EEE vaccines should be mandatory for all horse owners.

I didn't find any outbreak of Western Equine Encephalitis (click here), so the injuries that killed more than 30 horses this year should be submitted for investigation. These horses are normally covered with insurance, so when the owner experiences a loss, the insurance is paid.

September 18, 2019
By Laura Wagner

A 4-year-old gelding was euthanized at Santa Anita (click here) after breaking its pelvis during training, according to a statement released by the track’s owner, the Stronach Group (click here). The horse, named Zeke, pulled up on the training track on Monday and was put down Tuesday. Per the statement:

Veterinarians diagnosed a pelvic fracture. Zeke was initially stable, but, unfortunately, his condition deteriorated later that evening. After consultation with veterinary experts, the owner’s team determined that this type of injury would not be able to be repaired to support continual weight on all four legs, a must for a horse’s survival.

The statement says Zeke is the second horse to die from injuries sustained on the training track in 2019. It omits that 30 horses died at Santa Anita earlier this year during the winter and spring meets.

In March the track shut down briefly after it was revealed that 21 horses had died at the track in two months....

The east coast and Midwest of the USA is experiencing a serious Outbreak of Eastern Equine Encephalitis. 

September 19, 2019
By Glenn McEntyre

A potentially deadly virus (click here) being spread by mosquitoes has made its way to Ohio.

Eastern Equine Encephalitis, or "Triple-E", has killed three people in Michigan. Health officials in Ohio are closely monitoring the spread of the virus.

Stephanie Green boards 36 horses at her Shoo Fly Stables in Fairfield County.

She says her horses are like her children, which is why she takes no chances with their health.

"Horses are very susceptible to a lot of different diseases, so we vaccinate every year. There's a seven-way shot that we give every year."

And this year, that precaution could be even more important.

"We've had three horses infected that have died from Triple-E." said Dr. Tony Forshey, state veterinarian with the Ohio Department of Agriculture. "Triple-E is Eastern Equine Encephalitis. It's a virus that circulates in the bloodstream and then gets into the brain and causes massive swelling. It's pretty much always fatal in those horses."...

The virus can be transmitted to humans in the same way it is transmitted to horses, the mosquito. My understanding is that it takes one mosquito carrying the virus to kill horses and people. There are known virus and bacteria that will cross species lines. When they do cross species lines they are frequently deadly.

From the Association of Equine Practitioners:

In the United States, (click here) equine encephalitides for which vaccines are available include eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE), western equine encephalomyelitis (WEE), Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE) and West Nile Virus encephalomyelitis. The distribution of EEE has historically been restricted to the eastern, southeastern and some southern states (but disease incidence is also reported in the upper Midwestern states of Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin). Outbreaks of WEE have been recorded in the western and mid-western states. Variants of WEE have caused sporadic cases in the northeast and southeast, most notably Florida. VEE occurs in South and Central America but has not been diagnosed in the United States for more than 40 years. The availability of licensed vaccine products combined with an inability to completely eliminate risk of exposure justifies immunization against EEE and WEE as core prophylaxis for all horses residing in or traveling to North America and any other geographic areas where EEE and/or WEE is endemic....

September 9, 2019
By Christopher Zara

Some states (click here) this year are reporting elevated cases of Eastern equine encephalitis virus (or EEE or EEEV), a rare but serious and often deadly cause of brain infection transmitted through mosquito bites....

Connecticut: (click here) State health officials said this week they’ve confirmed their first case of EEE in Connecticut since 2013.

Massachusetts: (click here) Officials confirmed a ninth human case of EEE as of this week, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

Michigan: (click here) The state is experiencing its worst outbreak of EEE in more than a decade, with at least three deaths and four additional cases confirmed. Health officials are urging affected counties to cancel activities taking place after dusk. 

New Jersey: (click here) The disease was recently detected in Union County, officials said.

Rhode Island: (click here) At least three cases have been diagnosed, according to the Rhode Island Department of Health, including a child under 10....

