Montenegro is an important ally to the USA and NATO in general. Location, location, location.

It is a multi-lingual country with many ethnicities, Montenegrin 45%, Serbian 28.7%, Bosniak 8.7%, Albanian 4.9%, Muslim 3.3%, Romani 1%, Croat 1%, other 2.6%, unspecified 4.9%.

It is a country that should be proud of it's history. It is one of struggle for autonomy, but, also as being a great ally of the USA through WWI. It was absorbed by monarchs in the years that followed, but, became a constituent of Yugoslavia after WWII which dissolved after 1992.

Montenegro in it's current sovereign state has existed since 2006. A young country with 11 years of consolidated government. Of course, this area of the world was somewhat similar with the struggles Ukraine has now. First separating from Russia and then ending any ethnic hatred to have a sovereign authority that is recognized by NATO as a strong and valuable ally. These people are of not minor importance to Europe or the USA.

Not unlike it's European friends, Montenegro is a spectacularly beautiful country. The geography of the country has contributed to it's autonomy over centuries as well.

Over the years leading to it's current sovereign nature, Montenegro has turned it's state owned companies. The banking industry is 100 percent privatized and it has the Euro as it's currency. There are many wise decisions here. The leadership knows what it is doing and there is a strong tourist economy that already exists. I am sure it would have benefited the Trump Company to take time to speak with the country's economic minister/secretary. Luxury hotels already exist there, but, an American hotel might be interesting to folks.

Montenegro is a member of the World Bank, IMF and the WTO. It's GDP is about $4 billion US and while 2008 didn't cause a decline in it's GDP, it stop the upward movement. I am sure the leadership is concerned about it's stagnant economy.

The country is planning major infrastructure changes that are mostly about moving people; planes, roads and rail. Montenegro is opening itself to more visitors to increase economic growth. Good thinking, but, NATO is vital to this country as it needs to provide security for it's people and control the influx of what might be charismatic infiltration of Daesh along with it's new economy. My guess is that Daesh has already taken notes about this beautiful country as it's President was so easily brushed aside by Trump; a moment of weakness and vulnerability. 

The USA/NATO military needs to look to Montenegro for it's sovereign security and protections of it's people.

The "Bully President," not the Bully Pulpit. Just stay out of his way and perhaps what is best is to roll out a red carpet for a "Red Carpet" Entrance of each leader.

I think the Saudis had the right idea. Simple allow a red carpet to be everywhere the leaders feet touch and make it plenty wide.

That strong arm mess is about appearing to be superior and inflicting a feeling of inferiority by the leadership of merely 600,000 people. It was a way of saying "My empire is billions and I doubt there is a place for Montenegro in it. Of course, the leader of Montenegro is concerned for his country and wants to know how to grow Trump's particular kind of corruption to benefit he and his country.

But, let's just say President Markovic is an honest broker and simply wants to be recognized for his status entrusted by 600,000 citizens. Then his persistence indicates he doesn't put up with bullies.

May 26, 2017
By Samatha Schmidt

...Let’s break it down. (click here)

A slow-motion viewing of the video indicates no words spoken by Trump as he approaches the group from behind. No “Excuse me” or “Pardon me.”

Trump reaches out his right arm, grabs Markovic’s right shoulder and pushes him aside. Markovic looks surprised. Trump doesn’t acknowledge his existence as he moves past him. It’s as if Markovic isn’t there.

Markovic abruptly looks back at Trump but gets no eye contact from Trump in return.

Then he pats Trump on the back, or perhaps the arm, displaying a slight grin as Trump, at the front of the group, stands tall and adjusts his suit coat. Trump begins conversing with Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite as Markovic looks on from behind....      

The assault on the journalist boosted his support and probably won him votes.

