It isn't exactly a "How to Guide," but, it comes close. Interesting though, the Pease Limitations are repealed until 2025. Itemized deductions are now endless.

The best way to end the Trump Tax Cuts is for the Middle Class to never pay taxes. In a well placed plan and the end of the Pease Limitations, PERHAPS, there is going to be enough ITEMIZED DEDUCTIONS for Middle Class families to end their tax liability.

Like, in 2019 all the kids get their dental braces.

Getting braces (click here) or other orthodontic work usually isn't an enjoyable experience for you or your bank account. However, when the work is finished and paid for, you -- or a member of your family -- might end up with an extra tax deduction in addition to a straighter smile....

This is called a tax revolt, it is completely legal and it starts now to plan for paying NO FEDERAL TAXES for the year 2019. Research this mess and tell your neighbors and friends to do their homework and ring in the New Year with a plan to end any tax payments. Imagine filing the 2019 tax return and have every penny refunded.

Figure what your tax liability will be for 2019 and then research what would apply to your household ON AN ITEMIZED DEDUCTION income tax return and plan for a full tax refund when filing in 2020. KEEP RECORDS!

The wealthy do this and now so does every other person in the USA.

November 15, 2018
By Kelly Phillips Erb

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) (click here) has announced the annual inflation adjustments for more than 60 tax provisions for the year 2019, including tax rate schedules, tax tables and cost-of-living adjustments.

These are the numbers for the tax year 2019 beginning January 1, 2019. They are not the numbers and tables that you’ll use to prepare your 2018 tax returns in 2019 (you'll find them here). These are the numbers that you'll use to prepare your 2019 tax returns in 2020.

If you aren't expecting any significant changes in 2019, you can use the updated numbers to estimate your liability. If you plan to make more money or change your circumstances (i.e., get married, start a business, have a baby), consider adjusting your withholding or tweaking your estimated tax payments. To check out the updated IRS withholding calculator, click here. For more on how to adjust your withholding using the updated form W-4, click here.

Tax Brackets and Tax Rates. The big news is, of course, the tax brackets and tax rates for 2019. There are still seven (7) tax rates. They are: 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35% and 37% (there is also a zero rate). Here's how those break out by filing status:...

...There are changes to itemized deductions found on Schedule A, including:

• Medical and Dental Expenses. The "floor" for medical and dental expenses rises to 10% (it was 7.5% in 2018), which means you can only deduct those expenses which exceed 10% of your AGI.
• State and Local Taxes. Deductions for state and local sales, income, and property taxes remain in place but are limited to a combined total of $10,000 ($5,000 for married taxpayers filing separately).
• Home Mortgage Interest. You may only deduct interest on acquisition indebtedness - your mortgage used to buy, build or improve your home - up to $750,000 ($375,000 for married taxpayers filing separately). For more on mortgage interest under the new law, click here.
• Charitable donations. The percentage limit for charitable cash donations to public charities has increased from 50% to 60%.
• Casualty and Theft Losses. The deduction for personal casualty and theft losses is repealed except for losses attributable to a federal disaster area. For more on casualty losses after a disaster, click here.
• Job Expenses and Miscellaneous Deductions subject to 2% floor. Miscellaneous deductions, including unreimbursed employee expenses and tax preparation expenses, which exceed 2% of your AGI have been eliminated. For more info, click here.
• For high-income taxpayers who itemize their deductions, the Pease limitations (click here), named after former Rep. Don Pease (D-OH) used to cap or phase out certain deductions. There are no Pease limitations in 2019....

President Trump can now testify to the devastation of the fires to a degree that appears to be indescribable. It is up to the US Senators and the California House delegation to write bills that return the lands to function and helping the citizens realize their lives are not as devastated as the land.

California is both vital to the GDP for the country and the world. It needs the funding to return function to the land and people.

The air quality also has to be addressed in a different way than the air quality Californians enjoy. MASKS that work to protect the elderly and children are vital. All people need masks to filter those large particles that are currently floating in the air in California. Public messaging needs to be immediately issued to alert citizens to wear masks, especially outdoors. The indoor air quality can be in better condition depending on the filtration of the buildings.

MASKS to protect lungs should be expected as a common phenomenon in the public life of all citizens, including on the job if the indoor air quality has been effected by the outdoor particulates.

Stores should carry a stock of these MASKS as soon as possible. 

I thank President Trump for traveling to California to assess the damage. I believe there was a common understanding between the President and Governor Brown and Governor-Elect Gavin Newsom. 

I did not hear any politics said and that is welcome new dynamic that returns respect to the victims and their needs.

The USA needs SIGNIFICANT DEDICATED FUNDING to defeat the Climate Crisis.

November 13, 2018

By Jennifer Lu

...And while the legacy of America's old fire suppression strategy (click here) resulted in the buildup of excess flammable brush, there are two other key reasons why California is the perfect tinderbox. One is that the state has a growing number of people living in or near fire-prone areas.