The CDC statistics (click here) clearly show the average number of cases are 7 per year. This year the number of reported cases is estimated to be 73 and possibly rising. 

The virus is very nasty. My understanding is that even if a person survives the virus' onslaught, there is a strong possibility they can still die within 3 to 4 years because of the damage done to body systems, including the brain.

September 18, 2019
By A. Pawlowski

...The highest chance of infection (click here) in humans is typically August, though the peak time for transmission extends through September, officials have said.

Most infections happen in the Atlantic and Gulf Coast states, and some in the Great Lakes region, according to the CDC. Aerial mosquito spraying began last month in some of the communities at high risk for EEE.

“It’s concerning from a public health point of view, no question about it,” Joe Conlon, a retired U.S. Navy entomologist and spokesman for the American Mosquito Control Association, told TODAY.

“(But) it’s not a very wide-spread disease, thank goodness… it’s not common like West Nile virus.”...

...Symptoms start four to 10 days after a person is bitten and include:

headache

high fever

chills

vomiting

As the disease progresses, the patient can suffer from disorientation, seizures and coma. There is no specific treatment....

PREVENTION is the best possible way to avoid the mosquito bite. In addition to a good insect repellant, STAGNANT water, even a puddle, can be a breeding place for mosquitos. Be sure all water is drained off lawn furniture after a rainstorm, fill any holes in the lawn or garden if there is stagnant water available to breed these mosquitos. But, as governors involved this year stated, stay inside upon the evening when the sun is setting. If any questions arise, the local Country Extension Agent should be helpful in prevention on a local basis.

- Use insect repellents that contain the active ingredient DEET.

- Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outside.

- Maintain window and door screening.

- Empty water from mosquito-breeding sites around the home (buckets, old tires, etc).

- Use nets and/or fans over outdoor eating areas.

Health officials have said EEE will continue to be a concern until the first hard frost of the year.

September 20, 2019
By Christopher Gavin

It started with a headache. (click here)

The pain settled in for Star Jackman, of Coventry, Rhode Island, on Aug. 30.

The first grader had just finished her first two days into the new school year.

And while she would have usually either played with a Barbie doll or two, sang, or danced her way into the weekend, the 6-year-old spent the next day in bed, asleep, her father, Reginald Jackman, told The Providence Journal.

“She started running a fever and throwing up,” Reginald Jackman, 35, said in an interview with ABC6. “Sunday afternoon we brought her to the walk-in.”

Star is one of three people in Rhode Island this year who has contracted the potentially fatal and rare mosquito-borne Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus — a diagnosis that would take weeks to come for the Jackman family.

Just for the record, San Anita Race Track is not the only place where horses are dying unexpectedly.

September 11, 2019
By Kenneth Garger

Three racehorses died last week at Belmont Park (click here) on the track’s first week of racing for their fall meet.

Last Friday, which was opening day at the Long Island track, saw two deaths, according to online data provided by the New York Gaming Association.

One of the horses, Passporttovictory, was injured in the third race and removed from the track by an ambulance.

The thoroughbred was later euthanized....

Have a better weekend and have family activities indoors. It can be fun.

There are currently 500 cases of "Vaping Lung" and 8 deaths so far.

This is a very poor cultural practice. It has to stop. There is too much not known about everything from vap delivery systems to the fluid used. The oil found in Vaping Lung comes from somewhere. The delivery system is ridiculous, it pits delicate lung tissue against heated air carrying foreign substances.

The best way to experience nicotine addiction is with patches or gum chewing.

Stop being stupid simply because "the worst" hasn't happened to you, YET.

STOP DOING THIS!  PLEASE!

September 20, 2019
By Carlie Porterfield

The Topline: (click here) The eighth U.S. death linked with vaping-related lung disease was announced on Thursday, as the total number of probable cases rose to more than 500. 