I didn't write about it for that reason. I wasn't going to contribute more violence to the event. The apology made should be rejected. As a matter of fact the apology should be met with a lawsuit. If politicians are going to assault and abuse journalists as a political scheme then they need to pre-pay any medical assault in the way of insurance for the industry. Then they can avoid lawsuits for medical expenses at least and simply deal with the lost reputation of the journalist and future income lost because of this vicious political act.

May 26, 2017
With Breanne Deppisch

The Big Idea: Greg Gianforte (click here) admitted to attacking a reporter and apologized during his victory speech last night, as he kept Montana’s sole House seat in Republican hands. Now he and his party’s leaders are trying to move on.

On the eve of the special election, the wealthy technology entrepreneur flipped out when the Guardian’s Ben Jacobs asked him about the CBO’s score of the health care bill. He now faces misdemeanor assault charges for reportedly throwing Jacobs to the ground and breaking hiI made a mistake,” the congressman-elect said at his party in Bozeman. “Not in our minds!” yelled a supporter. David Weigel, who was there, reports that some in the crowd laughed.

-- After his comfortable six-point victory, Republican congressional leaders are making clear there will be no meaningful consequences for his behavior. “Elections are about choices and Montanans made their choice,” Speaker Paul Ryan said in a statement this morning. "Rep.-elect Gianforte is an outsider with real-world experience creating jobs in Montana. He will bring that experience to Congress, where he will be a valuable voice in the House Republican Conference."...

Gianforte didn't win the election, corruption lost it. Voters have to pay attention what such actions by candidates imply. The 'tattle-tailing' of the Governor brought in the idea Gianforte is going to be a frugal public official and possibly more ideas on how to contain the cost of government. So, while the Governor lost because of the corruption of unofficial use of the plane, he also was seen as a person that didn't care about the money spent through taxes. The Governor lost the race for all the right reasons. Gianforte is simply a place holder at this point. The bar is set high for Gianforte from here forward.

August 25, 2017
By Lindsey Ford

...Gianforte claims (click here) that Governor Steve Bullock used the plane for unnecessary and personal events, like the Paul McCartney concert in Missoula, and for campaign stops.

“We have a governor who’s flying to rock concerts and campaigned events at taxpayer expense and then when he was caught, he only reimbursed taxpayers pennies on the dollar,” said  Gianforte....

While portions of the USA are drenched with flooding and soil erosion, the rest of the world is not.

May 24, 2017
By Brian Lada

Drought (click here) may continue to grip portions of Venezuela, Colombia and Brazil this winter.

Meanwhile, warm waters in the Pacific Ocean will help to spread rain across much of the western countries of South America.... 


May 25, 2017

Relief from the pre-monsoon heat (click here) across northwestern India will be short-lived as another round of dangerous heat is expected into this weekend....

I apologize for my President.

No offense to the Princess's memory. She was always magnificent.

The Trumps are used to being gawked at to help sell their fashion and jewelry lines. Their demeanor is probably different than most have come to expect. However, they will never measure up to the royals and the work they do. 

If the royals of the world did not take a stand on so many issues government leaders ignore, we would never realize civilization and the importance of focus of power.

Margaret who?

May 26, 2017

Margaret Court is announced to the crowd at Wimbledon this year. (click here)

Tennis great Margaret Court (click here) is under fire for comments made about same-sex marriage.

In an open letter to the Western Australian newspaper, she says she will no longer fly with Qantas after its CEO Alan Joyce came out in support of gay marriage, which is still illegal in Australia.

"I am disappointed that Qantas has become an active promoter for same sex marriage," Court wrote.

"I believe in marriage as a union between a man and a woman as stated in the Bible. Your statement leaves me no option but to use other airlines where possible for my extensive travelling."

It's prompted calls for the Olympic Park tennis complex in Melbourne to remove her name from one of its arenas.

The Twitter account for Margaret Court Arena has posted a message saying it does not support her comments and they remain an organisation committed to diversity and inclusion....

New Zealand nearly made orbit today. Congratulations.