The second is that California has a naturally dry climate, made worse by climate change and Trump's disregard for climate policies.

Already, Trump has dismantled several key environmental protections that limit greenhouse gases from oil and gas operations, power plants, and cars. The Environmental Protection Agency under Trump also proposed to take away California's right to regulate tailpipe carbon emissions standards in cars that are more protective than federal standards. These moves would worsen climate change and contribute to the state’s propensity to go up in flames....

Daniel Swain @Weather_West

If Northern California had received anywhere near the typical amount of autumn precipitation this year (around 4-5 in. of rain near #CampFire point of origin), explosive fire behavior & stunning tragedy in #Paradise would almost certainly not have occurred. (1/n) #CAfire #CAwx

12:54 pm Nov 10, 2018

...The U.S. Forest Service estimated in 2015 that climate change has led to fire seasons that are on average 78 days longer than they were almost 40 years ago.

Meanwhile, Trump's threat to suspend funding would cripple firefighting efforts when they’re most needed. The U.S. Forest Service spent more than $2 billion last year to put out fires, a sharp increase that "means we have to keep borrowing from funds that are intended for forest management," said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. “We’ve got great people at the Forest Service and great procedures and processes in place…but if we don’t have a dependable funding source in place, then we’ll never get ahead of the curve on fighting fires.”

There has been increasing incidents across the country whereby utility companies are the core reason for citizen losses, be they deaths or property.

The Camp Fire is highly suspicious of a utility incident that began the deadly fire that burns now because of the climate conditions.

Earlier this year an incident in Massachusetts saw a gas utility explode neighborhoods of homes in two towns. The homes were a complete loss and there was at least one death. This is not simply a coincidence, it regards the deregulation of these utilities to facilitate higher profits.

Literally, the government is trading profits for lives and the people need to move to replace regulations by demanding the utilities to comply to protect lives.

The forest deregulation President Trump wants to instill across the USA would be still yet another assault on the lives of the American people.

2018 Deregulation (click here)

With a dangerous climate, there is no room for error and deregulation is simply wrong.

Inspectors have to be ON THE JOB and there needs to be improved funding for the increased numbers of regulators and inspectors required due to the Climate Crisis.

You can't simply cut down every tree in the country as a means to end wildfires. That is crazy and dangerous. President Trump's words, as usual, are uneducated and based on political crony preferences.

No, they aren't looking for birds.

June 28, 2016
By Zoe Hoyle

Dale Brockway, (click here) research ecologist for the U.S. Forest Service Southern Research Station (SRS), recently published his annual summary of projected longleaf pine cone production for 2016 and 2017. The report shows an overall failure of the crop for 2016, and a fair outlook for 2017.

“Our estimates show the 2016 crop averaging only 3.4 cones per tree,” says Brockway, who is stationed at the SRS Restoring and Managing Longleaf Pine Ecosystems unit in Auburn, Alabama. “The natural variation that we usually see throughout the longleaf pine range is less evident this year, with all sites being fairly low in production.”

Only one site in Bladen County, North Carolina, produced more than 10 cones per tree. All other sites were below that level of output.

“Longleaf pine cone production was very high in 2014, and it’s not unusual for a year of high cone yield to be followed by a couple of years with much smaller crops,” says Brockway. “More productive years will follow, as trees recover their internal resources.”...

Healthy forests with an intact canopy and a moist forest floor because of NATIVE plant coverage is required more than ever in 2018 and into the future. The understory of any forest, including floor cover, is vital to a forest that is not easily ignited. Roads are death to canopy coverage in the way they are carried out today. When a forest floor is opened to strong sunlight the floor begins to suffer and the dryness increases. The liter everyone complains about doesn't occur with a complete canopy.

There is a forest that flourishes better than others with an open canopy, the Long Leaf Pine forests of the southeast USA have an open canopy, HOWEVER, the forest floor is moist and full of safety because of the incredibly diverse and wonderful floor cover. There are only three Long Leaf Pine forests in the southeast USA intact in a way it survives. Yes, there are controlled burns about every three years, however, the return of the biotic content is quick and the forest floor is once again covered in a way that preserves moisture.

If politicians don't understand silvaculture, they should not be setting policy.

November 12, 2018
By Rachel Layne 

Amid California's deadly wildfires, (click here) shares of two major California electric utility companies, PG&E and Edison International, sank Monday. Investors are worried the companies may be liable in the historic fires now engulfing large swaths of the state, killing at least 31 people.

PG&E fell around 14 percent in late Monday trading, bringing its two-day decline to as much as 48 percent since the Camp Fire began to burn near San Francisco last week.

Edison International lost more than one-third of its value over two trading days since the Woolsey and Hill fires broke out near Los Angeles late last week. The stock fell some 12 percent further on Monday....

...PG&E said in a statement it will cooperate with any investigations stemming from the massive wildfires in Northern California. The company told state regulators Thursday that it experienced a problem on an electrical transmission line near the site of the blaze minutes before the fire broke out. PG&E  later saw damage to a transmission tower on the line.