• The most recent victim was a St. Louis, Missouri man in his mid-forties who began vaping in May to treat chronic pain, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday. By August 22, he was hospitalized with respiratory problems and died less than a month later, on Wednesday....
• ...Of the 500 cases of vaping-related illnesses around 75% of the patients are male, and half are younger than 25, with 16% aged 18 or younger.
• Teenage vaping has doubled since 2017, according to early results of a survey released Wednesday.
• A U.S. congressional subcommittee will hold a hearing on Tuesday to discuss the outbreak.... 

A lot going on in Flint.

This weekend there is a "Touch a Truck" event for children (click here).

...Campus Department of Public Safety Director Ray Hall said trucks are exciting for children and a centerpiece of the event, but its purpose goes beyond that. It's a chance to build community and get children excited about various careers.

Admission is free. The event also includes free hot dogs, face painting, balloons, music and more.

The children should absolutely go and have fun. It would be nice if the Governor made a surprise visit, but, she is busy with state issues regarding the health of Michiganders, too.

September 18, 2019
By Ron Fonger

Flint - The state is no longer providing attorneys (click here) to employees who are questioned by Flint water prosecutors, a practice that cost taxpayers millions of dollars during the administration of former Gov. Rick Snyder.

Spokeswomen for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel confirmed the change in policy in response to questions from MLive-The Flint Journal, but the Governor’s Office said it is looking for another way to provide help to employees who could be in legal jeopardy and need an attorney’s advice....

It is about time. A few thoughts. This is a corruption of the State of Michigan's politicians that was to allow people well paid to receive WELFARE so they could keep their wealth. The employees involved in the Flint Water Crisis need to be responsible for their own neglect and willingness to cower to Governor Snyder. They should have stood up to him to make him stop the poisoning of Flint.

Employees, no different than any other person exposed to Due Process, have a right to request a state assigned attorney if they cannot afford to pay the cost themselves. In that, when people are brought before the courts again, they can place an application for such attorney assignment.

Realizing the millions of corrupt dollars taken from the State of Michigan Treasury to protect the wealth of State Employees; if they are found guilty of charges when the new investigation is complete; they should be held responsible for paying back those millions into the Michigan Treasury. If they were assigned a Public Attorney, that provision (which is a fine) can be set aside if the judge finds it appropriate.

Boil Water Advisories are still a reality in Flint. (click here)

September 20, 2019
By Zahra Ahmad

Flint - Flint’s wastewater system (click here) is receiving major, multi million-dollar upgrades.

City council approved $1.8 million in wastewater system upgrades at its Sept. 9 general meeting and is poised to approve $515,000 to replace a pump at its East Pump Station at its Monday, Sept. 23 special affairs meeting. The projects range from pump replacements and aeration redesigns to sludge dewatering improvements....

Good job. Rising waters recently brought sewage out of the plant into the streets and into the river. That is a shame. It shouldn't have happened. We live in a new era of destructive storms and torrential rainfalls. There has to be an insight to these events.

Perhaps the State of Michigan will be the first to pass state legislation that requires all cities to assess their infrastructure for climate readiness. This focus should be a country wide requirement to protect lives and the future of our children and young adults.

These contractors that used "hydrovacing" in the water pipe replacement have no standing. They were using a procedure that was known to be faulty, but, provided higher profits from their work than conducting the water pipe replacement correctly. The contractors basically blindsided the city officials to the known failures of "hydrovacing." These contractors caused more problems than they solved.

September 19, 2019
By Zahra Ahmad

...City officials required Goyette, (click here) and other contractors, to increase the size of excavations and forbid the use of hydrovacing, according to the suit. Hydrovacing is a non-intrusive method using high-pressurized water to dig soft surfaces, like grass and dirt.

Mayor Karen Weaver announced in June 2018 the city would no longer use hydrovac trucks because they weren’t identifying water service lines thoroughly....

I have just walked in the door to home and I will need a few minutes to see what has been happening with Flint.

I have been following "All In with Chris Hayes" and he is doing a remarkable job with the climate crisis.

continued...

Trump and Guiliani are seeking information about the Former Vice President Biden through intimidation and endangering Ukraine, hence NATO and USA national security.

