I wanted to introduce the idea of keeping a genetic record for the young forests that will be managed in New York State. I think it is a great idea and will provide for a sound basis to the future.
It is always good to meet with colleagues from other states and countries. While their ideas may not be workable for every forest, it is always interesting to hear from others in how they see themselves protecting species and managing their forests.
"The basis of resilience in forest species and it's use in adaptive forest management in Britain."
By S. Cavers and J.E. Cottrell
Forestry: An International Journal of Forest Research, Volume 88, Issue 1, January 2015, Pages 13–2625 July 2014
Britain's forest genetic resources (click here) are currently facing an unprecedented period of uncertainty due to the effects of climate change and increased exposure to new pests and diseases from global trade (Gilligan et al., 2013). Rather than tackle each new threat as it arises, it would be much more cost-effective to manage forests to promote their resilience, allowing them to change and adapt to new pressures. In this position paper, we discuss the theory that underpins the concept of resilience in general and then focus on the implications for British forest ecosystems in particular. As individual forest ecosystems in Britain contain relatively few tree species, we outline the important role of intra-specific genetic diversity in conferring resilience via evolutionary processes and discuss the major drivers of these processes. Finally, we outline the current policy and practice for managing the British forest genetic resource and discuss the conflicts and tensions in developing appropriate policy in the face of an uncertain future....
Sunday, April 21, 2019
The climate crisis is more than storms, it is the emotional devastation of lives.
How much are people supposed to take before they become discouraged about their values and their paychecks?
FEMA funding cannot be tampered with otherwise the people are completely abandoned to find a way to live their lives. The funding isn't always the answer. There are problems with process at times, there are problems with the valuation of the property. The people can lose hope for the future when they are repeatedly faced with problem after problem.
This is North Carolina. Recently, the state university checked the Cape Fear River for purity. Due to the storms that have swept through, there is not significant pollution in the water of the Cape Fear River, including PCBs.
The climate crisis is all-encompassing and when devastation is the result with stationary and persistent rain and wind, the outcomes are not good. The USA MUST validate the climate crisis and have a national strategy to end the devastation now facing a growing number of Americans.
April 20, 2019
Severe storms (click here) that spawned several reports of tornadoes left behind damage across the Triangle on Friday, but no injuries were reported.
There were reports of tornadoes in Chatham, Orange, Edgecombe, Moore, Halifax and Sampson counties, and there were reports of funnel clouds in Wilson and Northampton counties. The National Weather Service will survey the damage to confirm tornadoes....
FEMA funding cannot be tampered with otherwise the people are completely abandoned to find a way to live their lives. The funding isn't always the answer. There are problems with process at times, there are problems with the valuation of the property. The people can lose hope for the future when they are repeatedly faced with problem after problem.
This is North Carolina. Recently, the state university checked the Cape Fear River for purity. Due to the storms that have swept through, there is not significant pollution in the water of the Cape Fear River, including PCBs.
The climate crisis is all-encompassing and when devastation is the result with stationary and persistent rain and wind, the outcomes are not good. The USA MUST validate the climate crisis and have a national strategy to end the devastation now facing a growing number of Americans.
April 20, 2019
Severe storms (click here) that spawned several reports of tornadoes left behind damage across the Triangle on Friday, but no injuries were reported.
There were reports of tornadoes in Chatham, Orange, Edgecombe, Moore, Halifax and Sampson counties, and there were reports of funnel clouds in Wilson and Northampton counties. The National Weather Service will survey the damage to confirm tornadoes....
Forest Fragmentation is an enemy.
I could go on for hours, and probably should, about forest fragmentation and the growing trend of coping with such issues. This is ridiculous. In order to have wildlife they have to breed. When forests are fragmented, there are issues with the viability of wildlife. Wildlife bridges have become an answer to allow transit of wildlife from one side of an obstruction to another. This type of intervention should be rare rather than common.
Forest fragmentation must be kept in check to ensure forest health.
October 13, 2014
By Michael Snyder
Due to concerns (click here) over habitat fragmentation, wildlife crossings such as this one are starting to become increasingly common.
on
Forest fragmentation (click here) is the breaking of large, contiguous, forested areas into smaller pieces of forest; typically these pieces are separated by roads, agriculture, utility corridors, subdivisions, or other human development. It usually occurs incrementally, beginning with cleared patches here and there – think Swiss cheese – within an otherwise unbroken expanse of tree cover.
Over time, those non-forest patches tend to multiply and expand until eventually the forest is reduced to scattered, disconnected forest islands. The surrounding non-forest lands and land uses seriously threaten the health, function, and value of the remaining forest.
Any large-scale canopy disturbance affects a forest, but it is important to distinguish between a forest fragmented by human infrastructure development and a forest of mixed ages and varied canopy closure that results from good forest management. The former is typically much more damaging to forest health and habitat quality, usually with permanent negative effects, whereas the latter may cause only temporary change in the forest.
The effects of fragmentation are well documented in all forested regions of the planet. In general, by reducing forest health and degrading habitat, fragmentation leads to loss of biodiversity, increases in invasive plants, pests, and pathogens, and reduction in water quality. These wide-ranging effects all stem from two basic problems: fragmentation increases isolation between forest communities and it increases so-called edge effects....
Forest fragmentation must be kept in check to ensure forest health.
October 13, 2014By Michael Snyder
Due to concerns (click here) over habitat fragmentation, wildlife crossings such as this one are starting to become increasingly common.
on
Forest fragmentation (click here) is the breaking of large, contiguous, forested areas into smaller pieces of forest; typically these pieces are separated by roads, agriculture, utility corridors, subdivisions, or other human development. It usually occurs incrementally, beginning with cleared patches here and there – think Swiss cheese – within an otherwise unbroken expanse of tree cover.
Over time, those non-forest patches tend to multiply and expand until eventually the forest is reduced to scattered, disconnected forest islands. The surrounding non-forest lands and land uses seriously threaten the health, function, and value of the remaining forest.