Lynsey Paulo, a PG&E spokesperson, said the information was preliminary and stressed the cause of the fire has not been determined, according to a report from the Associated Press.

PG&E equipment has been involved with several deadly wildfires this year in California, racking up costs of more than $2 billion, net of insurance payments tied to those fires, according to industry publication Utility Dive. The company warned of potential liabilities tied to 2017 wildfires and the risk of inverse condemnation in its annual filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Southern California Edison, a unit of Edison International serving that area, said in a statement Friday that it filed an initial report with preliminary information on the Woolsey fire with the California Public Utilities Commission. Like PG&E, the company also cited potential liability tied to last year's Southern California wildfires in its 2017 annual SEC filing.

There "has been no determination of origin or cause of either wildfire," Southern California Edison said in the statement, the latest on its website. The company added it would "fully cooperate with any investigations."

Whatever happened to Matt Whitaker’s head? He has no hair. How old is this guy? 

OMG he is 49 years old and he has no hair, why? Is this a religious thing or a fashion statement? I want to know because if in his other covert life he is a skin head, he needs to go!

I am confident every American including Matt Whitaker knows of the recent deaths at a Pittsburgh synagogue. People in Israel are writing editorials following those murders stating Trump is INSPIRING the global white supremacist movement.

If Whitaker is a deliberate choice because he aligns with this fear, he needs to be out of there.

I am sure everyone knows why the White Supremacists hate the Jews, right? It is because they BELIEVE Muslims and Jews want to eliminate Christianity. You know, the FOX News vigilante stuff of supposedprotecting Christians. While that might seem noble, they certainly don’t worry about all others in the same way.

The Middle Esst is a rough neighborhood for anyone, but, in Israel Christians are welcome and safe. There have been sincere problems for Christians including the bombing of a church where Christian priests and bishops if I remember correctly gathered to pray. It isn’t like these horrors do not happen but these are terrorists that carry out these acts.

I don’t find Matt Whitaker appropriate for any role in the Trump administration due to his inexperience or his appearance that inspires speculation to the basis of Trump’s LOYALTY to the USA Constitution over other wacko beliefs that insult allies while INSPIRING hate. I usually don’t discriminate in this way but there are real problems in the world for exactly the overt hatred expressed by Trump and overt expressions of reassurances to hate groups.

I strongly suggest Trump find a new AG as soon as possible or follow the line of succession and put Assistant AG Rosenstein at the top of the Justice Department, NOW!

I think Governor Elect Whitmer is good news for Flint, Michigan.

I am impressed with this new group of Democrats. They have a vigorous approach to their post election jobs. It was only 24 hours or so when Governor Elect Whitmer stated she was going to have the Attorney General review the cases filed regarding Flint, Michigan. I think she wants to make a difference and bring solace to the people of Flint. I also believe she will be a friend to Mayor Karen Weaver. 

Flint needs so much more than healthy water, but, getting the water crisis in Flint right will be a wonderful start to a refreshed relationship between the state and the city. I look forward to the administration of Governor Elect Whitmer. 

November 16, 2018
By Ron Fonger

Flint -- A transition team (click here) is reviewing the effectiveness of a Flint water advisory group created by Gov. Rick Snyder, a spokeswoman for Gov.-elect Gretchen Whitmer says.

The Flint Water Interagency Coordinating Committee, which met Friday, Nov. 16, is wrapping up its work in advance of Dec. 31, when the executive order that created it expires.

"Following the review (of the effectiveness of FWICC), the team will provide recommendations for the Governor-elect to begin implementing on and after (Jan.1)," Michelle Grinnell, director of communications for Whitmer's transition office, said in an email to MLive-The Flint Journal.

Snyder created FWICC to address issues related to Flint water in April 2016. Committee members said Friday that they do not expect to meet again this year but believe there is still important work a similar group could continue....

Here we go again, in victimizing the victim.

Why is it so much easier to blame the victim?

These were the comments by Ms. DeVos at her confirmation hearing.

17 January 2017
By Molly Redden and Sabrina Siddiqui

...Her comments (click here) came as senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, a Democrat, twice asked DeVos if she would commit to maintaining Barack Obama’s transformational policy aimed at curtailing sexual assault in K-12 schools and on college campuses.

“Assault in any form is never OK, I just want to be very clear on that,” DeVos said.

“If confirmed, I look forward to understanding the past actions and current situation better, and to ensuring that the intent of the law is actually carried out in a way that recognizes both the victim ... as well as those who are accused.”

Casey, who characterized campus sexual assault as “an epidemic”, said he was looking for a more firm commitment. But DeVos declined to weigh in specifically, hinting at the possibility that she might work to reverse the reforms under the Obama administration....

