Monday, February 25, 2019
The Oscars were exceptional last night. I liked the presenters handling the entire show. It was nice. The final stage for Best Picture was a delight to see for it's diversity. Americans can be proud of their movie industry. The drastic change had to occur in a way that was visual and they rose to the need of the country.
Sunday, February 24, 2019
February 2019 - Black History Month
I have an affection for horses. They are incredible animals in realizing how they have provided the advancement of civilization. It could not have occurred without them. One of the places horses were used as a vital part of developing civilization is "The Old West" where food choices could include beef. Cattle were managed by people on the backs of horses and I began to wonder if there were African Americans somewhere in the history of the making of the West. I didn't have to look far.
Bill Pickett invented "bulldogging," a rodeo technique to wrestle a steer to the ground.
...Bill Pickett, born in 1870 in Texas to former slaves, became one of the most famous early rodeo stars. He dropped out of school to become a ranch hand and gained an international reputation for his unique method of catching stray cows....
Understand that the modern day rodeo competition called "Cattle Wrestling" would never have existed if Bill Pickett didn't develop the skill and technique in the beginning. He did participate in the earliest rodeos as a skilled cowboy.
One in four cowboys were black. (click here) So why aren't they more present in popular culture?
In his 1907 autobiography, (click here) cowboy Nat Love recounts stories from his life on the frontier so cliché, they read like scenes from a John Wayne film. He describes Dodge City, Kansas, a town smattered with the romanticized institutions of the frontier: “a great many saloons, dance halls, and gambling houses, and very little of anything else.” He moved massive herds of cattle from one grazing area to another, drank with Billy the Kid and participated in shootouts with Native peoples defending their land on the trails. And when not, as he put it, “engaged in fighting Indians,” he amused himself with activities like “dare-devil riding, shooting, roping and such sports.”...
Modern day racism no longer belongs on the American landscape. Tonight may be a magnificently historic ceremony at the Oscars for the African American community. I will be watching and hoping I will see history in the making.
Thank you for your interest.
...Bill Pickett, born in 1870 in Texas to former slaves, became one of the most famous early rodeo stars. He dropped out of school to become a ranch hand and gained an international reputation for his unique method of catching stray cows....
Understand that the modern day rodeo competition called "Cattle Wrestling" would never have existed if Bill Pickett didn't develop the skill and technique in the beginning. He did participate in the earliest rodeos as a skilled cowboy.
One in four cowboys were black. (click here) So why aren't they more present in popular culture?
In his 1907 autobiography, (click here) cowboy Nat Love recounts stories from his life on the frontier so cliché, they read like scenes from a John Wayne film. He describes Dodge City, Kansas, a town smattered with the romanticized institutions of the frontier: “a great many saloons, dance halls, and gambling houses, and very little of anything else.” He moved massive herds of cattle from one grazing area to another, drank with Billy the Kid and participated in shootouts with Native peoples defending their land on the trails. And when not, as he put it, “engaged in fighting Indians,” he amused himself with activities like “dare-devil riding, shooting, roping and such sports.”...
Modern day racism no longer belongs on the American landscape. Tonight may be a magnificently historic ceremony at the Oscars for the African American community. I will be watching and hoping I will see history in the making.
Thank you for your interest.
Russia, Russians and Putin do not do anything that does not benefit Russia.
By Elisha Fieldstadt. Charlie Gile and Rich Shapiro
Russian operative (click here) Maria Butina admitted Thursday to conspiring to infiltrate influential conservative organizations, including the National Rifle Association, in an effort to push Moscow's agenda.
Butina, 30, who has agreed to cooperate with federal prosecutors, pleaded guilty in a Washington courtroom to one count of conspiracy to violate the law governing foreign agents operating in the U.S.
The felony carries a five-year prison term, but the estimated sentencing guideline range is from zero to six months in prison. The charge was brought by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, unrelated to special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
As a noncitizen, Butina would face deportation after serving any prison sentence....
Saturday, February 23, 2019
The Deep State of the USA
Since the beginnings of the 13 original colonies, the USA has always had an intelligence agency to assist with sovereignty. With every conflict, every attempt to undermine the American democracy there have been loyal and true Americans that have lined the halls of secrecy, prosecution and justice to protect and defend this United States of America.
During the Battle of Long Island, (click here) Nathan Hale--a captain in the Continental Army--volunteered to go behind enemy lines in disguise to report back on British troop movements. Hale was captured by the British army and executed as a spy on September 22, 1776. Hale remains part of popular lore connected with the American Revolution for his purported last words, “I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country."...
The evil "Deep State" created by FOX News, right wing radio and Trump is a fictitious element that is a political ploy to inspire those that hate and seek to harm the democracy that now stands nearly 250 years.
I won't put up with such lies and innuendos. If it were for the FBI, CIA and many others, including allies, this democracy would have been trampled a long time ago.
The "Deep State" is something Putin believes in and fears. We, as Americans, should be proud of everyone of those that serve in the military, military intelligence and Homeland Security. They are all good and loyal Americans that will defend their country and it's domestic peace.