May 26, 2017

Rocket Lab engineers (click here) have started analysing data from yesterday's historic launch from the Mahia Peninsula that took the company to space but not able to complete its orbital mission.

Lift-off at 4.20pm was the first orbital-class rocket launched from a private launch site in the world

New Zealand became the 11th country with potential to launch cargo into space, joining superpowers and tech heavyweights. The Government hailed the lift-off as a major milestone for the country's space industry....

"The America's Cup" and the climate crisis.

May 26, 2017

The America's Cup (click here) has gotten off to a false start, tomorrow's opening day of racing postponed until Sunday due to high winds in Bermuda.

Wind gusts of up to 30 knots have been forecast for the Great Sound tomorrow - well above the upper limit for racing of 24 knots.

Ordinarily race management would wait until the day to see what the weather gods dish up, but with 10,000 fans expected to pack into the America's Cup village at the Royal Naval Dockyard, they were forced to make a call early.

Russell Coutts, head of the ACEA, said it was a disappointing outcome, but the safety of the teams is paramount.

"This is clearly a decision we have not taken lightly and appreciate the inconvenience caused to the sellout crowd. Our primary concern however, is always safety for everyone involved in the America's Cup.

"We are adding an hour to the race window on both [Sunday] and [Monday] to run extra races with the aim of getting back on schedule. There are still tickets available at the weekend, although not in all categories, so we are hoping Friday's ticket holders will still get the chance to enjoy what should be an incredible opening weekend."...

There is a lousy, chronic vortex that has been causing flooding and danger to lives for days now along the east coast of the USA.

May 25, 2017
1930.18z
UNISYS Water Vapor GOES East Satellite (click here for 12 hour loop - thank you)

I am not sure Bermuda will receive relief from this system by tomorrow. It is a bit of a stagnant system. That is the problem. It has been dropping tons of water on the southeast USA. 

The problem is there is a very turbulent system on the west side of this vortex. It might be wise for the race officials to review the potential turbulence at Bermuda in the next 48 hours and whether or not the racing vessels will be in safe waters even if there is a window of opportunity to begin.

Racecourse: (click here)
The racecourse for the 35th America’s Cup will be in the Great Sound. The racecourse will be set daily (and for each race) to deliver a series of short races (approximately 20-25 minutes). The orientation and length of the racecourse will vary depending on the wind speed and direction.
The racecourse is intended to be a windward-leeward course, with a starboard reaching start, two gates (windward and leeward) and a finish line in front of the America’s Cup Village at Dockyard.
Due to critical safety considerations, the racecourse is strictly off-limits to any and all spectator boats....

See the sheltering islands to the left in this image aren't all that sheltering when a system like this hits. There will be plenty of excitement, I am sure, but, better it be good excitement rather than bad excitement. I would hate to see the entire fleet wiped out in one race.

He is so appropriate all the time, isn't he? Nothing like creating embarrassment to make a point.

I have a suggestion and the foreign press needs to be less polite. Lord knows, he is far less polite than anyone on the stage with him. 

NEWS CONFERENCE. A lengthy news conference that will accommodate all complaints and trials of President Trump. It is important the lengthy news conference is about him and how he processes his points of view. Digestion of information, if you will. It might be his digestion may be a problem, too. His candidacy and election was all on REAL TV, so to speak. Evidently, that also applies to the relationship with the First Lady, too. And the world thought The Royals were something to watch.

May 25, 2017
By Steve Holland and Robin Emmott / Brussels

U.S. President Donald Trump (click here) on Thursday intensified his accusations that NATO allies were not spending enough on defense and said more attacks such as this week's bombing in Manchester would take place unless the alliance did more to stop militants.

In unexpectedly abrupt remarks as NATO leaders stood alongside him, Trump said certain member countries owed "massive amounts of money" to the United States and NATO, even though allied contributions are voluntary, with multiple budgets.