Under the Obama rules there has been an increase in sexual assault campus complaints. This rule took place in 2013 (click here). The hopes of the Obama changes to Title IX was to have greater reporting because victims' identity was safer and retaliation less likely.

October 25, 2018
By Meghan Nguyen

The University of Texas at Austin’s Title IX Office (click here) received 508 total reports of sexual misconduct, sexual harassment and sex discrimination during the 2017–18 academic year, up from 445 reports the previous academic year. The majority of complainants were from students.

Of the 508 reports, 105 were made in August, September and October, during the “red zone,” or the time at the beginning of the school year when a disproportionate number of campus sexual assaults take place. The Department of Justice has identified this period as the stretch of time when a student is more likely to be assaulted than at any other point in his or her college career.

Student body president Colton Becker said Student Government focused its sexual assault awareness efforts on OU weekend in October because the weekend posed a significant risk.

“We spearheaded a coordinated effort to educate students about consent and sexual violence,” Becker said. “In the past, there have been a spike in instances of sexual assault on that weekend in particular.”

Reports filed with the University have increased by six times since the 2012–13 academic year, when 69 such reports were filed. The highest number of reports during the 2017–18 school year occurred in April 2018, with 57 reports being filed....

US Senator Murray has taken on the Education Secretary when it comes to protections for the assaulted, including the LGBTQ community. This is the second round of change for the campus assault programs (click here). That seems to be a strategy for this administration. First, make changes more agreeable to both sides and then later go back to finish the job the way Trump sees it.

During her time in the Secretary's office, she has also been sued (click here) by rights groups stating the dangers of LGBTQ students have increased.

October 19, 2018
By KC Johnson

...In September 2017, (click here) Murray charged that DeVos, in her speech urging fairness for both parties before Title IX tribunals, sought to “roll back protections for campus sexual assault survivors.” These “protections” included a mandate that schools lower the standard of proof to a preponderance of evidence (50.01 percent), thus making it easier to find accused students guilty. As Murray saw it, this guidance “led to more women and men coming forward about their sexual violence experiences.” Obama officials had been careful to avoid making such a claim, since praising guilt-tilting procedures for generating more accusations suggests a comfort with victimizing some innocent students.

A few weeks ago, a draft of the new Title IX regulations leaked; it contained promising proposals that would require colleges to disclose evidence and provide, upon request, training materials to accused students. It also included a clause ordering schools that hold hearings to allow cross-examination. (In a possibly fatal loophole, however, the draft did not require hearings.) To Murray, this fairer system was “shameful and appalling.” The Washington senator informed DeVos that the draft regulation’s procedures “would weaken protections for women”—and her criticism once again gave away the game. In defending the scores of lawsuits filed by accused students, universities have unconvincingly claimed that pro-accuser procedures benefited both men and women. Otherwise, courts could hold that they discriminated against male students, in violation of Title IX. Murray was making her allegiances explicit....

One might also realize the Kavanaugh case occurred before DeVos issued the latest and probably not the last ruling. But, even before it was issued, the proposal had women and men upset over the changes to come.

August 30, 2018
By David Jesse

Proposed changes (click here) to how the nation's colleges and universities should handle sexual assault investigations are leaving sexual assault survivors and victim rights organizations sputtering mad, claiming the moves would tip the playing field toward those accused of sexual assault.

"Is ruining lives your version of a back-to-school welcome?" Morgan McCaul, a survivor of sexual abuse by former MSU doctor Larry Nassar, tweeted as news of the potential changes broke on Wednesday evening.

"When we define policy about criminal sexual misconduct, it is imperative that we consider victims first," she told the Free Press later. "Limiting the availability of justice for complainants is concerning and reckless, especially in today’s climate."

The proposed changes — from the federal Department of Education led by Michigan's Betsy DeVos — would limit colleges to investigating only those sex assaults that happen on campus. Assaults that occur just off campus, in places like fraternity houses or off-campus housing, wouldn't be investigated by the institutions...

Israel wants peace, but, it sees national security as a problem.

Israel has to be among the best armed countries in the Middle East. However, there are issues and I can't say they have an empty meaning.

First, Gaza, and the recent ceasefire brought about by a diligent Egypt actually averted a war between Israel and the Gaza strip. That is a fact. The loss of an IDF commander also contributed to the ceasefire, but, there is profound concern of the use of ONE anti-tank missile that destroyed a military bus, killing one person. There is the concern by Israel that Gaza has significant numbers of rockets and now potential stocks of missiles. The IDF believes Hamas in Gaza will become another Hezbollah.

Secondly, Prime Minister Netanyahu is questioning the interest of Russia's presence in regard to Syria and Lebanon. He stated it is the assessment of the IDF that Russia's forces in the region are limiting the military response by Israel to threats and potentially defending it's borders due to the necessary flight of jets and it's the narrowest region of Israel which is only 9 miles wide.