...In November 1778, George Washington charged Major Benjamin Tallmadge with creating a spy ring in New York City, the site of British headquarters. Tallmadge led the creation of the Culper Spy Ring, recruiting friends to work as his informants. Tallmadge served as the main handler for the Culper Spy Ring until the end of the war....
The Boston Tea Party would have occurred without covert action by many. This country was built on intelligence and will continue to be strong due to it.
...Well-connected within the New York, colonial, upper class, Anna Strong utilized her farmstead on Long Island to help transfer intelligence information to the other members of the Culper ring. Strong’s husband, Selah Strong III, was a prominent Patriot judge who served as a captain during the war. Anna Strong arranged clothes on her clothesline as a means to signal fellow Culper spy Caleb Brewster regarding the location of hidden documents to be transported....
The USA has always had a "Deep State," will always have a "Deep State" and will seek the proud service of agents and agency that protect this mighty country.
During the Battle of Long Island, (click here) Nathan Hale--a captain in the Continental Army--volunteered to go behind enemy lines in disguise to report back on British troop movements. Hale was captured by the British army and executed as a spy on September 22, 1776. Hale remains part of popular lore connected with the American Revolution for his purported last words, “I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country."...
The evil "Deep State" created by FOX News, right wing radio and Trump is a fictitious element that is a political ploy to inspire those that hate and seek to harm the democracy that now stands nearly 250 years.
I won't put up with such lies and innuendos. If it were for the FBI, CIA and many others, including allies, this democracy would have been trampled a long time ago.
The "Deep State" is something Putin believes in and fears. We, as Americans, should be proud of everyone of those that serve in the military, military intelligence and Homeland Security. They are all good and loyal Americans that will defend their country and it's domestic peace.
...In November 1778, George Washington charged Major Benjamin Tallmadge with creating a spy ring in New York City, the site of British headquarters. Tallmadge led the creation of the Culper Spy Ring, recruiting friends to work as his informants. Tallmadge served as the main handler for the Culper Spy Ring until the end of the war....
The Boston Tea Party would have occurred without covert action by many. This country was built on intelligence and will continue to be strong due to it.
...Well-connected within the New York, colonial, upper class, Anna Strong utilized her farmstead on Long Island to help transfer intelligence information to the other members of the Culper ring. Strong’s husband, Selah Strong III, was a prominent Patriot judge who served as a captain during the war. Anna Strong arranged clothes on her clothesline as a means to signal fellow Culper spy Caleb Brewster regarding the location of hidden documents to be transported....
The USA has always had a "Deep State," will always have a "Deep State" and will seek the proud service of agents and agency that protect this mighty country.
Compassionate forces bringing humanitarian aid should hold their positions. Do not give Maduro a reason to kill.
Does the interior of the country know what is occurring at the borders? Do they know the world is trying desperately to help them? The people don't have to take sides in any debate, they need to receive the humanitarian aid.
Maduro should realize by now the Russians are very good at flying embattled leaders to it's own borders. He should consider that option. It will give him a chance to reunit with his country’s money.
23 February 2019
In a separate development, (click here) Venezuelan troops have fired tear gas at people looking to cross into Colombia to work.
Tensions have been rising over a row about the delivery of humanitarian aid.
President Nicolás Maduro said the border with Colombia is partly closed to stop aid being delivered....
...Footage posted online shows the soldiers requesting help from the Colombian migration agency to cries of "freedom" and "put down your arms."
Maduro should realize by now the Russians are very good at flying embattled leaders to it's own borders. He should consider that option. It will give him a chance to reunit with his country’s money.
23 February 2019
In a separate development, (click here) Venezuelan troops have fired tear gas at people looking to cross into Colombia to work.
Tensions have been rising over a row about the delivery of humanitarian aid.
President Nicolás Maduro said the border with Colombia is partly closed to stop aid being delivered....
...Footage posted online shows the soldiers requesting help from the Colombian migration agency to cries of "freedom" and "put down your arms."
Local media report people jumping the barricades to cross the border at the Venezuela-Colombia border, while opposition MPs have posted defiant messages on social media denouncing the use of force.
The BBC's Orla Guerin, on the Colombia border, said Venezuelans were begging soldiers to be allowed to cross....
...Three soldiers abandoned their post at this bridge by crossing into Colombia, while another did so at the Paula Santander International Bridge in Ureña, in south-west Venezuela....
...Venezuela is in the grip of a political and economic crisis. The country's inflation rate has seen prices soar, leaving many Venezuelans struggling to afford basic items such as food, toiletries and medicine....
...About 2.7 million people have fled the country since 2015.
The entire movement is defined by compassion. There is no one involved seeking to begin war. It is about life and maintaining life.
...Three soldiers abandoned their post at this bridge by crossing into Colombia, while another did so at the Paula Santander International Bridge in Ureña, in south-west Venezuela....
...Venezuela is in the grip of a political and economic crisis. The country's inflation rate has seen prices soar, leaving many Venezuelans struggling to afford basic items such as food, toiletries and medicine....
...About 2.7 million people have fled the country since 2015.
The entire movement is defined by compassion. There is no one involved seeking to begin war. It is about life and maintaining life.