Any large-scale canopy disturbance affects a forest, but it is important to distinguish between a forest fragmented by human infrastructure development and a forest of mixed ages and varied canopy closure that results from good forest management. The former is typically much more damaging to forest health and habitat quality, usually with permanent negative effects, whereas the latter may cause only temporary change in the forest.
The effects of fragmentation are well documented in all forested regions of the planet. In general, by reducing forest health and degrading habitat, fragmentation leads to loss of biodiversity, increases in invasive plants, pests, and pathogens, and reduction in water quality. These wide-ranging effects all stem from two basic problems: fragmentation increases isolation between forest communities and it increases so-called edge effects....
There are climate deaths occurring in many countries.
April 21, 2019
On the heels of the deadly severe weather early last week, (click here) a new storm threatens to spark violent thunderstorms from Iran to Afghanistan and Pakistan early this week.
The Middle East has been pounded this spring with deadly thunderstorms and flooding. More than three dozen people were killed when severe weather struck Pakistan early last week.
Lives were also lost in Afghanistan, pushing the death toll from rounds of flooding rain since March past 130, according to Anadolu Agency. Weeks of flooding have claimed 70 people in Iran, CNN reported.
Monday into Wednesday will bring another threat to lives and property across the Middle East.
"A new storm impacting Turkey this weekend will bring the increasing risk for isolated severe thunderstorms from central Iran to Pakistan Monday into Wednesday," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Houk....
On the heels of the deadly severe weather early last week, (click here) a new storm threatens to spark violent thunderstorms from Iran to Afghanistan and Pakistan early this week.
The Middle East has been pounded this spring with deadly thunderstorms and flooding. More than three dozen people were killed when severe weather struck Pakistan early last week.
Lives were also lost in Afghanistan, pushing the death toll from rounds of flooding rain since March past 130, according to Anadolu Agency. Weeks of flooding have claimed 70 people in Iran, CNN reported.
Monday into Wednesday will bring another threat to lives and property across the Middle East.
"A new storm impacting Turkey this weekend will bring the increasing risk for isolated severe thunderstorms from central Iran to Pakistan Monday into Wednesday," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Houk....
There are different types of forests.
There are of course, regional forests. Regional forests are the species of tree found in a forest. In New York State, the majority of trees are maple, beech, and birch with some oak and hickory. There are other species, but, those are the majority species.
The idea of a forest is well understood and studied in the literature since the beginning of record keeping. Forests are important for many, many reasons, but, they are growing in importance in reversing the warming climate.
Example: Stand in the sun for a few minutes until you feel the warmth of the sun on your face. Then move under a tree that has full foliage. It doesn't have to be in a forest, but, it can be. You are now in shade and the air is cooler and the heat that was on your face from the sun no longer exists. The heat and light haven't gone anywhere, but, instead of on you, it is absorbed by the tree for it's own health. So, the coolness and shade are because the tree have absorbed the light.
Below is a Pennsylvania Forest. This article discusses "Edge Forest" and "Core Forest." A young forest can have these qualities as well. It is important to understand them and their differences.
In the same forest depending on the feet one walks there is a transition of species as well as tree growth. There are different plant species on the forest floor, possibly different tree species, different animal species and different quality of light and moisture. The core forest is important to protect because it is frequently where the more rare forest species live
Figure (click here) depicts the relationship between Edge Forest in red, and Core Forest in green. Edge forest is the first 100 m of forest into the forest from a disturbed land cover such as agriculture, suburban/urban areas, and roads. The image is of Central Pennsylvania. State College, PA - Home of Penn State University, is located in the lower left (SW) corner of the image.
In 2002, I co-authored a report for the State of Pennsylvania that assessed the condition of wildlife habitats within the state. Here we noted that 57% of Pennsylvania's forest area was classified as edge forest. Many conservation targets are linked in some way to forest health and condition. Increasing edge forest is one symptom of forest fragmentation and as forests become more fragmented wildlife habitats become isolated as edge effects creep into the core areas. For the report I defined edge forest as forested area found within the first 100 m (~300 ft) into the forest from any disturbance (i.e., agricultural row crop or pasture, suburban or urban development, and roads)....
The idea of a forest is well understood and studied in the literature since the beginning of record keeping. Forests are important for many, many reasons, but, they are growing in importance in reversing the warming climate.
Example: Stand in the sun for a few minutes until you feel the warmth of the sun on your face. Then move under a tree that has full foliage. It doesn't have to be in a forest, but, it can be. You are now in shade and the air is cooler and the heat that was on your face from the sun no longer exists. The heat and light haven't gone anywhere, but, instead of on you, it is absorbed by the tree for it's own health. So, the coolness and shade are because the tree have absorbed the light.
Below is a Pennsylvania Forest. This article discusses "Edge Forest" and "Core Forest." A young forest can have these qualities as well. It is important to understand them and their differences.
In the same forest depending on the feet one walks there is a transition of species as well as tree growth. There are different plant species on the forest floor, possibly different tree species, different animal species and different quality of light and moisture. The core forest is important to protect because it is frequently where the more rare forest species live
In 2002, I co-authored a report for the State of Pennsylvania that assessed the condition of wildlife habitats within the state. Here we noted that 57% of Pennsylvania's forest area was classified as edge forest. Many conservation targets are linked in some way to forest health and condition. Increasing edge forest is one symptom of forest fragmentation and as forests become more fragmented wildlife habitats become isolated as edge effects creep into the core areas. For the report I defined edge forest as forested area found within the first 100 m (~300 ft) into the forest from any disturbance (i.e., agricultural row crop or pasture, suburban or urban development, and roads)....
There are storm related deaths in the USA. These are climate crisis deaths.
April 20, 2019
12:15 a.m.
Four suspected tornadoes have been reported in Virginia. (click here)
The National Weather Service says damage has been reported Friday night after twisters touched down in Reston, Fredericks Hall, Barham and Forksville.
Authorities say a tree fell through the roof of a condemned house in Reston and tree damage was reported at an intersection in Fredericks Hall. Several trees were reported down in Barham, while a house and various small structures were damaged in Forksville.
