes

...Water authorities (click here) on Tuesday inaugurated an innovative project to pipe desalinated water into the Sea of Galilee in order to maintain the lake’s water level during dry years even as its waters fill growing regional demands.

One of the lowest-lying bodies of water on Earth, the Sea of Galilee is Israel’s largest freshwater lake and its emergency water store.

It is the first time in the world that desalinated water is being used to replenish a lake....

13 June 2022

In the Jordan Valley, (click here) reconstructed changes of the Sea of Galilee level have shown sharp fluctuations of the water elevation during the Holocene. In this paper, we provide new data originating from the excavations of Kursi Beach archaeological site located on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee and compare them with other data gathered from the archaeological site of Magdala, located on its western shore. Our data yield to constrain Sea of Galilee level changes between the Iron Age II (10th–9th centuries BCE) and the Crusader period (11th–12th centuries CE), a period of high interest for the archaeological community. We demonstrate that water level was around -212 to -210 m mean sea level (msl) for the Iron Age II period. Lake level rose to -208/-209 m msl during the Late Hellenistic/Early Roman period. Water level remained low (<-213/-214 m msl) from the Byzantine to the Crusader period (from 5th to 12th centuries CE). Our data provide new knowledge for the understanding of variations in the Sea of Galilee level in antiquity. We highlight that water level fluctuations must have been key factors taken into account in the habitation pattern.

20 February 2023
By Sue Surkes

Ten environmental organizations (click here) said Monday that they have joined forces to campaign for the rehabilitation of the Jordan River and the Dead Sea.

The Dead Sea has been shrinking dramatically in recent years and is currently about half the size it was in 1976. Currently at 436 meters (1,430 feet) below sea level, it is dropping by 1.1–1.2 meters (45–48 inches) each year.

The umbrella body, called From the Point of View of the Sea, includes several not-for-profits already involved in water issues, such as Dead Sea Guardians, EcoPeace, the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, EcoOcean, Zalul, and the Negev Desert-focussed Sustainable Desert, as well as Lobby 99, a crowd-funded legal organization that is following the impending renewal of the state franchise to mine minerals from the Dead Sea. The student-based Green Course has also joined, as has Life and Environment, the umbrella body for all of Israel’s green groups....

This area of the world was never this parched. Besides being capable of producing food and water for populations of people, there were lush areas. Ethiopia, as an example, was a lush rainforest (click here).

In order to have rain there has to be water vapor. All the water vapor needed for rainfall globally cannot come from the oceans and travel far distances. The rainforests are a place where water vapor is produced through evapotranspiration of plants and ultimately into the air to create clouds and rain. These areas must be returned to Earth's ecosystems to return the planet back to it's natural state. 

Currently, there is  only one way to return these regions of vital importance to a contributing element of a healthy climate of the troposphere and that is desalination and restoration of rivers and lakes. There is no other feasible way. Countries that accept the challenge of the climate crisis work with scientists to end the crisis and begin to heal Earth.

22 June 2022
By Sue Surkes

...The Dead Sea’s issues (click here) have been exacerbated by mineral mining operations that pump its water into massive evaporation pools to its south. The mining lease has been enshrined in law for nearly seven decades, but in the coming years the government will finally have a chance to reopen the contract, and possibly help slow the Dead Sea’s decline.

In the meantime, the Environmental Protection Ministry called this week for the government to set a target below which the level of the Dead Sea will not be allowed to fall. This was one of a slew of recommendations in a draft policy document issued for public comment.

It’s unclear whether such a target will win cabinet approval. But even if it does, serious questions remain regarding how, and if, Israel can keep the Dead Sea from dwindling further....

Israel is amazing in other ways. They have a new method of detecting contamination in water.

March 15, 2023

The Israeli startup (click here) that invented a connected toilet clip-on device that uses AI for continuous, 100 percent passive urine analysis now is developing a mobile kit to detect chemical and biological contaminants in lakes and natural water sources in Israel.

The unique optical system is being developed by Olive Diagnostics for national water carrier Mekorot to improve the monitoring and analysis of water sources.