His scripted comments contrasted with NATO's choreographed efforts to play up the West's unity by inviting Trump to unveil a memorial to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States at the new NATO headquarters.

"We will never waiver in our determination to defeat terrorism and achieve lasting security, prosperity and peace," Trump said in the speech before a dinner with leaders.

"Terrorism must be stopped or ... the horror you saw in Manchester and so many other places will continue forever," Trump said, referring to Monday's suicide bombing in the northern English city that killed 22 people, including children.

Trump called on NATO, an organization founded on collective defense against the Soviet threat, to include limiting immigration in its tasks as well as fighting terrorism and deterring Russia....                               

Trump's budget will allow euthanizing and sending for slaughter wild horses ON PUBLIC LANDS.

May 25, 2017
By Scott Sonner

Advocates for wild horses (click here) say President Donald Trump is giving in to ranchers and rural communities who don't want the animals competing for space on land in the U.S. West....

The wild horse population in the USA exists on public lands. Americans don't eat horse meat.

Wild horses on public lands have long been valued for their iconic importance to the heritage of the USA, to the settlers moving west, it's military, the cultural cowboy and it's native people. These are not lies. They are facts based in history of the USA.

Palomino Valley, Nev. (AP) — President Donald Trump's budget proposal calls for saving $10 million next year by selling wild horses captured throughout the U.S. West without the requirement that buyers guarantee the animals won't be resold for slaughter.

Wild-horse advocates say the change would gut nearly a half-century of protection for an icon of the American West and could send thousands of free-roaming mustangs to foreign slaughterhouses for processing as food.

They say the Trump administration is kowtowing to livestock interests who don't want the region's estimated 59,000 mustangs competing for precious forage across more than 40,000 square miles (103,600 square kilometers) of rangeland in 10 states managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

The budget proposal marks the latest skirmish in the decades-old controversy pitting ranchers and rural communities against groups that want to protect the horses from Colorado to California....

Whether crony ranchers and profiteers like it or not public lands are owned by all the American people and not just the leaser of such lands. As a leaser there are inherent problems with such public lands. That is because the lands are not modified for a single purpose, their value comes from their heritage and preservation of the land itself.

President Trump is on thin ice with this mess he is creating.

August 5, 2017

Mesa, AZ - Governor Doug Ducey believes (click here) the federal government should leave the Salt River horses alone.

"Feds should leave our free roaming & (pound) wild horses alone. But if they don't, (pound) Arizona will do everything we can to protect them & provide sanctuary," Ducey said in a tweet sent out Wednesday.

Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake both sent a letter to the U.S. Forest Service and to the Arizona Department of Agriculture asking that the roundup of the horses be postponed until questions can be answered and the public has time to comment.

“A growing number of our constituents have expressed deep reservations about the Forest Service’s intent to gather these horses and transfer them to the Arizona Department of Agriculture,” the letter said. “We request that you postpone action until there has been sufficient public engagement in the process and that you respond to our questions below.”

Congressmen Matt Salmon and David Schweikert and Congresswoman Krysten Sinema also sent a letter to Tom Vilsack, secretary for the Arizona Department of Agriculture, asking that the roundup be halted....

These horses have actually been therapeutic to the public. No lie. There is a USA military veteran who stated the wild horses he watched improved his functioning and a return from PTSD. 

That is not unusual. Horses are known to be therapeutic for children and the disabled as well. 

These horses belong to the people of the USA and are very important for many reasons. The people adopt them. They sometimes train them for pleasure as well as show. They can be very affectionate pets as well as utility animals to the American people.

These are the culprits that consume about five pounds of food a day.

March 7, 2014
By Dylan Darling

Nearly five months (click here) after a half-dozen wild horses were found shot along a road in the Ochoco National Forest, who killed the controversial animals and why remains unknown.

No one has stepped forward with a tip solid enough to lead to the arrest and conviction of the shooter or shooters, despite a reward of nearly $10,000.