The strong storm system was barreling through the South on Friday and killed an 8-year-old girl in Florida and threatened to bring tornadoes to large parts of the Carolinas and southern Virginia.
9:35 p.m.
Forecasters have confirmed that 14 tornadoes touched down in Mississippi as severe storms made its way across the South.
The National Weather Service said in a news release Friday that it had surveyed Thursday afternoon’s twisters.
The strongest tornado had winds as high as 132 mph (212 kph) when it hit a neighborhood in the central Mississippi town of Morton, damaging numerous homes.
Four of the twisters were in Rankin County, just east of Jackson.
Damage from the storm system was reported in at least 24 of Mississippi’s 82 counties.
8 p.m.
The National Weather Service reports downed trees and structure damage as severe storms roared through central and eastern North Carolina.
A preliminary report said there was roof and structure damage in one neighborhood in Chatham County outside of Siler City on Friday afternoon.
News outlets reported at least one house near Interstate 85 outside of Hillsborough in Orange County was severely damaged by winds that were thought to have resulted from a tornado.
To the east, several locations reported wind gusts approaching and in excess of 50 mph (22 km/h).
An immediate account of power outages was not available Friday evening due to problems with the Duke Energy website....
12:15 a.m.
Four suspected tornadoes have been reported in Virginia. (click here)
The National Weather Service says damage has been reported Friday night after twisters touched down in Reston, Fredericks Hall, Barham and Forksville.
Authorities say a tree fell through the roof of a condemned house in Reston and tree damage was reported at an intersection in Fredericks Hall. Several trees were reported down in Barham, while a house and various small structures were damaged in Forksville.
The strong storm system was barreling through the South on Friday and killed an 8-year-old girl in Florida and threatened to bring tornadoes to large parts of the Carolinas and southern Virginia.
9:35 p.m.
Forecasters have confirmed that 14 tornadoes touched down in Mississippi as severe storms made its way across the South.
The National Weather Service said in a news release Friday that it had surveyed Thursday afternoon’s twisters.
The strongest tornado had winds as high as 132 mph (212 kph) when it hit a neighborhood in the central Mississippi town of Morton, damaging numerous homes.
Four of the twisters were in Rankin County, just east of Jackson.
Damage from the storm system was reported in at least 24 of Mississippi’s 82 counties.
8 p.m.
The National Weather Service reports downed trees and structure damage as severe storms roared through central and eastern North Carolina.
A preliminary report said there was roof and structure damage in one neighborhood in Chatham County outside of Siler City on Friday afternoon.
News outlets reported at least one house near Interstate 85 outside of Hillsborough in Orange County was severely damaged by winds that were thought to have resulted from a tornado.
To the east, several locations reported wind gusts approaching and in excess of 50 mph (22 km/h).
An immediate account of power outages was not available Friday evening due to problems with the Duke Energy website....
This is an illustration (click here for article) from New Zealand about the way forests begin and grow. It is properly named "Succession Forest."
Succession forests can start in a field as illustrated here or it can even start in the water. When it begins in the water it is fascinating, because, as time goes by the sediment that settles under and around the roots begin to form land. So, if someone wants to create land, it is not as complicated as it seems. It can be done with trees that love the water and extend their roots into the water.
But, the illustration clearly states as the plants grow and transition into shrubs and small trees it will ultimately grow into a forest where the trees are aged and the forest floor is virtually empty of much "understory" because the "canopy" blocks out the sun from the land below. Our national forests of Sequoias and Redwoods are those type of forests. The Old Growth forests of Washington State and the northwest USA are those types of pinnacle forests.
At one time there were incredible Cypress forests that were Old Growth forests. They were clear cut. The diameter of the trunks were far greater than the height of a logger.
The New York Times featured an article (click here) about the new movement in New York State to preserve young forests, rather than letting them grow into Old Growth forests.
I think it is a great idea and has a great deal of merit to become a citizen's initiative by forming a non-profit conservation society to oversee ir or them. With a non-profit conservation society, there will be allies to join the average citizen, such as Sierra Club and the Nature Conservancy. The land management becomes really interesting for all parties involved.
There are issues that can result in nature from decisions that change the natural order of things. They are not irresponsible decisions at all. I thought I might cover some of the basics and perhaps continue it for at least another week.
These are huge dynamics and are complicated at best. Thank you for your interest.
Tree Hugger by Kimya Dawson and performed by Antsy Pants
The flower said, "I wish I was a tree"
The tree said, "I wish I could be
A different kind of tree"
The cat wished that it was a bee
The turtle wished that it could fly
Really high into the sky
Over rooftops and then dive
Deep into the sea
And in the sea there is a fish
A fish that has a secret wish
A wish to be a big cactus
With a pink flower on it
And in the sea there is a fish
A fish that has a secret wish
A wish to be a big cactus
With a pink flower on it
The flower said, "I wish I was a tree"
The tree said, "I wish I could be
A different kind of tree"
The cat wished that it was a bee
The turtle wished that it could fly
Really high into the sky
Over rooftops and then dive
Deep into the sea
And in the sea there is a fish
A fish that has a secret wish
A wish to be a big cactus
With a pink flower on it
And in the sea there is a fish
A fish that has a secret wish
A wish to be a big cactus
With a pink flower on it
And the flower
Would be its offering
Of love to the desert
And the desert
So dry and lonely
That the creatures all
Appreciate the effort
Et le jackalope a dit
"Je voudrais être un yeti
Pour voler dans la nuit
Et m'en aller loin d'ici"
Mais le yeti a dit
"Je voudrais être un monstre marin
Pour pouvoir rentrer dans la mer
De tous les requins"
And the rattlesnake said
"I wish I had hands so
I could hug you like a man"
And then the cactus said
"Don't you understand
My skin is covered with sharp spikes
That'll stab you like a thousand knives.