The development agreement, which includes an investment by Mekorot in Olive Diagnostics, was signed following a series of successful tests in the early detection of chemical and biological micro-contaminants in treated wastewater reservoirs....

The deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran had to occur for the kingdom. Iran is backing the militias in the Middle East attacking Saudi Arabia, so finding a path to end these aggressions is a goal for Saudi Arabia.

For Iran this is a no brainer. The protests in Iran (click here) are continuing and are exacerbated by economic deprivation. Saudi money is going to return an economy to Iran and with that Shi'ite Muslims in Iran hope the protests will end and bring the people back to the flock.

March 16, 2023
By Parisa Hafezi, Aziz El Yaakoubi and James Pomfret

...Iran denied involvement. (click here) Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Saudi Arabia's Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan has said that Saudi investments into Iran could now happen quickly.

Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran in 2016 after its embassy in Tehran was stormed during a dispute between the two countries over Riyadh's execution of a prominent Shi'ite Muslim cleric.

Hostility between the two powers had endangered stability in the Middle East and fuelled regional conflicts including in Yemen, Syria and Lebanon.

Asked whether the Saudi-Iran deal might fray, Wang Di, a senior Chinese diplomat involved in the talks in Beijing, told reporters the rapprochement was a process without expectations that all issues would be solved overnight.

"The important thing is for both sides to have the sincerity to improve ties," he said, according to state Xinhua news agency reporter Yang Liu on Twitter....

What is concerning is why would relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia change? If China has brokered a peace deal that will also serve as an economic engine in Iran, why is Israel considered a point of contention? It has nothing to do with Israel.

It appears China is attempting a power play that also includes ostracizing Israel from international relationships of long time friends.

July 11, 2022

Saudi Arabia (click here) has taken a complex approach to the recognition of Israel by several Arab countries in the Abraham Accords. It has a long history of clandestine cooperation with Israel against mutual enemies. Recently, it has said public recognition of Israel will come only if there is movement to resolve the Palestinian conflict and create a two-state solution. But the kingdom has tolerated and even abetted the development of diplomatic and military ties between some of its closest allies and Israel....

China appears to be attempting to divide the Middle East into allies of the communists or allies of the Free World. That type of division will not serve to bring peace to the region, but, invite more instability and a definite approach to a larger war of choice by China and Russia.

Israel has the right values for land and water in this climate crisis environment. It is a country with great talents that produce peaceful products that can stem disease. There is absolutely no reason for Israel to be regarded as a threat to the Middle East. There is no doubt there is a continued conflict with Palestine, but, taking that to a larger global venue is a mistake. 

March 16, 2023

Ramallah, Palestinian Territories — Israeli forces (click here) on Thursday killed four Palestinians including a teenager in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said, the latest deadly raid on Jenin.

The Israeli forces said they "neutralised" two suspects accusing them of "terrorist activities".

The Palestinian health ministry said 23 others had been wounded in the raid in the northern West Bank city, five of them seriously....

If China is sincerely interested in peace in this area of the world, why then is Israel left out of the peace solution. If Israel can be at the same table to bring about a peaceful Middle East, that would have to include the Palestinians. China is going to Russia to broker a unilateral peace that only Russia has to agree to, it is basically doing the same thing in the Middle East without all parties involved in a solution. 

February 3, 2023
By Anshel Pfeffer

Benjamin Netanyahu's sixth government (click here) is only five and a half weeks old and we’re already into week 5 of the protests against its plan to drastically weaken the Supreme Court and fundamentally change the nature of Israel’s limited and fragile democracy.

It was a fifth weekend of mass protests in Tel Aviv and other cities, somewhat overshadowed by a bizarre social media post by a retired air force officer. According to Col. Zeev Raz, “If a prime minister stands up and assumes dictatorial powers, he's a dead man. It’s as simple as that.”...

Israel is facing political divisions no different than the rest of the Free World. It is time for Israel to ask who benefits from these divisions and when will be the right time to end such issues. The Netanyahu government needs to limit it's attacks on it's own democracy and realize there are larger issues outside of Israel that need to be front and center of the attention of it's government to unify it and end these divisions. I believe China is a threat to Israel. The time is now to prevent any further tensions with any of it's neighbors.