“We are still desperate for information,” Patrol Capt. Dan Smith of the U.S. Forest Service said Wednesday. Smith is the top law enforcement officer for the Deschutes and Ochoco national forests.

The horses were all members of a group of wild horses known as the Big Summit Wild Horse Herd. Three were found shot — two dead and one severely wounded — on Oct. 12 along Forest Road 22 near the junction with Forest Road 500, east of Prineville. The injured horse was euthanized. On Oct. 18, three more horses shot dead were found nearby by a Forest Service law enforcement officer investigating the first case. Smith has said the six horses probably were all shot at the same time....

This one example of overreach could hurt Americans. One has to value 'the single human life' in order to serve the interests of the country. That, of course, was a change that occurred in the USA with the "Burger Court." That is what is lost when the USA caters to greed and Wall Street. The Burger Court stated the individual was as important as the majority. There is a lot of economics that came out of that court and it was all based in allowing individuals to flourish while the majority discovered them.

I would not expect a high rise developer and builder to appreciate such concepts as public lands. EXCEPT. The views their customers enjoy may very well be that of public lands, wild horses and beautiful landscapes of clean water and waterways. Conservation provides that beauty. Conservation by a country full of volunteers, too.

Teaching human beings they are worthless.

To combat bullying it is necessary to show respect. That means:

1. The ability to give honest apologies when in error.

2. The ability to understand and be accepting of differences.

3. The capacity for empathy.

4. The ability to treat others fairly.

5. To understand common courtesy and the use of chosen names when addressing a person.

6. The ability to truly listen and hear what an individual is saying.

7. The ability to address and confront difficult issues directly.

8. The ability to be trustworthy and honest while acknowledging that everyone (that means all people of all ages, race, religion, ethnicity, etc.) is fallible.

The questions arise as to leadership in the USA government and state governments, when it exhibits the inability to, being dishonest and lacking understanding and/or capacity to deal with life in a real way.

People are real and deserve RESPECT at all levels.

How are citizens going to feel if they are unwell because a political party is nothing short of a bully and does not value human life!

May 24, 2017
By Yasmeen Abutaleb

A bill passed by U.S. House Republicans (click here) would cause 23 million people to lose healthcare coverage by 2026 while de-stabilizing health insurance markets in some states and making it hard for sick people to buy insurance, a budget watchdog agency said on Wednesday.

The Congressional Budget Office, a non-partisan group of experts who analyze U.S. legislation, said the bill would reduce federal deficits by $119 billion between 2017 and 2026.

The report could give added ammunition to Democrats who have accused President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans of putting sick and low-income people at risk with their effort to roll back former President Barack Obama's signature 2010 healthcare law, formally known as the Affordable Care Act but often called Obamacare.

The report also complicates the job of Senate Republicans - some of whom already have doubts about the House bill - as they craft their own healthcare legislation....

Our young people learn by example. Need I say more!

A human life and its life experience does not have a price tag. It is why the health care system needs to run better and reflect the sincere health of the American people. When health care is sacrificed there can be gross abuses by government deregulation that cause harm and death.

If there are problems with health care costs in the USA, then it is imperative to look to the underlying health of the people and the abuse of government and private industry to correct the path and bring about a better quality of life that does not require chronic health care, ie: Lung cancer caused by cigarettes that resulted in large Medicare and Medicaid expenditures. The precedents are there!

The USA health care system is a barometer to the nation's health and the adjustments needed to provide quality of life and longevity.

This is a highly traditional role for the USA health care system. It is monitored through the professions themselves to identify and eliminate factors that cause health problems and shorten the lives of Americans.

That barometer does not permit for the fiscal bullying of Americans when it is known that Americans will not receive sufficient health care within their lives. The private industry needs to provide reasonable costs to health care or other measures should be sought.