A hug would be nice
But hug my flower with your eyes"
Would be its offering
Of love to the desert
And the desert
So dry and lonely
That the creatures all
Appreciate the effort
Et le jackalope a dit
"Je voudrais être un yeti
Pour voler dans la nuit
Et m'en aller loin d'ici"
Mais le yeti a dit
"Je voudrais être un monstre marin
Pour pouvoir rentrer dans la mer
De tous les requins"
And the rattlesnake said
"I wish I had hands so
I could hug you like a man"
And then the cactus said
"Don't you understand
My skin is covered with sharp spikes
That'll stab you like a thousand knives.
A hug would be nice
But hug my flower with your eyes"
The flower said, "I wish I was a tree"
The tree said, "I wish I could be
A different kind of tree"
The cat wished that it was a bee
The turtle wished that it could fly
Really high into the sky
Over rooftops and then dive
Deep into the sea
And in the sea there is a fish
A fish that has a secret wish
A wish to be a big cactus
With a pink flower on it
And in the sea there is a fish
A fish that has a secret wish
A wish to be a big cactus
With a pink flower on it
And the flower
Would be its offering
Of love to the desert
And the desert
So dry and lonely
That the creatures all
Appreciate the effort
The tree said, "I wish I could be
A different kind of tree"
The cat wished that it was a bee
The turtle wished that it could fly
Really high into the sky
Over rooftops and then dive
Deep into the sea
And in the sea there is a fish
A fish that has a secret wish
A wish to be a big cactus
With a pink flower on it
And in the sea there is a fish
A fish that has a secret wish
A wish to be a big cactus
With a pink flower on it
And the flower
Would be its offering
Of love to the desert
And the desert
So dry and lonely
That the creatures all
Appreciate the effort
Ukraine has a new president.
April 21, 2019
By Carl Schreck
...In the end, (click here) it was a demand for radical change and broad disappointment with the incumbent that vaulted a comedian who played Ukraine’s president on television into the real thing.
Volodymyr Zelenskiy rode these sentiments, political analysts and sociologists say, to what was shaping up to be an unprecedented landslide victory over President Petro Poroshenko in the country’s April 21 runoff vote.
“The absolute majority of Ukrainians again, just as they did five years ago, want radical political change. In that sense, this was a kind of Maidan -- but an electoral one,” Ukrainian political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko told RFE/RL, referring to the central Kyiv square at the heart of the 2013-14 protests that helped oust Russia-friendly President Viktor Yanukovych and paved the way for Poroshenko’s election....
By Carl Schreck
...In the end, (click here) it was a demand for radical change and broad disappointment with the incumbent that vaulted a comedian who played Ukraine’s president on television into the real thing.
Volodymyr Zelenskiy rode these sentiments, political analysts and sociologists say, to what was shaping up to be an unprecedented landslide victory over President Petro Poroshenko in the country’s April 21 runoff vote.
“The absolute majority of Ukrainians again, just as they did five years ago, want radical political change. In that sense, this was a kind of Maidan -- but an electoral one,” Ukrainian political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko told RFE/RL, referring to the central Kyiv square at the heart of the 2013-14 protests that helped oust Russia-friendly President Viktor Yanukovych and paved the way for Poroshenko’s election....
The Democrats are going to need the entire report and supporting documents of the Special Council. Giuliani is already making plans to pull a rabbit of his hat. I don't consider him ethical at all.
I understand the Democrats have work to do and they should concentrate on the people and their needs. But, if the force behind limiting the idea of impeachment is due to worry about driving the base, then measure the base aspirations when the Kavanaugh hearings took place, polls and attitudes. Compare that to what is being seen today.
Not every person on the right is in agreement with the lies of Trump. The Mueller report is exposing the degree he disregards the importance of truth to the American people. It is somewhat different than Kavanaugh.
People can understand negligence and the negligence of oversight of the first two years of Trump's time in office is undeniable. The safety and sovereignty of the US Constitution and the country are important to consider as well.
People can understand negligence and the negligence of oversight of the first two years of Trump's time in office is undeniable. The safety and sovereignty of the US Constitution and the country are important to consider as well.
My deepest sympathies to the family, friends and people of Sri Lanka. They did nothing wrong to deserve this.
Do I understand that this is not a terrorist bombing from inside Sri Lanka so much as one inspired by Daesh? If that is the case, the global community needs to take it seriously.
We have seen some heinous killing of Catholics in recent years, including a service with Bishops that cost the lives of many in leadership. The Catholics attacked today are not alone.
If I may?
The plans Daesh made in the Middle East were completely undermined. It's leadership probably left the region some time ago. I will assume they still have this ideology they can develop a caliphate. Well. Why not in an island country where any attack upon them can be spotted before it happens?
Sri Lanka has a population of nearly 22 and a half million people with this religious demographic: Buddhists make up 70.1% of the population, Hindus 12.6%, Muslims 9.7% and Christians 7.6%.
There is already an armed militia within Sri Lanka and tensions still exist with the Tamil Tigers. Why not promise the Tamils the moon and have a ready militia to begin the end of a civil war lasting nearly three decades or more? I think the current civil war dates back less 30 years.
The conflict between Sri Lanka's government forces (click here) and armed Tamil rebels has raged for nearly 60 years. Thousands have died and many more have been made homeless by the fighting.
Here we answer questions about the Tamil rebels, their composition and their stated goals.
When was the LTTE formed?
Since Sri Lanka's independence from Britain in 1948, the Tamil minority has felt increasingly marginalised and politically disenfranchised. In that very year, Solomon Bandaranayake, the country's first prime minister, made Sinhala, which is spoken by the majority of Sri Lankans, the official language....
The Tamils (not the Tamil Tigers) are not adherent to any one religion in particular.
...Most Tamils (click here) live in northern and eastern Sri Lanka, and they comprise approximately 10 percent of the island’s population, according to a 2001 government census. Their religion (most are Hindu) and Tamil language set them apart from the four-fifths of Sri Lankans who are Sinhalese—members of a largely Buddhists...
There is a very big difference between the extremist militia group and the people that are Tamils. They are not the same. The extremist group can be viewed as similar to the Northern Ireland conflict that raged for centuries. The deaths and sentiment run deep. Some of what the extremist militia stands for has sympathy among the Tamils, but, I am sure the Tamils would renounce the acts carried out today.