Racists and bigots take notice; employers are afraid of you and the hate you bring with you.
February 22, 2019
By Sam Shepard
Augusta - An employee of the Red Barn (click here) has been taken off the restaurant’s work schedule after racist remarks he made to a person of color via an Instagram direct message, prompting a video apology posted to the restaurant’s social media account.
Peter Benedict, a manager at the Red Barn, confirmed Friday that the employee in the video was 19-year-old Brady Maheux, a grand-nephew of owner Laura Benedict. He said no permanent decision about Maheux’s employment had been made by Friday evening.
Peter Benedict said Maheux was “a good kid” who made a “bad decision.”
“He knew way before anything even started,” Peter Benedict said. “He’s not a racist kid.”
The incident on Tuesday this week came to light after the user of an Instagram account, FBCCBayArea, publicized comments Maheux made to him in a direct message. It also shows Maheux’s Facebook page and place of work. The account holder said he would speak with Maheux’s manager at the restaurant in the morning.
Maheux’s original Instagram post, which has since been deleted, called the person a “disrespectful (N-word).”...
By Sam Shepard
Augusta - An employee of the Red Barn (click here) has been taken off the restaurant’s work schedule after racist remarks he made to a person of color via an Instagram direct message, prompting a video apology posted to the restaurant’s social media account.
Peter Benedict, a manager at the Red Barn, confirmed Friday that the employee in the video was 19-year-old Brady Maheux, a grand-nephew of owner Laura Benedict. He said no permanent decision about Maheux’s employment had been made by Friday evening.
Peter Benedict said Maheux was “a good kid” who made a “bad decision.”
“He knew way before anything even started,” Peter Benedict said. “He’s not a racist kid.”
The incident on Tuesday this week came to light after the user of an Instagram account, FBCCBayArea, publicized comments Maheux made to him in a direct message. It also shows Maheux’s Facebook page and place of work. The account holder said he would speak with Maheux’s manager at the restaurant in the morning.
Maheux’s original Instagram post, which has since been deleted, called the person a “disrespectful (N-word).”...
Friday, February 22, 2019
If any journalist receives or has received threatening phone calls, tweets, letters or packages they absolutely should involve the authorities for prosecution of the assault. Words can be assault weapons, too. By doing so, the harassing voice of Donald Trump can be identified in the number of people arrested affiliated with his hate speech. Journalists need to protect themselves, peers and their profession. Do not hesitate to act. None of the hate in today’s society is appropriate or healthy for the country.
Wait a minute, let me get this right.
The judge in the Manafort case has set a deadline for today that prosecutors have to submit additional details for his sentencing and that hasn’t happened yet?
That is uncharacteristic of the prosecution team in this case.
Isn’t Barr holding a meeting at the DOJ today regarding all of this? Is Barr seeking a way to obstruct the prosecutors?
Where is Giuliani?
Trump has a scandal riddled administration just as he has had a scandal riddled life and it is no one’s fault but his own.
The judge in the Manafort case has set a deadline for today that prosecutors have to submit additional details for his sentencing and that hasn’t happened yet?
That is uncharacteristic of the prosecution team in this case.
Isn’t Barr holding a meeting at the DOJ today regarding all of this? Is Barr seeking a way to obstruct the prosecutors?
Where is Giuliani?
Trump has a scandal riddled administration just as he has had a scandal riddled life and it is no one’s fault but his own.
Did you see the new GMC tailgate? Awesome. Go, Flint!
By Ron Fonger
Flint -- Alec Baldwin was spotted around Flint Wednesday, Feb. 20 (click here) while in town shooting a documentary.
Baldwin stopped at Flint City Hall, met Mayor Karen Weaver, and the two had a photo taken together, spokeswoman Candice Mushatt confirmed.
Sources reached by The Flint Journal-MLive Wednesday said the actor was in town working on a documentary about the Flint water crisis. The documentary, by filmmaker Anthony Baxter, has been in the works since 2017, according to Variety.
Water activist Florissa Fowler said she had brunch with Baldwin, who was aghast at her $640 water bill.
“I didn’t know he was coming until the last minute,” Fowler said. “I really thought he was genuinely concerned.”
Virginia Tech Professor Marc Edwards also confirmed that he’d been interviewed for the documentary on Wednesday.
U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Township, also met with Baldwin for the documentary, his office confirmed....
February 5, 2019
Flint - General Motors Co (click here) said Tuesday it will add 1,000 workers to build new heavy-duty pickup trucks at its plant in Flint, Michigan, and will give priority to GM workers who were laid off elsewhere.
GM has come under fire from U.S. President Donald Trump and Midwestern lawmakers for its plans to stop production at five North American factories and cut up to 15,000 jobs. The automaker has said it is trying to find new jobs for 1,500 U.S. hourly workers at the affected plants. Flint could be a haven for many of these employees.
Sales of heavy-duty pickups in the United States have grown to more than 600,000 vehicles a year, up more than 20 percent since 2013, according to industry data. Prices for luxury models can easily top $70,000....
Warren Buffett is taking a beating, how is George Soros these days?