Currently, there is a "15 %" window for profits for the private sector. If all regulations are removed there is a very good chance the health care costs for Americans will skyrocket as CEOs will seek to make up for lost ground. It is unacceptable to allow such regulations to be removed or modified to exploit the health of American human beings.

In legal definitions currently existing in law, a person can be measured by an inanimate object called money, so the word human being is deliberate. 

Money is never a human being. The other definition of human being that can never be applied to money or any other inanimate object is its species designation.

The species name is Homo sapien. It is the same species designation across all varieties of age and otherwise. A Homo sapien is a Homo sapien either alive or dead. It does not change names across country borders. It is permanent, specific and lasting.

It has come to my attention...

...that the State of Michigan employees are hostages to a tyrannical manager assigned by Snyder to oversee the entire of the state's business.

Evidently, the State of Michigan employees can be seen through their computer ports to be sure they are on the job. Got that? At any point in time the cameras, when equipped with one, can be used to spy on and evaluate the employee on the job.

Additionally,...

...they are chained to their desks and not only hostages, by invisible chains operated by computer time and date stamp.

In other words, the employee is not allowed to get up from their desk and say hello in a unauthorized moment. They have to conduct their behavior according to a schedule on their desktop. If an employee is going to a meeting they can only leave their desk at the very moment necessary to walk to the meeting room OR if out of the building, the very moment it is necessary to walk to another building or travel by automobile.

LET ME MAKE MYSELF COMPLETELY CLEAR.

An employee of the State of Michigan is first a human being who has consented to work for the 'State Machine' for a salary and benefits.

There should be more minorities in that picture because I know that does not reflect the ratio at all.

Human beings are not perfect. The idea a human being  can be trained as a monkey to perform to a standard set by a computer is idiocy.

Additionally, human beings require movement in their daily schedule. The Japanese have been noted to supply exercise during the work day in recognition of this odd fact about 'the human being.' Additionally, the human being needs bathroom breaks, that is especially true of women in the many conditions they find their body in on any given day.

I demand every State of Michigan employee have a 15 minute break every 2 hours at the very least to accommodate bodily functions and provide ambulation. I DO NOT WANT TO KNOW a State of Michigan employee had blood clots in their legs because they were sequestered to a desk without ambulation for an unreasonable period of time.

WATER.

Water is something the State of Michigan should know something about, especially clean drinking water and water passing over OLD and DETERIORATING oil pipes. But, as to water consumption, the employees of the State of Michigan need to drink beverages during the day. That is best accommodated with so called "Coffee Breaks" and a period known as "Lunch time."

The only place the issue of 'withholding food and fluids' comes up, in the USA, is with Hospice care. Hospice care DOES NOT INCLUDE withholding food and fluids AT ALL! If I am not mistaken the withholding of food and fluids is a form of torture.

Realizing the extent the State of Michigan employees are handcuffed to their computers it is easy to understand why they are sometimes viewed by average people as hostages tortured by the state manager.

President Trump's visit to Israel was thoughtful.

The presentation of the Memorial Wreath in Israel is noteworthy. I was especially moved by the reaction of Prime Minister Netanyahu. He was visually moved by the entire event. I have never seen him speechless. He was initially speechless when he stepped to the podium. He stated there were many firsts with this visit, including, having Israel included on the first foreign trip by a sitting President. I doubt many Americans knew that. Perhaps Israel doesn't realize it is often a daily presence on the minds of Americas, as is anti-semitism. For that reason alone Steve Bannon is an odd inclusion to the White House staff. 

Also to be noted, this was a trip to bring focus to the Trump Middle East policy and focus on religion and fighting terrorism.

One other thing, the message on the wreath was a first as well. Usually laying of a wreath is self-explanatory without a message on the ribbon. But, it was tastefully done.  Very Americanism. Is that a word? Americanism. I don't think that is a word.

I think it is critical in the UK.

No one promised democracy and a free country would be easy. There was a time in Great Britain when it was vulnerable to a century's long civil war. The UK survived that and now there is peace. This is not very different.