At any rate, if this is Daesh, the Sri Lankan government will need assistance in identifying the group and bringing it to an end. It is important those responsible for today's violence are brought to justice and their militant actions ended. The Sri Lankan people do not deserve this and the people need to understand an enemy to their lives walks among them.
There may have been some Tamils included in the deaths and injuries today. Some Tamils are Catholic. That should be made clear to the people. These killers will kill anyone, including those most religious on a very holy day. Just because it is Catholics today, doesn't mean it will be only Catholics targeted. This is only the beginnings for Daesh.
There are other countries in this region that practice Catholicism, namely Indonesia. We know there are tensions between the religions at times, but, today there are also mixed marriages between Catholic and Muslim in Indonesia. The point is Daesh will seek to exploit any religious tensions in the region and seek to rekindle violence.
This is not an event that can be dismissed by the global community. This can be the continuing ideology of Daesh and it's leadership needs to be found, jailed and held for trial as responsible for these deaths and the terrorism of the Sri Lankan people.
One might think reaching the people to inform them of the kinds of tactics terrorists use to find others to recruit is found in the same media Daesh uses, the mobile phone.
This is a massacre of innocent people that all faiths abhor. There is no mass killing that is sanctioned by the great faiths of the world, including the Hindus and Buddhists. This is an act of mass murder surmounted out of hatred. The souls of these killers are already marked for damnation.
Don't leave Sri Lanka alone in recovering from this act of hatred. Please.
April 21, 2019
A series of eight bombings in Sri Lanka targeting Christian churches (click here) and hotels in three cities killed at least 207 people and wounded up to 450 others on Easter Sunday. Defense Minister Ruwan Wijewardene described the coordinated blasts as a terrorist attack by religious extremists. Here is what we know:
At 8:45 a.m. on Sunday, bombs tore apart three churches, one in the capital of Colombo, and two others in the cities of Negombo and Batticaloa.
Four hotels in Colombo were also attacked: the Shangri-La, the Cinnamon Grand, the Tropical Inn and the Kingsbury. There was another explosion at a housing complex in Dematagoda.
Those targeted were members of Sri Lanka's Christian population and guests at the island nation's luxury hotels.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said "several U.S. citizens" were among those killed.
The government of Sri Lanka has temporarily blocked social media services like Facebook and WhatsApp to prevent the spread of misinformation.
Sri Lanka's state minister for defense said seven suspects have been apprehended and the attacks appear to have been carried out by suicide bombers.
We have seen some heinous killing of Catholics in recent years, including a service with Bishops that cost the lives of many in leadership. The Catholics attacked today are not alone.
If I may?The plans Daesh made in the Middle East were completely undermined. It's leadership probably left the region some time ago. I will assume they still have this ideology they can develop a caliphate. Well. Why not in an island country where any attack upon them can be spotted before it happens?
Sri Lanka has a population of nearly 22 and a half million people with this religious demographic: Buddhists make up 70.1% of the population, Hindus 12.6%, Muslims 9.7% and Christians 7.6%.
There is already an armed militia within Sri Lanka and tensions still exist with the Tamil Tigers. Why not promise the Tamils the moon and have a ready militia to begin the end of a civil war lasting nearly three decades or more? I think the current civil war dates back less 30 years.
The conflict between Sri Lanka's government forces (click here) and armed Tamil rebels has raged for nearly 60 years. Thousands have died and many more have been made homeless by the fighting.
Here we answer questions about the Tamil rebels, their composition and their stated goals.
When was the LTTE formed?
Since Sri Lanka's independence from Britain in 1948, the Tamil minority has felt increasingly marginalised and politically disenfranchised. In that very year, Solomon Bandaranayake, the country's first prime minister, made Sinhala, which is spoken by the majority of Sri Lankans, the official language....
The Tamils (not the Tamil Tigers) are not adherent to any one religion in particular.
...Most Tamils (click here) live in northern and eastern Sri Lanka, and they comprise approximately 10 percent of the island’s population, according to a 2001 government census. Their religion (most are Hindu) and Tamil language set them apart from the four-fifths of Sri Lankans who are Sinhalese—members of a largely Buddhists...
There is a very big difference between the extremist militia group and the people that are Tamils. They are not the same. The extremist group can be viewed as similar to the Northern Ireland conflict that raged for centuries. The deaths and sentiment run deep. Some of what the extremist militia stands for has sympathy among the Tamils, but, I am sure the Tamils would renounce the acts carried out today.
At any rate, if this is Daesh, the Sri Lankan government will need assistance in identifying the group and bringing it to an end. It is important those responsible for today's violence are brought to justice and their militant actions ended. The Sri Lankan people do not deserve this and the people need to understand an enemy to their lives walks among them.
There may have been some Tamils included in the deaths and injuries today. Some Tamils are Catholic. That should be made clear to the people. These killers will kill anyone, including those most religious on a very holy day. Just because it is Catholics today, doesn't mean it will be only Catholics targeted. This is only the beginnings for Daesh.
There are other countries in this region that practice Catholicism, namely Indonesia. We know there are tensions between the religions at times, but, today there are also mixed marriages between Catholic and Muslim in Indonesia. The point is Daesh will seek to exploit any religious tensions in the region and seek to rekindle violence.
This is not an event that can be dismissed by the global community. This can be the continuing ideology of Daesh and it's leadership needs to be found, jailed and held for trial as responsible for these deaths and the terrorism of the Sri Lankan people.
One might think reaching the people to inform them of the kinds of tactics terrorists use to find others to recruit is found in the same media Daesh uses, the mobile phone.
This is a massacre of innocent people that all faiths abhor. There is no mass killing that is sanctioned by the great faiths of the world, including the Hindus and Buddhists. This is an act of mass murder surmounted out of hatred. The souls of these killers are already marked for damnation.
Don't leave Sri Lanka alone in recovering from this act of hatred. Please.