The supply chain to Kraft and Heinz increased in marked ways this past quarter. It may very well be because of Trump's tariffs and where these items are purchased. The best venue at this point is for Kraft Heinz to develop their own supply chain within the USA.
If this is happening to Kraft, what is happening elsewhere on Wall Street?
George Soros does a lot of international charity work. If his investments sour because of Trump's tariffs, the international community will be effected.
February 21, 2019
By Tara Lachapelle
Kraft Heinz Co.’s facade is beginning to crack.' (click here)
After the close of trading Thursday, the packaged-food company delivered a triple whammy to investors: It said it took a $15.4 billion writedown in the fourth quarter. It also said it had received a subpoena from the Securities and Exchange Commission associated with an investigation into its “accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls” regarding procurement agreements. And the company cut its quarterly dividend by 36 percent. The stock sold off more than 17 percent as of 6 p.m. New York time.
Kraft Heinz said the impairment charge was related primarily to its U.S. refrigerated-foods and Canadian retail divisions, as well as trademarks for its Kraft and Oscar Mayer brands — two of the company’s biggest moneymakers. While all the old guards of the supermarket aisles are struggling as consumers opt for fresher, less-processed and more on-the-go food items from upstart businesses, Kraft Heinz’s writedown may also speak to underinvestment in its brands. As for the SEC probe, the disclosure doesn’t necessarily signal wrongdoing or the need for significant financial revisions, but it does further sully the image of a company that already didn’t sit well with some investors. (The company said its own investigation into the matter determined that the necessary adjustments weren’t material to previous results and that it doesn’t expect them to be in the future.)...
If this is happening to Kraft, what is happening elsewhere on Wall Street?
George Soros does a lot of international charity work. If his investments sour because of Trump's tariffs, the international community will be effected.
February 21, 2019
By Tara Lachapelle
Kraft Heinz Co.’s facade is beginning to crack.' (click here)
After the close of trading Thursday, the packaged-food company delivered a triple whammy to investors: It said it took a $15.4 billion writedown in the fourth quarter. It also said it had received a subpoena from the Securities and Exchange Commission associated with an investigation into its “accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls” regarding procurement agreements. And the company cut its quarterly dividend by 36 percent. The stock sold off more than 17 percent as of 6 p.m. New York time.
Kraft Heinz said the impairment charge was related primarily to its U.S. refrigerated-foods and Canadian retail divisions, as well as trademarks for its Kraft and Oscar Mayer brands — two of the company’s biggest moneymakers. While all the old guards of the supermarket aisles are struggling as consumers opt for fresher, less-processed and more on-the-go food items from upstart businesses, Kraft Heinz’s writedown may also speak to underinvestment in its brands. As for the SEC probe, the disclosure doesn’t necessarily signal wrongdoing or the need for significant financial revisions, but it does further sully the image of a company that already didn’t sit well with some investors. (The company said its own investigation into the matter determined that the necessary adjustments weren’t material to previous results and that it doesn’t expect them to be in the future.)...
The pedophile president has the go to legal leverage guy for pedophiles is on his cabinet. That is more than interesting.
I am proud of the "Miami Herald" for looking out for the children of this country and other countries as well. Epstein is an international citizen in that he can move easily between boundaries of countries to satisfy his sick sexual desires for children. This is an important article for the USA and other countries as well. There are areas of the world known for sex tourism. How many of those places has Epstein frequented?
February 22, 2019
By Sarah Jones
In a conspiracy-theory-sodden era, (click here) the story of Jeffrey Epstein, a billionaire abuser of underage girls, stands out both for its harrowing veracity and for the impunity it reveals. Epstein molested dozens of girls since at least 2001 and provided other, still-anonymous accomplices with girls to abuse. But Epstein, who once counted Bill Clinton and David Copperfield among his acquaintances, is not in prison, nor is he likely to go to prison at any point in the near future. As the Miami Herald first reported in an exhaustive investigation, Epstein owes his freedom, in part, to the efforts of Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, who, in his previous role as a U.S. Attorney in Miami, declined to prosecute Epstein under federal sex-trafficking laws. A conviction under these laws could have put him in prison for the rest of his life. Instead, Acosta and his fellow prosecutors worked closely with Epstein’s legal team, which included Alan Dershowitz and Kenneth Starr, to negotiate a non-prosecution agreement that allowed him to plead guilty to two charges of prostitution. He served 13 months in a private wing of the county jail in 2007. Prosecutors then agreed to seal the deal without informing Epstein’s victims that any agreement had been reached at all....
February 22, 2019
By Sarah Jones
In a conspiracy-theory-sodden era, (click here) the story of Jeffrey Epstein, a billionaire abuser of underage girls, stands out both for its harrowing veracity and for the impunity it reveals. Epstein molested dozens of girls since at least 2001 and provided other, still-anonymous accomplices with girls to abuse. But Epstein, who once counted Bill Clinton and David Copperfield among his acquaintances, is not in prison, nor is he likely to go to prison at any point in the near future. As the Miami Herald first reported in an exhaustive investigation, Epstein owes his freedom, in part, to the efforts of Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, who, in his previous role as a U.S. Attorney in Miami, declined to prosecute Epstein under federal sex-trafficking laws. A conviction under these laws could have put him in prison for the rest of his life. Instead, Acosta and his fellow prosecutors worked closely with Epstein’s legal team, which included Alan Dershowitz and Kenneth Starr, to negotiate a non-prosecution agreement that allowed him to plead guilty to two charges of prostitution. He served 13 months in a private wing of the county jail in 2007. Prosecutors then agreed to seal the deal without informing Epstein’s victims that any agreement had been reached at all....