I believe Russia has positioned itself in Syria for the purpose of interfering with The West's military prowess and that includes Israel. Russia has been demonstrating greater aggression toward NATO, including cyberwar during NATO exercises. There are issues with Russia and the safe sovereignty of NATO, including faux elections at the eastern border of Ukraine. Russia continues to break treaties and that is somewhat meaningful, yet not necessarily the complete picture to the extent of Putin's brinkmanship.

My take on Russia's treaty issues is that the country can no longer survive by living with treaties. I think the sanctions have taken their toll and Russia's aggression is telling of it's willingness to enter a war to end any Western dominance of the region and the world. Also there is a burgeoning presence of Russia in Cuba which has a new president and new agreements with Russia.

Putin is still pretending to be a diplomat more so than a general, but, it is a lie. I believe more and more the sanctions on Russia is forcing it's hand. Putin has made well-made long term plans to end NATO including providing influence in elections in Europe and the USA. Those plots against democracy are now exposed and Russia feels more vulnerable than ever. NATO can now counter those attacks and the victory of the Democratic Party with a younger generation taking it's citizenship responsibly is proof of that.

I still believe there are vulnerabilities for NATO countries by the simple fact they are democracies, but, as the identity of bad actors, such as Steve Bannon, are exposed the more the momentum to preserve democracies will take shape. I might add the new president of Brazil has made wild promises to the people which today are simply not possible to keep. That will come home eventually to the people of Brazil and they will find the undermining of their democracy standing plainly in front of them. Greed is not a democracy. Greed is the corruption of democracy to serve a few rather than the country.

I just had a news notice stating the White House MUST return the credentials of the CNN White House Bureau Chief. That is most likely the promise of the First Amendment which is under attack by this White House. At least it seems obvious to me. The USA is on the march to protect democracy and that should be good news for every other country that enjoys freedom and liberty.

But, as to Israel and Russia. The current White House has promised a peace plan to be revealed within two months. It will be interesting to find out where Russia fits into those plans and whether it is a peace plan that is palatable to Israel and the region, including Egypt. At no point in time should Egypt's accomplishments ever be put to the sidelines. Israel now knows the power Egypt has in negotiations and the ceasefire is definitely viewed as having averted a war. Egypt is an ally to both the Gaza Strip and Israel, the question that remains for Egypt is how to reassure Israel there will be no weapons build up in Gaza that threatens that peace.

There are going to be early elections in Israel and the attacks in the south are responsible for solidifying those plans. The resignation of the IDF leader is due to the fact the Prime Minister participated in the ceasefire talks. The IDF leadership is somewhat the strongest right wing political group and has a vision for Israel that will not be workable under most peace plans discussed today. The political right wing of Israel still sees an expansionist role for Israel, hence, the presence of Russia that serves the purpose of limiting the military options to Israel while building a presence that threatens NATO.

Recently, there was an article in the "Los Angeles Times" discussing the burgeoning threat of the alliance of China and Russia as China grows in military strength. It discusses the scenario that the USA is vulnerable to significant losses and potential defeat.

There has been a Friendship Agreement between Russia and China since 2000 when "W" took office. That alliance has not been called up until the tariffs were placed on the economic relationship between China and the USA. Oddly enough, Israel is in negotiations with China and is speculated to be a point of contention with the Trump Administration. Regardless, Israel needs to be sure it's national security is not an issue when contracting with China for trade. There is the alliance with Russia and there is definitely a changing tone to the international community.

One of the assessments that will come into view as the new US House Democrats come into office is the national security of the USA, including the ability of it's military to be effective beyond a doubt. There are new threats and the fact Russia and Cuba will present another missile crisis to the USA is a given, only this time I am not confident Putin cares enough to back down and practice only brinkmanship.

The UN Security Council needs to begin to address these new global threats (nuclear proliferation and war is a global threat) and demand reassurances there will be no such paradigm between major countries today or in the future. The idea of a limited nuclear war is hideous. The winds that exist in the troposphere of Earth alone will guarantee danger to the global population even without participation. The best example of that currently is the long distance disposition of California's smoke from the fires. Last I checked it was making it's way to Michigan nearly 2000 miles away.

I might suggest Egypt give testimony to the UN Security Council as to it's incredible success in averting a war through a ceasefire.

Serious ceasefire and peace talks need to go forward in the Middle East and Russia needs to reassess it's ability to bring about peace rather than a global war which no one wants.

November 16, 2018

By Raoul Wootliff

The Jewish Home (click here) will leave the coalition, bringing down the government and forcing new elections, senior party sources told The Times of Israel Friday.

The Jewish Home party’s decision came after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected Jewish Home leader Naftali Bennett’s demand to be made defense minister in a Friday afternoon meeting between the two.

The sources said a date for elections had not been agreed upon. Elections are formally set for November 2019, but it is now expected they will be held between March and May, with Netanyahu pushing for a later date and other parties seeking an earlier one....

Is this level of brutality what should occur in respect to the death of Jamal Khashoggi?