September 19,2019
By Julian E. Barnes, Nicholas Fandos, Michael S.Schmidt and Matthew Rosenberg

...It involves at least one instance  (click here) of Mr. Trump making an unspecified commitment to a foreign leader and includes other actions, according to interviews. At least part of the allegation deals with Ukraine, two people familiar with it said....

Trump and Guiliani are in plenty of trouble. It is one thing to seek factual information from a foreign government that is an ally to the USA, it is quite something else to intimidate a sovereign government to create a story about a political opponent. These monies were to improve Ukraine's national security. It is unconscionable to even attempt intimidation of a foreign government.

September 10, 2019
By Viola Gienger

Vice President Mike Pence (click here) was about to finish a routine joint press conference with Polish President Andrzej Duda in Warsaw last week, when he got two astutely specific questions about his meeting the previous day with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy:

“Number one, did you discuss Joe Biden at all during that meeting yesterday with the Ukrainian President? And number two, can you assure Ukraine that the hold-up of [U.S. security assistance] has absolutely nothing to do with efforts, including by Rudy Giuliani, to try to dig up dirt on the Biden family?” Associated Press reporter Jill Colvin asked.

Pence answered the first question directly: “Well, on the first question, the answer is no.” His response to the second question was more interesting. He essentially demurred. But to decode the significance of Pence’s reply, it’s important to understand the recent history of Ukraine and U.S. policy toward the country. From there, we can unpack what’s at the bottom of the Trump-Giuliani efforts.

Those efforts yesterday became the focus of a new joint investigation by three House committees – Foreign Affairs, Intelligence, and Oversight and Reform. In letters to White House Counsel Pat Cipollone and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo seeking “any and all” related records and a list of personnel involved, the three Democratic committee chairs outlined a litany of meetings, phone calls, tweets and other threats, including the withholding of the $250 million of security aid the reporter had referenced in the question to Pence.

“President Trump and his personal attorney (Rudy Guiliani) appear to have increased pressure on the Ukrainian government and its justice system in service of President Trump’s reelection campaign, and the White House and the State Department may be abetting this scheme,” the chairmen wrote....

The country doesn't need another bogus letter from Bill Barr.

If Barr is untrustworthy for his handling of the Special Counsel Report, he is absolutely untrustworthy AND interfering with the rule of law when it comes to a whistleblower complaint about Trump. If this was a whistleblower regarding President Obama it would be front page, above the fold news.

September 19, 2019
By Andrew Prokop

An internal Trump administration whistleblower (click here) has filed a complaint about “multiple acts” by President Trump, according to the New York Times’ Nicholas Fandos, Eileen Sullivan, Julian Barnes and Matthew Rosenberg.

Look this is the way I see it. Trump has loans backed by Russian oligarchs through Deutsche Bank. He has defaulted on those loans and the loans are being paid by the Russian Oligarchs. When the sanctions by Obama and the USA Congress hit hard in Russia, Putin stepped in and used the power of the Russian government to leverage the loans to Trump. BASICALLY, TRUMP'S INDEBTEDNESS is leverage over the USA Presidency. 

There are a few foreign leaders that Trump would promise anything; Kim Jong Un or Vladimir Putin. Those are also the only leaders that is known to have multiple calls with Trump. I believe Trump would promise Putin anything, including delayed responses of USA nukes.

I don't think this is a mystery. If it wasn't so serious there would never be a whistleblower complaint. Trump never denounced the intervention by Putin and Russian intelligence in the 2016 elections. As far as I am concerned that is good as permission. "Russia if your listening...." Who says that? 

The whistleblower account needs to go forward. Barr is way out of line. This guy still has his license?

In part, the complaint is about a troubling “promise” made during a conversation between President Trump and a foreign leader, per the Washington Post’s Greg Miller, Ellen Nakashima, and Shane Harris. But the Times reported Thursday that the complaint is broader than any one call or promise.

The complaint was passed on to the inspector general for the intelligence community, who determined it was credible and a matter of “urgent concern” — a legal standard that normally requires congressional oversight committees be notified. And, per a letter from the inspector general, he concluded the complaint “relates to one of the most significant and important of the DNI’s responsibilities to the American people.”