How many White Nationalists are on Trump's Twitter Account?
Did the wacko Coast Guard member have other sympathizers within the USA military?
For at least the second time Hawaii had ANOTHER missile alert. This needs to be investigated to the source! False alarms are illegal. Someone needs to be seriously evaluated and perhaps jailed.
IF HAWAII NEEDS DRILLS ON MISSILE LAUNCHES there is a proper way of empowerment that exists. The people are not respected when false alarms creates trauma reactions. The people fo Hawaii at this point need to be EMPOWERED into understanding WHAT TO DO when a missile alarm occurs. The people of Israel know exactly what to do when the alarms sound. If these alarms continue the people will become numb to any alarm and that equates to danger for the people of Hawaii. I don't think any of these MISTAKES are minor issues. It is huge and it needs to addressed that EMPOWERS the people.
The country does not need another Fort Hood killing. See, we know for a fact there are plenty of extremist Christians in the USA military in areas such as the Air Force, including the academy. This is no longer a joke. The USA military needs to evaluate it's leadership and it's elite officers such as pilots, including that of helicopters. Enough already. There is a difference between soldiers that love being soldiers and those that love killing.
There has been a large turnover within the federal government and the military leadership and the country needs to evaluate those that have been advanced in command under this president. I am serious as I can be about this. It is conceivable that enough members of the military could create an assault against the people of the USA and/or any other country to satisfy a demented leader that allows such fantasies to exist for the sake of votes.
Finding a wacko within the USA military, including and especially the Coast Guard is more than worrisome. This particular idiot obviously coveted far more than the personal militia equipment he owned. Today's military needs to realize there are people within it's ranks that are lone wolves with delusional ideas based in wacko ideologies like White Supremacy and White Nationalism. Realize, there is a significant White National base within Europe. There are a lot of reasons for concern.
The ODDS are a wacko will spin out of a population of people over a reasonable period of time. It happens, but, there is nothing wrong with understanding "the soldier" as well as the role they play. I also will remind the USA military that domestic violence within it's ranks is still evident. Out of control behavior of any kind is a concern to the people of the USA. They need to have leadership that understands and has a hand on "the soldier."
February 21, 2019
By Jenna Bryner
If you were told to take cover (click here) because of an incoming nuclear ballistic missile, would you seriously know what to do? (Or would you run around frantically or ball up in a fetal position?)
Did the wacko Coast Guard member have other sympathizers within the USA military?
For at least the second time Hawaii had ANOTHER missile alert. This needs to be investigated to the source! False alarms are illegal. Someone needs to be seriously evaluated and perhaps jailed.
IF HAWAII NEEDS DRILLS ON MISSILE LAUNCHES there is a proper way of empowerment that exists. The people are not respected when false alarms creates trauma reactions. The people fo Hawaii at this point need to be EMPOWERED into understanding WHAT TO DO when a missile alarm occurs. The people of Israel know exactly what to do when the alarms sound. If these alarms continue the people will become numb to any alarm and that equates to danger for the people of Hawaii. I don't think any of these MISTAKES are minor issues. It is huge and it needs to addressed that EMPOWERS the people.
The country does not need another Fort Hood killing. See, we know for a fact there are plenty of extremist Christians in the USA military in areas such as the Air Force, including the academy. This is no longer a joke. The USA military needs to evaluate it's leadership and it's elite officers such as pilots, including that of helicopters. Enough already. There is a difference between soldiers that love being soldiers and those that love killing.
There has been a large turnover within the federal government and the military leadership and the country needs to evaluate those that have been advanced in command under this president. I am serious as I can be about this. It is conceivable that enough members of the military could create an assault against the people of the USA and/or any other country to satisfy a demented leader that allows such fantasies to exist for the sake of votes.
Finding a wacko within the USA military, including and especially the Coast Guard is more than worrisome. This particular idiot obviously coveted far more than the personal militia equipment he owned. Today's military needs to realize there are people within it's ranks that are lone wolves with delusional ideas based in wacko ideologies like White Supremacy and White Nationalism. Realize, there is a significant White National base within Europe. There are a lot of reasons for concern.
The ODDS are a wacko will spin out of a population of people over a reasonable period of time. It happens, but, there is nothing wrong with understanding "the soldier" as well as the role they play. I also will remind the USA military that domestic violence within it's ranks is still evident. Out of control behavior of any kind is a concern to the people of the USA. They need to have leadership that understands and has a hand on "the soldier."
February 21, 2019
By Jenna Bryner
If you were told to take cover (click here) because of an incoming nuclear ballistic missile, would you seriously know what to do? (Or would you run around frantically or ball up in a fetal position?)