As the death and dissolving of Jamal Khashoggi's body was revealed to the family and public it is safe to say people recoiled at the brutality. I am not inferring there should be forgiveness for this death, what I am saying is does the civilized world want Saudi Arabia to continue to practice these brutal killings?

In the USA, the people demand a humane death process in the name of justice. There are many that do not believe in the death sentence. Does a truly civilized country uphold life by deliberately avoiding the death sentence? There are countries in this world that view the death sentence as a form of uncivilized brutality. But, this is not about advocating for the global end of the death sentence, this is about what should be conducted for justice in the death of an endeared Washington Post journalist and man interested in the future of Saudi Arabia.

I doubt that dialogue by Jamal Khashoggi exists anywhere. No one images being murdered and what they would want for a sentence for their murderers. I think this is such a public death with intimate knowledge of the killing that the people within the profession of journalism in consultation with the family and the former fiancee' of Jamal Khashoggi should consider what is called justice.

Should the public turn a blind eye to a death sentence by beheading or does the public demand a humane change in Saudi Arabian law that carries out a death sentence that is far less brutal? I can't answer that question. I am not a fiancee', a son, a friend or a close peer to this wonderfully brave man who's sword was a newspaper. My purpose is to reflect on the moment and bring thought to actions.

16 November 2018

Saudi Arabia's public prosecutor (click here) has released the findings of a long-awaited investigation of the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, saying that a team of Saudi agents who had been dispatched to Istanbul with orders to bring him home alive had instead killed the journalist and dismembered his body.

Saudi Arabia's crown prince had no knowledge of the operation, Shaalan al-Shaalan, a spokesman for the prosecutor, said at a news conference in Riyadh, the Saudi capital.

He said that 11 suspects had been indicted and that authorities were seeking the death penalty for five of them. None of the suspects were named.

Executions in Saudi Arabia are usually carried out publicly by beheading with a sword.

The order to kill Khashoggi, who had criticised the Saudi monarchy over the past year, had come from one of the leaders of the Saudi team in Istanbul, Shaalan said.

Prosecutor Saud al-Mojeb's conclusion - that the killing was authorised by relatively low-level officials who disobeyed orders and acted on the fly - contradicted assertions by Turkish investigators, who have said it was a meticulously planned affair, with elaborate preparations to cover up the crime that included the scouting of locations where Khashoggi's body could be disposed of in secret.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the slaying was premeditated and that the orders had come from "the highest levels of the Saudi government," without specifying exactly who was responsible....

16 November 2018

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Un (click here) guided the test of a newly-developed high-tech strategic weapon, according to reports by South Korea news agency Yonhap.

North Korea's Korea Central Broadcasting Station (KCBS) said the weapon was "researched and developed for a long time", and that the test was successful, Yonhap reported.

It didn't specify what kind of weapon had been tested or when Kim's visit took place,

This was North Korea's first public announcement of continued military advancement since a diplomatic process with the U.S. and South Korea began earlier this year, Wall St Journal reported.

The report of the weapon testing comes amid uncertainty about a nearly year-long diplomatic process that began earlier this year.

This was the North Korean leader's first reported trip to a weapons facility since he declared in April that the country's nuclear and missile program were complete and that he was shifting the country's focus entirely to economic development.

The peace process between the two Koreas is moving forward with a demolition by South Korea of a guard post. The demolition was agreed upon the end of October. There are eleven in total to be demolished.

It seems South Korea needs to reassess it's position with this continuing unification process if there is a new mass destruction weapon of war developed by North Korea. South Korea is hesitant to engage in the joint industrial zone (click here).

November 16, 2018

South Korea has blown up (click here for video) one of its frontline guard posts on the border with North Korea, sending plumes of thick, black smoke into the sky in the most dramatic scene to date in the rivals' efforts to reduce tensions that sparked last year's fears of war.

Last week, the two Koreas finished withdrawing troops and firearms from some of the guard posts along their border before dismantling them.

The steps are part of agreements signed in September during a meeting between their leaders in Pyongyang, North Korea's capital.

On Thursday, South Korea's military invited a group of journalists to watch the destruction of a guard post with dynamite in the central border area of Cheorwon....

This is the peace agreement I remember which included denuclearization by North Korea. South Korea doesn't have nuclear weapons. Kim Jong Un promised he would go forward with denuclearization and nothing short of it.

The Former Governor that decided to put his know how to work. Thank you, Ahhhnold.

November 9, 2018
By Edward-Isaac Dovere

"Voters in Colorado, Michigan, Missouri, and Utah (click here) Endorse Independent Redistricting with Big Implications for the Next Round of Redistricting"

Arnold Schwarzenegger (click here) is preparing to travel to the future of the gerrymandering war.

Tuesday brought wins for independent redistricting commissions that Schwarzenegger backed in three of the four states where they were on the ballot—Michigan, Missouri, and Colorado, with Utah still counting, but also trending toward yes. Now the former California governor has begun planning a summit for advocates, donors, and the people behind some of the successful campaigns to brainstorm and build to more wins.