April 21, 2019
A series of eight bombings in Sri Lanka targeting Christian churches (click here) and hotels in three cities killed at least 207 people and wounded up to 450 others on Easter Sunday. Defense Minister Ruwan Wijewardene described the coordinated blasts as a terrorist attack by religious extremists. Here is what we know:
At 8:45 a.m. on Sunday, bombs tore apart three churches, one in the capital of Colombo, and two others in the cities of Negombo and Batticaloa.
Four hotels in Colombo were also attacked: the Shangri-La, the Cinnamon Grand, the Tropical Inn and the Kingsbury. There was another explosion at a housing complex in Dematagoda.
Those targeted were members of Sri Lanka's Christian population and guests at the island nation's luxury hotels.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said "several U.S. citizens" were among those killed.
The government of Sri Lanka has temporarily blocked social media services like Facebook and WhatsApp to prevent the spread of misinformation.
Sri Lanka's state minister for defense said seven suspects have been apprehended and the attacks appear to have been carried out by suicide bombers.
Saturday, April 20, 2019
On Holy Saturday, there are concerns about enough monies to carry out the rebuilding of Notre Dame Cathedral.
By Joel Shannon
Flowers (click here) are laid before Notre-Dame Cathedral on Tuesday, one day after a giant fire engulfed the landmark.
Days after a fire engulfed Paris' (click here) beloved Notre Dame Cathedral, fundraising efforts neared the $1 billion mark. But officials estimate the international surge in donations may not yet cover the rebuilding costs.
Stephane Bern, who heads heritage renovation programs across France, estimates the cost to completely repair the church will reach $1.13 billion to $2.3 billion.
A spokesman for the cathedral told CBS News that current donations may not cover those costs.
"We don't know if it's enough or not," Andre Finot said, the network reported Saturday. "You can say it's crazy to have a billion euros but we don't know. Maybe the cost is two or three billion."
French President Emmanuel Macron has called for Notre Dame to be rebuilt in five years. France, he said, would "convert this disaster into an opportunity." Architects say the repairs could take decades....
Friday, April 19, 2019
Flint is finding it's legs with it's new governor taking them under her wing.
April 19. 2019
By Kevin Billings
U.S. District judge ruled Thursday (click here) that the residents of Flint, Michigan, can proceed with the 2017 lawsuit against the federal government for its poor response to the 2014 water crisis.
Judge Linda V. Parker said that the government wasn’t immune to lawsuits in this circumstance. Parker based this decision on Environmental Protection Agency employees who knew there was lead leaching from the old pipes because of the Flint water not being treated properly and misled residents about it.
"(The court) can today state with certainty that the acts leading to the creation of the Flint Water Crisis, alleged to be rooted in lies, recklessness and profound disrespect have and will continue to produce a heinous impact for the people of Flint," Parker said.
Attorney Michael Pitt, who is representing Flint residents against the U.S., told the Detroit News that Parker's ruling would "shake up the EPA."...
Congress is getting serious. It is starting to feel like America again.
April 19, 2019
By Melissa Nann Burke
Washington — Michigan officials (click here) have provided congressional investigators with tens of thousands of documents related to the Flint water crisis since the start of the year.
The office of Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is continuing to work "cooperatively" with the House Oversight and Reform Committee to produce the documents that the panel requested, Nessel spokesman Dan Olsen said this week.
"Our office has already supplied the committee with tens of thousands of pages of documents, and we are diligently working to send the rest," Olsen said.
Olsen added that, while some of the records provided to the committee have been submitted previously, "most of these pages of documents are new."
The Attorney General's Office is sending the documents in response to Oversight Chairman Elijah Cummings of Maryland, who in late December wrote to then-Gov. Rick Snyder asking he "fully comply" with the committee's 2016 bipartisan request for documents related to the water crisis....
Governor Whitmer is making Flint whole again. There are thousands of children and hundreds that became ill with Legionella Disease and there are many died from it. This isn't going to be ignored by anyone. NOT EVER AGAIN.
What is that expression? "Never Forget."
April 15, 2019
When Michigan officials switched water sources for Flint, Michigan, from Lake Huron to the Flint River it introduced iron and lead into the water supply.
Flint – The city of Flint (click here) is getting another $77 million in funding from the state to pay for water infrastructure improvements.
The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality announced a $77.7 million loan to the city. Interest will be zero percent and 100 percent of the principal will be forgiven, effectively making it a grant....
By Kevin Billings
U.S. District judge ruled Thursday (click here) that the residents of Flint, Michigan, can proceed with the 2017 lawsuit against the federal government for its poor response to the 2014 water crisis.
Judge Linda V. Parker said that the government wasn’t immune to lawsuits in this circumstance. Parker based this decision on Environmental Protection Agency employees who knew there was lead leaching from the old pipes because of the Flint water not being treated properly and misled residents about it.
"(The court) can today state with certainty that the acts leading to the creation of the Flint Water Crisis, alleged to be rooted in lies, recklessness and profound disrespect have and will continue to produce a heinous impact for the people of Flint," Parker said.
Attorney Michael Pitt, who is representing Flint residents against the U.S., told the Detroit News that Parker's ruling would "shake up the EPA."...
Congress is getting serious. It is starting to feel like America again.
April 19, 2019
By Melissa Nann Burke
Washington — Michigan officials (click here) have provided congressional investigators with tens of thousands of documents related to the Flint water crisis since the start of the year.
The office of Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is continuing to work "cooperatively" with the House Oversight and Reform Committee to produce the documents that the panel requested, Nessel spokesman Dan Olsen said this week.
"Our office has already supplied the committee with tens of thousands of pages of documents, and we are diligently working to send the rest," Olsen said.
Olsen added that, while some of the records provided to the committee have been submitted previously, "most of these pages of documents are new."
The Attorney General's Office is sending the documents in response to Oversight Chairman Elijah Cummings of Maryland, who in late December wrote to then-Gov. Rick Snyder asking he "fully comply" with the committee's 2016 bipartisan request for documents related to the water crisis....
Governor Whitmer is making Flint whole again. There are thousands of children and hundreds that became ill with Legionella Disease and there are many died from it. This isn't going to be ignored by anyone. NOT EVER AGAIN.