How is it Kushner has access to these documents, but, the US Congress doesn't?

But Trump’s acting director of national intelligence has stepped in to block key congressional committee chairs from receiving the details of the whistleblower complaint — which some legal analysts say could be a violation of the law requiring they be informed.

So over the past week, Intelligence Committee chair Adam Schiff (D-CA) has been demanding answers. The inspector general briefed the committee Thursday morning, but still withheld details about the complaint’s subject matter.

The big picture is that this could be a major new scandal in the making. And the two huge questions are: which foreign leader? And what was the promise?

On Thursday morning, Trump responded on Twitter, calling the story “Fake News” and saying he wouldn’t have said “something inappropriate” on such a call....

Welcome to the Intelligence Community (IC) Whistleblowing website. (click here) If you are visiting this website because you are considering whether to make a protected disclosure, or because you are interested in learning more about them, you should know that whistleblowing has a long history in this country. Over 240 years ago, on July 30, 1778, the Continental Congress unanimously enacted the first whistleblower legislation in the United States, proclaiming that "it is the duty of all persons in service of the United States, as well as all other the inhabitants thereof, to give the earliest information to Congress or other proper authority of any misconduct, frauds or misdemeanors committed by any officers or persons in the service of these states, which comes to their knowledge." To this day, Federal law (including the Constitution, rules, and regulations) encourages, consistent with the protection of classified information (including sources and methods of detection of classified information), the honest and good faith reporting of misconduct, fraud, misdemeanors, and other crimes to the appropriate authority at the earliest time possible.

Consistent with that tradition and public policy, this website provides a general overview of lawful whistleblowing in the IC. It explains how individuals may lawfully disclose critical information to authorized recipients while protecting national security. You will find information about what lawful whistleblowing is; what individuals should report; how to blow the whistle lawfully; who handles a whistleblower complaint; why we have a whistleblower program; and what an individual's whistleblower protections are.

Whistleblowers are a key source of information for countering wrongdoing and enhancing the effectiveness of our government. Lawful whistleblowing through authorized disclosures, and passing the right information to the right people, reinforces our public policy of encouraging individuals working for our government, and particularly within our IC, to provide patriotic dissent while maintaining loyalty to individual elements within the IC and protecting national security.

Regardless of your reason for visiting this website, I hope you find its information helpful. To close on another historical note, I keep on my desk a plaque with a quote from Benjamin Franklin - a former government employee - who began his day by asking "What good shall I do this day?" Reporting wrongdoing through authorized means is not only a public and patriotic duty with a long tradition in this country, it is a good that can be done today.

Michael K. Atkinson
Inspector General of the Intelligence Community

Opening-day frenzy at first Costco store in China

"Go, Costco." It appears the Chinese middle class is a seriously growing aspect of quality of life. Very nice. Evidently, the overcrowding was not expected. Costco has experience in handling large crowds, especially on "Black Friday." It is nice to see the Chinese having the opportunity to improve their lives. This Middle Class is a huge victory for the USA. China is now exhibiting a "Consumer Economy." That means the Chinese will build stronger local economies and the DEMAND for a better life.

This is fantastic. Finally, China has a burgeoning consumer economy that will equate to that of the USA eventually. That means China is looking more like our allies, in Europe and Asia. Japan has a very high quality of life. Hopefully, China will, too.

Trump is subverting the law. This law dates back to WWII. It has been a steadfast, regular publication of the USA.

Published by the Office of the Federal Register, (click here) National Archives and Records Administration (NARA),  the Federal Register is the official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other presidential documents.

When is it published?

The Federal Register is updated daily by 6 a.m. and is published Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

Title 44. PUBLIC PRINTING AND DOCUMENTS (click here)
Chapter 15. FEDERAL REGISTER AND CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS

This was sent over the web today. The Federal Register is a very important archive. It is a common place to look for rules and regulations. This is a move by Trump to increase the cost of following rules and regulations. Lawyers and many others, including private companies subscribe to the Federal Register. If they have to look in more than on place for information regarding the government it will add higher personnel costs to find the laws, document and record them. 