It will be held at the Schwarzenegger Institute at the University of Southern California. Plans are being made to bring the group together within the next few months.

With Tuesday’s ballot questions, now nearly one-third of House districts will be drawn through independent redistricting according to a new report by the Schwarzenegger Institute, by commission or other methods. Schwarzenegger’s goal is to get that number to half by the end of 2020, and he already has his eyes on Virginia, among other states.

“My biggest complaint is always when people say, ‘This is [what’s] wrong with politics.’ Now I say, ‘What do you do about it?’” Schwarzenegger said in an interview on Thursday. He compared the effort to some of his other passions. “We’re going to make a plan, and this is going to be a new family. It’s like the environmental family or the fitness family.”...

I think doing both is prudent.

I am not going to assume to speak for or against Bob Woodward. But, he has a point about focusing on what is going on with the White House. I would think he is an expert in the area.

If journalism is attacked in a manner that removes long established credentials that needs to be addressed. Before one can know what is going on with the White House, one has to have access. The people rely on the media to bring the facts, hopefully, facts.

I find the rally of news organizations to file briefs, regardless of any odd reasons assigned to participating media, with CNN's lawsuit impressive. I think CNN needed to have peers stand with them. CNN has taken incredible heat from the Trump White House and they are among the most factual of news media. They also are global and often first to report in other places in the world. CNN is a vital news agency and sincerely needed their peers through this difficult time.

Thank you.

And, thank you, Bob Woodward, for noticing and commenting.

Just to be clear, in the video, there is a reference to "I am a constitutionalist." I sincerely believe the right-wing extremists that only take their news from the president, define constitutionalist as WITHOUT ANY AMENDMENTS, including the first ten. I believe that is Trump's point of view as well. Then there is the Federalist Society where all the conservative judges come from that want to rewrite the USA Constitution. No one can hear statements about the Constitution without delving into what and who exactly is stating it and the deeper meaning of their statements.

In the year 2018, we are in a different world when nothing stated or written is taken for granted.

November 14, 2018
By David Moye

Bob Woodward (click here) is no fan of Donald Trump, but he’s not exactly supporting CNN’s lawsuit against the president, either.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist spoke out against the lawsuit Tuesday at the Global Financial Leadership Conference in Naples, Florida. Suing to restore CNN reporter Jim Acosta’s press credentials is just playing into the spotlight-loving president’s hands, he said.

“It’s actually a negative,” Woodward said, according to the Naples Daily News. “Trump would sit around and look at this and say, ‘This is great.’”

Woodward is not impressed with other media’s reportage of the president, either, saying “too many people for Trump or against Trump have become emotionally unhinged about this,” NBC News media reporter Dylan Byers reported via Twitter....

The recount was concluded in reasonable time and it worked.

Ron DeSantis - 49.6 percent (click here)

Andrew Gillum - 49.2 percent

No surprise and why the Republicans wanted to end the LEGAL and LEGITIMATE recount in a cloud of corruption, Miami-Dade and Broward went for Andrew Gillum.

According to my math, that is a difference of 33,691 votes in an election where 8,271,787 voters participated. That means there is a difference of 0.4 percent. The hand recount was just announced. That is an extremely close margin.

I am fairly confident the margin of error of the voting machines is higher than that. There absolutely was a margin of error with the computers used in Florida. They are outdated and malfunctioned while counting.

It looks like the Senate is going to receive a hand recount as well.

November 15, 2018

Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson (click here) trailed his Republican challenger, Florida Governor Rick Scott, by about 12,600 votes, or 0.15 percent of the more than 8 million ballots cast following an electronic recount. The razor-thin margin triggers a manual recount under state law.

Elections officials were expected to inspect by hand any ballots that were designated undervotes or overvotes, cases where the machine that reviewed the ballot concluded that a voter had skipped a contest or marked more than one selection.

If the voter's intentions are clear on review by a person, the ballot could be counted....

Es’hail-2 Mission (click here for Space-X website - thank you)

It is always interesting to watch Space-X's return to Earth. No ocean pollution. That, by the way, is becoming a focus of those studying Earth ocean heating. There is a lot of metal debris in the oceans as well as plastics. It is believed the metal and debris in the seas and oceans are actually contributing to their heating. The metal and debris retain the heat that is transferred to them differently than ocean water. The metal and debris encourage the upticks in heating by maintaining those temperatures differently.

So, thank you to Space-X for being a responsible citizen to Earth's oceans.

Liz Cheney is a typical Republican.

She hails to PACs and not much else, except, some wealthy individuals. (click here)

Not much new about Cheney, she also receives donations from Halliburton. We already know where her loyalties lie and it isn't with the protections from the Climate Crisis.

Calculated tweets are more the reality than an irrational man exerting his meanness to the world.

I found the words chosen by Trump less "knee-jerk" than calculated. Aren't those words used to describe him?