Many people in Hawaii faced that very question on Jan. 13, 2018. That morning, at 8:07 a.m. local time, the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency sent out an alert advising residents to seek shelter from an incoming ballistic missile.
Unbeknownst to just about everyone at the time, however, the alert was a false alarm. Even the operator who sent out the alarm, issued over text messages and on TV and radio stations, thought it was real. But it was accidentally sent out during a shift change, and the incoming operator didn't realize that the alert was part of a preparedness drill....
Thursday, February 21, 2019
No one is above the law.
A sitting President and Vice President can be indicted. Why is there ever a question? Because the Plutocrats spend so much money to put them into office?
If they drive a car and park in a no parking zone, shouldn't they have to pay a fine like everyone else? Getting a parking fine is not impeachable, but, high crimes and misdemeanors are.
To say a President or Vice President is above the law is to say they can get away with murder. Even in international relations that is illegal and indictable. There is a no assassination law for those in government in the USA. So, the entire idea the Executive Officers of the Executive Branch are above the law is nonsense. Any such policy within the DOJ needs to be discarded. It has questionable etiology.
If there is such a policy at the DOJ, it is unconstitutional.
The United States Constitution
Article II
Section 4.
The President, Vice President and all civil officers of the United States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.If they drive a car and park in a no parking zone, shouldn't they have to pay a fine like everyone else? Getting a parking fine is not impeachable, but, high crimes and misdemeanors are.
To say a President or Vice President is above the law is to say they can get away with murder. Even in international relations that is illegal and indictable. There is a no assassination law for those in government in the USA. So, the entire idea the Executive Officers of the Executive Branch are above the law is nonsense. Any such policy within the DOJ needs to be discarded. It has questionable etiology.
If there is such a policy at the DOJ, it is unconstitutional.
The real issue is why did Trump want Russia listed in the memo?
Rod Rosenstein did not lie in his memo explaining the firing of Jim Comey. He only wrote what he needed to write.
Trump had just conducted a victory lap with Russia at the Oval Office and provided payment in full to Putin for his election by releasing classified documents to Russia.
Is there really a question where Trump's loyalties lie? No one ever asks Trump who he is loyal to. Why?
Rod Rosenstein would not write that the Comey investigation into Russian influence in the 2016 election was the reason for Comey's firing, because, you never elevate your enemy to a level of influence. Russia has an influence on Trump. In including Russia in an FBI memo as the reason for firing the FBI Director it would prove to the world that the USA is now Russia's puppet. Rod Rosenstein is not Russia's puppet. The integrity of the FBI and it's investigation remained and continues intact, regardless of Trump's loyalty to Putin and Russia.
If Rod Rosenstein had written that James Comey, the Director of the FBI, was fired because of an investigation, it could have stopped everything and put others within the organization at unease regarding the continuing investigation and their role in it.
Rod Rosenstein, by leaving out the word Russia, in his memo explaining the firing of the Director of the FBI, James Comey, protected the agency and the country. Rod Rosenstein is a hero. He didn't have to fire a shot and he didn't lead a military into battle, but, the early days of the Trump administration demanded heroics and Rosenstein was prepared to be that hero. The country owes a great debt of gratitude to Rod Rosenstein. He was passed over to promote to US Attorney General because he loved his country. Trump was trying to coupe the USA Constitution and Rod Rosenstein would not have any of it.
It could be said if Rod Rosenstein had included Russia in that memo it would come back to haunt him as it was proof Trump obstructed justice. If Trump were accused of obstructing justice, Rosenstein could be dismissed immediately as Trump refused that assessment in his memo. Either way, Rosenstein should be US Attorney General right now and the country is hurt because he is not.
And that is the truth.
Trump had just conducted a victory lap with Russia at the Oval Office and provided payment in full to Putin for his election by releasing classified documents to Russia.
Is there really a question where Trump's loyalties lie? No one ever asks Trump who he is loyal to. Why?
Rod Rosenstein would not write that the Comey investigation into Russian influence in the 2016 election was the reason for Comey's firing, because, you never elevate your enemy to a level of influence. Russia has an influence on Trump. In including Russia in an FBI memo as the reason for firing the FBI Director it would prove to the world that the USA is now Russia's puppet. Rod Rosenstein is not Russia's puppet. The integrity of the FBI and it's investigation remained and continues intact, regardless of Trump's loyalty to Putin and Russia.
If Rod Rosenstein had written that James Comey, the Director of the FBI, was fired because of an investigation, it could have stopped everything and put others within the organization at unease regarding the continuing investigation and their role in it.
Rod Rosenstein, by leaving out the word Russia, in his memo explaining the firing of the Director of the FBI, James Comey, protected the agency and the country. Rod Rosenstein is a hero. He didn't have to fire a shot and he didn't lead a military into battle, but, the early days of the Trump administration demanded heroics and Rosenstein was prepared to be that hero. The country owes a great debt of gratitude to Rod Rosenstein. He was passed over to promote to US Attorney General because he loved his country. Trump was trying to coupe the USA Constitution and Rod Rosenstein would not have any of it.