What is that expression? "Never Forget."
When Michigan officials switched water sources for Flint, Michigan, from Lake Huron to the Flint River it introduced iron and lead into the water supply.
Flint – The city of Flint (click here) is getting another $77 million in funding from the state to pay for water infrastructure improvements.
The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality announced a $77.7 million loan to the city. Interest will be zero percent and 100 percent of the principal will be forgiven, effectively making it a grant....
There is a tape?
There is a Russian tape that Trump wanted stopped? Really. Why wasn't the Special Council able to obtain whatever existed of it and what does it say? Everyone wants to know what Russia has on Trump.
Where is the tape?
April 18, 2019
By Lisa Hagen
...The special counsel's report (click here) cites a memo drafted by then-FBI Director James Comey about his private briefing on the dossier to Trump on Jan. 6, 2017. Citing the memo, the footnote reads that Comey briefed Trump on the salacious nature of the tapes allegedly from his 2013 Moscow trip for the Miss Universe Pageant.
Mueller's report also notes that the campaign was aware of the alleged tapes prior to Comey's 2017 briefing. Mueller says in the footnotes that Russian businessman Giorgi Rtskhiladze texted then-Trump attorney Michael Cohen about the tape on Oct. 30, 2016. According to the report, Rtskhiladze said he was told it was fake, but didn't relay that to Cohen.
"During the 2016 presidential campaign, a similar claim may have reached candidate Trump. On October 30, 2016, Michael Cohen received a text from Russian businessman Giorgi Rtskhiladze that said, 'Stopped flow of tapes from Russia but not sure if there's anything else. Just so you know. …'" the footnote reads....
The Pee Tape? Russia knows about the Pee Tape, why shouldn't the USA know about it?
...The Crocus Group’s president is Aras Agalarov. (click here) It was Agalarov’s son, the Russian pop star Emin Agalarov, who brokered the June 9th, 2016 Trump Tower meeting between Donald Trump Jr. and a Kremlin-linked lawyer, who promised to deliver “official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary.”...
Ya, gotta love text messaging, right?
Crocus Group (click here) is one of the leading development companies in Russia. Founded in 1989, Crocus Group is responsible for over 4 million total square meters of developed property.
"There are things I want to do in Russia." And he and his revolving door cabinet are using the USA government for their own purpose and not worrying one day about the people of the USA or the country's national security.
Where is the tape?
April 18, 2019
By Lisa Hagen
...The special counsel's report (click here) cites a memo drafted by then-FBI Director James Comey about his private briefing on the dossier to Trump on Jan. 6, 2017. Citing the memo, the footnote reads that Comey briefed Trump on the salacious nature of the tapes allegedly from his 2013 Moscow trip for the Miss Universe Pageant.
Mueller's report also notes that the campaign was aware of the alleged tapes prior to Comey's 2017 briefing. Mueller says in the footnotes that Russian businessman Giorgi Rtskhiladze texted then-Trump attorney Michael Cohen about the tape on Oct. 30, 2016. According to the report, Rtskhiladze said he was told it was fake, but didn't relay that to Cohen.
"During the 2016 presidential campaign, a similar claim may have reached candidate Trump. On October 30, 2016, Michael Cohen received a text from Russian businessman Giorgi Rtskhiladze that said, 'Stopped flow of tapes from Russia but not sure if there's anything else. Just so you know. …'" the footnote reads....
The Pee Tape? Russia knows about the Pee Tape, why shouldn't the USA know about it?
...The Crocus Group’s president is Aras Agalarov. (click here) It was Agalarov’s son, the Russian pop star Emin Agalarov, who brokered the June 9th, 2016 Trump Tower meeting between Donald Trump Jr. and a Kremlin-linked lawyer, who promised to deliver “official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary.”...
Ya, gotta love text messaging, right?
Crocus Group (click here) is one of the leading development companies in Russia. Founded in 1989, Crocus Group is responsible for over 4 million total square meters of developed property.
"There are things I want to do in Russia." And he and his revolving door cabinet are using the USA government for their own purpose and not worrying one day about the people of the USA or the country's national security.
- Crocus City, a multifunctional satellite city of Moscow
- Crocus Expo, an exhibition center meeting the highest international standards
- Crocus City Hall concert facility
- Myakinino Metro Station
- Manhattan Mixed-Use Residential-Commercial complex (construction ongoing, with 14 towers planned)
- VEGAS chain of retail-entertainment stores, including VEGAS Crocus City, VEGAS Kashirskoye Shosse, and VEGAS Kuntsevo (opening in 2017)
- VEGAS City Hall concert venue
- Crocus City Oceanarium
- Tvoy Dom chain of superstores, including Tvoy Dom Crocus City, Tvoy Dom Novaya Riga, Tvoy Dom Kashirskoe Shosse, Tvoy Dom Ostashkovskoe Shosse, and Tvoy Dom Voronezh
- Crocus City Mall luxury shopping center
- Crocus Fashion, comprising namebrand boutiques like Sergio Rossi, Casadei, Le Silla, DeNoVo, Alberto Guardiani, Artioli, Santoni, Cesare Paciotti, John Varvatos, G-Star, Ravazzolo, Tardini, Tony Ward as well as the department store Crocus Fashion and two Crocus Stock boutiques
- Crocus Atelier Couture, an atelier of handtailored apparel
- U-BOAT brand of luxury watches
- Restaurants by Crocus Group, including Shore House (Crocus City), Shore House (Sea Breeze), Baku (Tvoy Dom Kashirskoye Shosse), Baku (Tvoy Dom Crocus City), Zafferano (VEGAS Kashirskoye Shosse), Zafferano (VEGAS Crocus City), Edoko (VEGAS Kashirskoye Shosse), Edoko (VEGAS Crocus City), Forte Bello (Crocus City), Fusion (Crocus City Mall), Casa Mia (Crocus City Mall), Traktir Pozharskago (Crocus City Mall), Asia Cafe (Crocus City Mall), Backstage (Crocus City), Nobu (B. Dmitrovka), Nobu (Crocus City), Rose Bar (B. Dmitrovka), Rose Bar (Crocus City), U diadi Maxa (VEGAS Crocus City), Vegas Café (VEGAS Crocus City), three restaurants in Agalarov Estate
- Agalarov Estate suburban estate
- Sea Breeze, an elite housing development in Azerbaijan
- Agalarov House residential complex
- Retail project BOXCITY
- Crocus-Bank
- Crocus Logistics customs terminal and logistics center
- Crocus Insurance
- Crocus Steamship
CROCUS GROUP
- General Contractor for the Construction of Stadiums for the 2018 F.I.F.A. World Cup Championship in Kaliningrad and Rostov-on-Don
- General Contractor for the Construction of the First Stage of the TsKAD (Central Ring Highway)
- General Contractor for the construction of the Pavshinsky Pedestrian Bridge (Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast)
- General Contractor for the Far Eastern Federal University on Russky Island (built for the 2012 APEC Summit, the first to occur in Russia)
- The first Russian company to build a station of the Moscow metropolitan system (Myakinino) using private funds
- Organizer of the 2013 Miss Universe pageant, which took place for the first time in Russia
Crocus Group. Developing the Future.