Citizens have to give up some of their privacy when entering an arena and other public venues to walk through magnetometers (click here) and possibly body searches, but, when the game begins and ends it will all be worth it.

May 24, 2017

By Griff Witte, Karla Adam and Sudarsan Raghavan

...The arrests (click here) stretched from the normally quiet lanes of a northern English town by balaclava-wearing, plainclothes police officers to the bustling streets of Tripoli, where Libyan officials said they had disrupted a planned attack by the suspect’s brother. 

But by day’s end, British authorities acknowledged that they remained vulnerable to a follow-up attack, with the nation’s state of alert stuck at “critical” — the highest possible level.

The sight of soldiers deploying at London landmarks such as Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street underscored the gravity of a threat that was known in general terms before Monday night’s explosion but has come sharply into focus in the 48 hours since....

The more intense scanners at airports have been tested:

...Johns Hopkins University Independent Assessment group. (click here) Each assessment proved the effective dose rate to be below the American National Standards Institute/Health Physics Society's standard annual dose limit of 250 μSv over a 12-month period....

For those like me that need reassurances beyond studies because radiation accumulates in day to day life. I did not investigate this service and if they provide readings to average individuals or church groups or whatever group. But, it is only $69.00 per year.

Radiation Dosimeter Badge Service (click here)

They don't train in Area 51?

For real? The USA has a death ray?

May 23, 2017
By Greg Walters

U.S. Army Spc. Angel Mendoza, assigned as a space aggressor operator to the 527th Space Aggressor Squadron, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, secures a helical antenna to a gravel pad Aug. 8, 2016, at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska.

In a large, (click here) tin-roofed warehouse near Colorado's Rocky Mountains, members of a team of modern space warriors spend their days hatching plots to defeat the US military in extraterrestrial combat.

They're called Space Aggressors.
 
Their job is to act like the enemy during mock space battles to help U.S. units prepare for a conflict that may one day extend into the cosmos.
 
"We play the bad guys," said Captain Christopher Barnes, chief of training for the 26th Space Aggressor Squadron. "Our job is to not only understand the different types of threats and potential enemies, but also to be able to portray them and replicate them for the good guys, our Air Force."
 The 26th and 527th Space Aggressor Squadrons are headquartered in a two-story warehouse at Colorado's Schriever Air Force Base, stocked with advanced radio and satellite equipment and nicknamed "the barn." Behind the building, antenna dishes trace the sky.                     

Duterte says, "Please go on, tell me more." President Trump hasn't heard the motto, "Loose lips sink ships."

May 24, 2017
By Karen Lema and Nick Macfie

The Ohio-class guided-missile submarine USS Michigan arrives for a regularly scheduled port visit while conducting routine patrols throughout the Western Pacific in Busan, South Korea, April 24, 2017.

U.S. President Donald Trump (click here) told his Philippine counterpart that Washington has sent two nuclear submarines to waters off the Korean peninsula, the New York Times said, comments likely to raise questions about his handling of sensitive information.

Trump has said "a major, major conflict" with North Korea is possible because of its nuclear and missile programs and that all options are on the table but that he wants to resolve the crisis diplomatically....

I think it is really bad strategy to put two important USA nuclear assets in one place at one time. I think it is unnecessary redundancy.

..."a lot of firepower over there", according to the New York Times, which quoted a transcript of an April 29 call between the two.

"We have two submarines — the best in the world. We have two nuclear submarines, not that we want to use them at all," the newspaper quoted Trump as telling Duterte, based on the transcript....

I am sure Foreign Minister Lavrov had a great deal to smile about, both, in confirming what they already knew about military movements off the Russian coast and what they didn't know.

Trump is handing over the USA to Russia. It is everywhere. I think his tour of Europe and the Middle East has a good theme to fight terrorism through the understanding of all religions is an important one. But, to simply allow such information to be treated as "table talk" as if at dinner with the family is not at all appropriate. Where the heck are the Joint Chiefs?