It could be said if Rod Rosenstein had included Russia in that memo it would come back to haunt him as it was proof Trump obstructed justice. If Trump were accused of obstructing justice, Rosenstein could be dismissed immediately as Trump refused that assessment in his memo. Either way, Rosenstein should be US Attorney General right now and the country is hurt because he is not.
And that is the truth.
More voting corruption in Texas.
February 21, 2019
By James Barragan
More than 30 civil rights and community groups (click here) are calling on Senate Democrats to block the confirmation of embattled interim Secretary of State David Whitley, who oversaw the botched rollout of an investigation into the citizenship of tens of thousands of Texas voters.
“Under no circumstances should Mr. Whitley be allowed to continue to serve as the Texas Secretary of State. The Senate Democratic caucus - and each of you individually - have the power to unite in defense of the voting rights of all Texans and stop his confirmation,” the groups wrote in a letter sent to Democratic senators on Thursday morning. “We call on you to affirmatively block the confirmation of David Whitley for Texas Secretary of State.”...
David Whitley abuses power and sought to jail people that were actually lawful citizens. This is a government that does not care about the people and only seeks control for it's own corrupt purposes. I am very surprised the Texas governor, Greg Abbott would tolerate such unlawful behavior by his Secretary of State. Perhaps the Texas governor is afraid of the reality Trump has brought to the Republican Party and finds it necessary to control the vote rather than accept the will of the people.
This is exactly the trouble in the country caused by the Robert's Court and it's dismissal of vital voter rights. Corruption knows no bounds.
Greg Abbott is taking on the methods of Russia's Putin, throwing innocent people in jail until the election is over. We have already witnessed ballot stuffing in North Carolina.
February 7, 2019
By Alexa Ura
Almost two weeks (click here) after calling into question the citizenship status of almost 100,000 registered voters, Texas’ new chief elections officer, David Whitley, defended his office’s decision to hand over those voters’ names to law enforcement around the same time his office was also acknowledging to local election officials that the list of names could contain mistakes.
At a Senate hearing to consider his confirmation as secretary of state, Whitley vacillated between telling lawmakers he referred the list of voters to the attorney general’s office because his office had no power to investigate them for illegal voting and describing the citizenship review efforts as an ongoing process based on a list that still needed to be reviewed by local officials. But he made clear is that his office knew from the start that the data could be faulty....
By James Barragan
More than 30 civil rights and community groups (click here) are calling on Senate Democrats to block the confirmation of embattled interim Secretary of State David Whitley, who oversaw the botched rollout of an investigation into the citizenship of tens of thousands of Texas voters.
“Under no circumstances should Mr. Whitley be allowed to continue to serve as the Texas Secretary of State. The Senate Democratic caucus - and each of you individually - have the power to unite in defense of the voting rights of all Texans and stop his confirmation,” the groups wrote in a letter sent to Democratic senators on Thursday morning. “We call on you to affirmatively block the confirmation of David Whitley for Texas Secretary of State.”...
David Whitley abuses power and sought to jail people that were actually lawful citizens. This is a government that does not care about the people and only seeks control for it's own corrupt purposes. I am very surprised the Texas governor, Greg Abbott would tolerate such unlawful behavior by his Secretary of State. Perhaps the Texas governor is afraid of the reality Trump has brought to the Republican Party and finds it necessary to control the vote rather than accept the will of the people.
This is exactly the trouble in the country caused by the Robert's Court and it's dismissal of vital voter rights. Corruption knows no bounds.
Greg Abbott is taking on the methods of Russia's Putin, throwing innocent people in jail until the election is over. We have already witnessed ballot stuffing in North Carolina.
February 7, 2019
By Alexa Ura
Almost two weeks (click here) after calling into question the citizenship status of almost 100,000 registered voters, Texas’ new chief elections officer, David Whitley, defended his office’s decision to hand over those voters’ names to law enforcement around the same time his office was also acknowledging to local election officials that the list of names could contain mistakes.
At a Senate hearing to consider his confirmation as secretary of state, Whitley vacillated between telling lawmakers he referred the list of voters to the attorney general’s office because his office had no power to investigate them for illegal voting and describing the citizenship review efforts as an ongoing process based on a list that still needed to be reviewed by local officials. But he made clear is that his office knew from the start that the data could be faulty....
New Zealand is a two island country, the water between them is called "Cook Strait."
KiwiRail is buying two new, large, rail-enabled ferries (click here) to replace the current three-ship Interislander fleet. This is an investment in a future that is not only ours but also New Zealand's.
Our ferries play a crucial role linking the north and south of the country but the Aratere, Kaiarahi and Kaitaki are all reaching the end of their useful lives.
Every year 800,000 passengers cross the strait on nearly 4000 sailings. The ferries also transport the equivalent of a queue of freight trucks 1200km long and a train with 500km of wagons carrying goods for supermarkets and commodities such as grain, gas, wood products and aluminium....
"Big Brother" is not overseeing the safety of citizens when it comes to flood control.
22 February 2019
By Patrice Dougan
Piha residents (click here) who had their homes damaged in a major flooding event last year will be asked to develop their own evacuation plans to deal with future emergency events.