Very, very cute. This is not the Pee Tape. This is an intimidation tape whereby a panel is passing around girly pictures. It must be tough being a womanizer. Donald Trump is completely compromised and will provide anything Russia wants to them. He needs to resign. He is an ineffective president that does nothing to benefit the country.
Trump is a fool. He and Manafort are scared to death of Russia. The harder they squeeze Trump, the more they want. You idiot.
There is no way out of this for anyone that has been involved including Trump's children who have dealt with Russia, except, to seek protection from the USA by providing the truth and ending the coercion.
There is no way out Trump as long as you continue this charade.
NO WAY OUT!
July 11, 2017
By Robert Mackey
IT TOOK FOUR years longer than he’d hoped, (click here) but on Tuesday the Russian oligarch Aras Agalarov finally succeeded in his aim of using Donald Trump to make his son Emin famous in the United States....
Very, very cute. This is not the Pee Tape. This is an intimidation tape whereby a panel is passing around girly pictures. It must be tough being a womanizer. Donald Trump is completely compromised and will provide anything Russia wants to them. He needs to resign. He is an ineffective president that does nothing to benefit the country.
Trump is a fool. He and Manafort are scared to death of Russia. The harder they squeeze Trump, the more they want. You idiot.
There is no way out of this for anyone that has been involved including Trump's children who have dealt with Russia, except, to seek protection from the USA by providing the truth and ending the coercion.
There is no way out Trump as long as you continue this charade.
NO WAY OUT!
July 11, 2017
By Robert Mackey
IT TOOK FOUR years longer than he’d hoped, (click here) but on Tuesday the Russian oligarch Aras Agalarov finally succeeded in his aim of using Donald Trump to make his son Emin famous in the United States....
Robert Mueller and the Special Council Report needs to bring a clear understanding the USA has enemies.
When I look at this picture it makes me realize that it was not a PR picture, it was a victory picture. Russia won. It wasn't about diplomacy, it was about surrender.
The idea that Trump wants "...to do things in Russia..." (for his company) is to realize Trump has no sincere appreciation for the enemy standing in his office and the message that sends the world. The same silly ideas are imposed on North Korea for Trump. There are business ventures foolishly planning and making inroads for business in North Korea. Did they notice there are still missiles being fired near our allies in the Pacific?
The USA has enemies, Russia is one of them. The only war prevention with Russia at this point are nuclear weapons. Realize,for all the diplomacy the USA has conducted since Bush 41 decided "A Family of Nations" was the path to peace, Russia never gave up brinkmanship or the idea of reuniting the USSR. Never. Not for one minute did Russia set aside all animosity and become a family member.
There is still communism in the world that dominates the safety of human life even within the borders of countries embracing capitalism. There are oppressive regimes, dictators allowing the free and open slaughter of people because THEY COULD BE DRUG DEALERS in the Philippines. The Philippines used to be an ally and that faded with reports of sexual assault by Americans and the hatred of the USA military. Now, the Philippines is in ruins when it comes to the free will of the people and the practice of democracy.
No different than Venezuela, the Philippines is not an ally, but, coveted by Russia as a platform in the Pacific. Immediately after Trump spoke with Duterte, IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARD, Duterte flew to Moscow to meet with Putin. That told Trump he has to come a long way to become one of them in order to be a part of them. Trump is chasing rainbows because he wants the wealth that lies within these countries and they don't even have strong consumerism. His rainbows have no pot of gold.
The USA should never tolerate a president that places his own dreams of wealth ahead of the national security of the USA and Trump does exactly that.
The American people need to realize the leadership of this extremist Republican arm are dangerous people. They are liars. I could not believe that Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the supposed pinnacle of Christian Evangelical leadership, is a liar. She didn't just lie to the people of the USA, but, she lied to the Special Council. She is another Rove. "Wait, wait, don't file charges, let me try to get this right with the Grand Jury." Rove appeared before the Grand Jury in regard to the Plame outing six times. He didn't appear for more information, he appeared before the Grand Jury because he didn't want to go to jail for his lies.
The Special Council report is about a communist country that successfully influenced the supposed free and open elections of 2016. It worked. The Russian intelligence agency SET UP A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING there was a DEEP STATE. It was so successful politically, Trump wouldn't give it up and to think he is going to repent now is a fool's errand.
We are talking about a current Executive Branch that used it's influence in Senate elections to intimidate the Republican majority in the US Senate to even conduct oversight for two full years. This isn't about politics as the Republicans have decided, IT IS ABOUT THE COUNTRY and the security of the country for adverse foreign influence.
The American people need to take the Special Council report seriously and begin to prioritize the reality that the USA has allies and it has enemies and the "Family of Nation" idea may have been a good one, but, in REALITY, it compromised the USA and didn't benefit it in the way intended.
Robert Mueller is a great American and a trustworthy ally of the American people. The country needs to appreciate that and embrace his work.
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