Austerity by the USA Congress is the other reason why Wall Street really screwed when Trump took office.

May 23, 2017

By Carl Hulse

Washington — Finally some good news for President Trump: (click here) His new budget stands absolutely no chance of being enacted by Congress.

Moving forward with the cuts outlined in the $4.1 trillion spending plan created by the budget director, Mick Mulvaney, formerly one of the most determined fiscal hawks in Congress, would no doubt have major repercussions and compound the peril of Republicans already facing upheaval over their health care proposals. It would most likely hurt some of the very voters in rural and economically distressed corners of the nation who catapulted Mr. Trump to the White House and Republicans to control of the House and Senate. The effect on those constituents would be quickly felt....    

Another early warning sign about Wall Street.

May 24, 2017
By Gayathree Ganesan

Tiffany & Co (TIF.N) (click here) reported lower-than-expected quarterly sales and a surprise drop in comparable sales, underscoring the upscale jeweler's struggles with a strong dollar that has crimped spending by tourists and weak demand at home.

The company's shares fell 5.6 percent to $87.95 before the bell on Wednesday.

The dollar has strengthened versus other currencies, so some of Tiffany's issues in the United States are more currency-related, Edward Jones analyst Brian Yarbrough told Reuters.

Comparable-store sales in the Americas, which account for nearly half of Tiffany's total revenue, fell 4 percent, while the company posted a 3 percent decline in the Asia-Pacific region in the first quarter.

Analysts polled by Consensus Metrix expected a 0.5 percent drop in the Americas and a growth of 1.3 percent in the Asia-Pacific region in the first quarter ended April 30.

"Mainland China was very strong, but other parts of China were weaker and Macau and Hong Kong have been struggling now for a little while," Yarbrough added....

Wall Street expects a lot from the Trump White House. They expect to be soaring in heights in the markets. This fall in stock values at "Tiffany's" is a real disappointment. First Lady Melania Trump carried a Tiffany gift to Former First Lady Michelle Obama. The expectations that would send sales roaring is also reflected in the markets hubris during the first quarter of 2017.

The article mentions the value of the US Dollar as the reason why Tiffany's is struggling. I don't know what US Dollar the author is talking about; the lost value USA dollar or the one today. Today's purchases require many, many more dollars than in the past. So, if Tiffany wants more customers, it should demand a stronger dollar from the past so it doesn't take so many to purchase their products.

November 9, 2016

...The dollar's value (click here) has increased 25% since 2014. However, this hasn't offset its long-term decline....

I think the visit went well and I appreciated the gift given to Pope Francis. The First Lady seems tone downed to meet Pope Francis. 
From the articles I read Pope Francis was focused on assisting President Trump to see the less flamboyant side of life and the importance of peace, raising up the poor and protecting "Our Common Home."
Pope Francis exchanges gifts with President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump during a private audience at the Vatican on May 24, 2017.

Rome — President Trump (click here) met with Pope Francis for the first time at the Vatican on Wednesday, as he continued his tour of homelands of followers of Islam, Judaism and Christianity.

Following the meeting, which was behind closed doors, the pontiff gifted Trump a medal by a Roman artist depicting an olive — a symbol of peace — as well as a signed message of peace and copies of his three main teaching documents. (click here) 

Trump told the pope that he “won’t forget what you said" following the meeting. “We can use peace," he said, adding that he would read the documents.

Trump gave the pope a first-edition set of writings from Martin Luther King Jr., including five books. He also gifted the pontiff a piece of granite from the Martin Luther King. Jr. Memorial in Washington.

The White House said that Francis spoke about King and his civil rights legacy during his address to Congress in 2015. It said the gift of writings "honors Dr. King’s hope, vision, and inspiration for generations to come," while a bronze sculpture Trump gifted named Rising Above “represents hope for a peaceful tomorrow."...