The plans could potentially work alongside more drastic large-scale engineering options - such as a $45 million tunnel to take the Piha stream straight out to sea, or the building of two dams - which have been presented to Auckland Council this morning.
In a media briefing on the two independent reports by consultants Tonkin+Taylor into three floods at the west Auckland beach last year, councillors said "community resilience" will be a key part to ensuring lives are saved if and when future flooding occurs.
Glenesk Rd in Piha flooded three times last year. April saw the worst flooding, with 80.5mm of rain falling in four hours, resulting in a catastrophic surge in the stream that swallowed roads and houses. Flooding reached a depth of 2m in some parts of Glenesk Rd, causing residents to flee, and extensively damaging 24 properties....
The flooding in the North Island has been horrific.
New Zealand storm brings wild winds, flooding and power outages to North...
In this video there are descriptions and pictures of the tragedy New Zealand has experienced because of the Climate Crisis. In one picture there is a wedge tornado over the ocean delivering heavy rains to the cities on land. The Climate Crisis is letting itself known to the southern hemisphere.
This is at least the third White Supremacist attacks or planned attacks inspired by Trump's hate speech.
The three hate inspired killers occurred in less than a year, didn't they? There is a direct correlation between the incidence of motivated White Supremacist and Trump's hate speech.
Trump's hate speech is dangerous and this is proof. (click here) Media outlets have a legitimate reason to ask for less hate rhetoric in the speeches by Trump. The Democrats have as well. Free Speech is not absolute and crying fire in a crowded room is not legal. Donald Trump is inspiring violence and it is obvious. From the previous media attacker wannabee to the attacks on Jewish Americans and now this again. Donald Trump needs to be called out for the hatred he is inspiring.
Just the other day when signing yet another Executive Order he was asked about yet another embarrassing but necessary question and his answer was "Fake News." Those two words are becoming an excuse and not an answer. "There is a lot of fake news out there," and he dismisses the question as irrelevant. The "No Information Voter" is more than willing to accept that as an answer rather than a dodge from the truth.
February 20, 2019
By Vanessa Romo
A 49-year-old Coast Guard lieutenant (click here) charged with stockpiling weapons and drugs is being described as a "domestic terrorist" who was planning "to murder innocent civilians on a scale rarely seen in this country," according to court documents filed in U.S. District Court in Maryland on Tuesday.
Federal prosecutors say Christopher Paul Hasson, a self-described white nationalist living in Silver Spring, Md., was amassing firearms since at least 2017, while cultivating plans to launch a widespread attack on prominent Democratic lawmakers, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and several high-profile television anchors from MSNBC and CNN...
Trump's hate speech is dangerous and this is proof. (click here) Media outlets have a legitimate reason to ask for less hate rhetoric in the speeches by Trump. The Democrats have as well. Free Speech is not absolute and crying fire in a crowded room is not legal. Donald Trump is inspiring violence and it is obvious. From the previous media attacker wannabee to the attacks on Jewish Americans and now this again. Donald Trump needs to be called out for the hatred he is inspiring.
Just the other day when signing yet another Executive Order he was asked about yet another embarrassing but necessary question and his answer was "Fake News." Those two words are becoming an excuse and not an answer. "There is a lot of fake news out there," and he dismisses the question as irrelevant. The "No Information Voter" is more than willing to accept that as an answer rather than a dodge from the truth.
By Vanessa Romo
A 49-year-old Coast Guard lieutenant (click here) charged with stockpiling weapons and drugs is being described as a "domestic terrorist" who was planning "to murder innocent civilians on a scale rarely seen in this country," according to court documents filed in U.S. District Court in Maryland on Tuesday.
Federal prosecutors say Christopher Paul Hasson, a self-described white nationalist living in Silver Spring, Md., was amassing firearms since at least 2017, while cultivating plans to launch a widespread attack on prominent Democratic lawmakers, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and several high-profile television anchors from MSNBC and CNN...
If the charges are true, there should be three people charged and not simply one and two witnesses.
Is CPD allowing witnesses to be discharged because of embarassment? The two men carried out the crime. I don't care if they were hired to produce an end result for Smollett, they were assailants.
The two assailants are just as guilty in participating in this as Smollett.
February 21, 2019
Chicago — “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett (click here) was charged Wednesday with making a false police report when he said he was attacked in downtown Chicago by two men who hurled racist and anti-gay slurs and looped a rope around his neck, police said.
The two assailants are just as guilty in participating in this as Smollett.
February 21, 2019
Chicago — “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett (click here) was charged Wednesday with making a false police report when he said he was attacked in downtown Chicago by two men who hurled racist and anti-gay slurs and looped a rope around his neck, police said.
Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said prosecutors charged Smollett with felony disorderly conduct, an offense that could bring one to three years in prison and force the actor to pay for the cost of the investigation into his report of a Jan. 29 beating.
Authorities were trying to get in touch with Smollett’s attorneys to “negotiate a reasonable surrender,” Guglielmi said. That could involve the actor, who is black and gay, turning himself in to a Chicago police station....
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