November 15, 2018

"The inner workings (click here) of the Mueller investigation are a total mess. They have found no collusion and have gone absolutely nuts. They are screaming and shouting at people, horribly threatening them to come up with the answers they want. They are a disgrace to our Nation and don’t..."

The inner workings of the White House are a total mess. They have found no collusion and have gone absolutely nuts. They are screaming and shouting at people (First Lady public tantrum), horribly threatening them to come up with answers they want. They are a disgrace to our Nationa and don't..."

It is a simple exercise, but, when employed proves more than interesting.

Let me state, I am not following Trump on Twitter. The entries followed by the mainstream media are the only ones found on this blog. Of those entries, the media is picking up as significant I believe the words are chosen from descriptions of himself on social media.

In other words, Trump is attempting to divert adverse character descriptions of himself onto others he chooses to demonize. Every one of those negative characteristics he makes of the Mueller Investigation is a descriptor of Trump and his White House within social media. You have to wonder what Sarah Sanders What's Her Name is doing all day. She assigns very little time to meet with the press. I think she also makes lists of current topics in social media and the verbiage assigned to Trump by social media.

Everyone wants to assign Trump's tweets to an uncontrollable man that is irrational. While that may be true, as exampled by the trip to Europe, I think his tweets are more strategic and chosen than anyone wants to admit.

There needs to be regulation of social media and it's access by hostile elements.

But, the leadership of Facebook needs to evaluate the idea of leaving the company.

November 15, 2018

By The Forward and Alyssa Fisher

When it came out last spring (click here) that the privacy of millions of Facebook users was compromised, the company’s chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg needed a plan to shift the anger — so she threw George Soros’s name into the mix.

The New York Times reported Wednesday that while Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg was apologizing for the social media giant’s tumbles — for the compromised data, for its involvement in the 2016 presidential election, for broadcasting propaganda — Sandberg sought damage control. That, the Times found, involved attempting to discredit Facebook’s protestors by linking them to liberal financier and philanthropist Soros, who is seen as a boogeyman to the far-right....

It seems to me there is a considerable effort to cause a divide with the new US House majority.

How realistic is it to replace Minority Speaker Nancy Pelosi from another Speakership? My point of view is that it is more realistic that other leadership positions should be filled with Speaker Hopefuls before leadership is handed off to a less experienced member of the US House.

Speaker of the House or Assembly. (click here)
Speaker Pro Tem.
Majority Leader.
Majority Caucus Chair.
Majority Whip.

I think caution is necessary for realizing the propaganda arms of Republicans have been instrumental in demonizing the ICONIC image of Nancy Pelosi. They have been so successful that votes for Minority Speaker Pelosi will be sought to further demonize those House members. That is ridiculous.

Every Democratic member of the Senate or House are autonomous in representing their constituency and vote for leadership to bring legislation and discussions to the floor of these vital federal authorities. I purpose there is a logical, stable and strong method to change in leadership and it is more like passing the batton than crashing through the door.

Qualifications are important, but, experience in leading these authoritative bodies are important as well. The new members of the US House Democratic Party need to be included in at least assistant leadership positions. There is no set and fast rule to any elected position in the US House, but, MEASURED movement into leadership positions, especially the Speaker position, is prudent. 

I might add, there is no guarantee the Republican propaganda arms' harassment will end with the ousting of Nancy Pelosi, as a point of contention for elections. There is no reason for others to open themselves to such harassment in the future. I remember about three elections or so ago, Nancy Pelosi was characterized as a blown up head over the US Capitol building. She stated her own election that year required large amounts of money because of those terrible and meaningless ads. Anyone taking the Speakers' office needs to be able to handle that reality as well as Nancy Pelosi does.

I also strongly believe much of the Republican propaganda arms are using age discrimination in the attacks against the current Minority Speaker. I strongly believe that is a well placed attack on the elderly to increase hate of the old and demise of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Those in the Democratic Party need to be careful in the arguments they choose when discrimination is the basis of their arguments or backing of such arguments.

Also, Nancy Pelosi represents and has first hand knowledge of a state in the USA where the Climate Crisis has devastated an entire town with deaths still being counted. I would hope to see an invitation by Governor Brown, even after leaving office, to the US House floor to address these vitally important issues.

The Democratic Party has a distinguished history of being the place where the aggrieved and minority find a political home. This election has proven to be the pride of that history. The diversity of the newly elected Democratic Party is a point of pride they can wear proudly as a promise to the future of all Americans.

So, with all that stated, I suggest the new US House Majority, taking it's place in January, make selections in leadership that carry the pride of the party forward for everyone in the USA to see. It is important there is harmony in the party. I don't believe there needs to be cookie cutter members and differences are all legal and important. The future is not set in stone and the younger generations see the future differently. That difference was important this election and the younger voter is vital to keep interest in voting.

To the most diverse, intelligent and dedicated to honesty class of US House members, I wish you well. There is plenty of work to do on all fronts.