On October 15, 2018, (click here) requirements for the importation of fruits and vegetables that were previously located in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) were moved to FAVIR. You'll find them for relevant commodities in a new section titled "Additional Requirements." This change is a result of a rule published by APHIS on September 14, 2018 to streamline the approval process for fruit and vegetable imports. It's important to note that this rule did NOT add or change any requirements for the importation of a particular fruit or vegetable, it simply relocated the existing documented requirements. To learn more about the updated FAVIR and what has and has not changed, go to the Streamlining Approvals for Fruit and Vegetable Imports Web page at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant-health/q56-streamlining.

Rulemaking by agency secretaries is well outlined. The rules of the USA federal government is not established willy-nilly.The rules that manifest because of LEGISLATION has a specific process. Trump and his secretary is disregarding ESTABLISHED LAW.

"A Guide to the Rule Making Process" (click here)

More on rulemaking (click here)

CARE.

The government at any level is supposed to CARE about Americans and the impact of law(s). The Federal Register is a central processing TOOL so ALL AMERICANS can find changes in rules and regulations.

Hurricane Humberto is threatening the UK. Storm surge exceeding 30 feet.

The UK built significant sea walls about a decade ago. At the time those sea walls were calculated to be enough. The increasing heat in the troposphere is heating the ocean at the Air/Sea interface (click here). The effects on ocean turbulence is significant with a fraction of degree higher it becomes.

Until the warming of the troposphere continues to increase, the oceans and seas will reflect that with turbulence and sea level rise.

September 19, 2019
By Katie Sewell

Gradual weakening (click here) is now expected for the storm as it makes it track towards UK, where energy from the powerful hurricane will bring rain and fierce winds.

Bermuda is still feeling the effects of the hurricane, with powerful storm surges and swells impacting the island as Humberto passed by.

An NOAA buoy measured a wave of more than 30 feet Wednesday, it said.

Large swells will also continue to increase into tomorrow, the hurricane centre added....

The greatest service Mr. O'Brien can give the USA is to end the naivety of Americans travel abroad.

September 18, 2019
By Peter Baker

President Trump named Robert C. O’Brien as his next national security adviser.

Los Angeles -

President Trump (click here) on Wednesday selected Robert C. O’Brien, the State Department’s chief hostage negotiator, to become his national security adviser, moving to reconstitute his foreign policy staff even as he faces rising tension with Iran.

In choosing Mr. O’Brien to replace John R. Bolton, who left the White House last week, the president chose a Los Angeles lawyer who had impressed him with his work to extricate Americans detained by countries like North Korea and Turkey. But it is not clear how different his advice will be from his predecessor given that Mr. O’Brien previously worked for Mr. Bolton and has cited his hawkish views in the past....

Speaker Pelosi is impugning the USA Constitution.

Chairman Jerry Nadler has competently proved "Obstruction of Congress."

Lewandowski is the SECOND Trump associate that has Obstructed Congress. Hope Hicks is the first. How many times does Obstruction of Congress have to be demonstrated to move forward with impeachment? The country is ready for it.

Trump and his associates conduct themselves criminally. They have no respect or use for the law, hence, the USA Constitution. The USA Constitution has been insulted enough including an Attorney General that only acts as the President's Defense Attorney. 

WHY WOULD A PRESIDENT IN GOOD STANDING NEED DEFENSE ATTORNEY, ESPECIALLY THAT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL?

The Americans lost to Trump's culture is lost to the country. They are no longer valid opinion holders. They are sequestered in a portion of the country that no longer is connected to reality. That is a fact.

The rest of the country is ready to remove Trump from office and those associated with him should have fines leveraged against them.

"Duck and Cover"

The active shooter drills are meaningless.

I didn't know the halls of every school was first lined by Kevlar (click here) before the bricks are laid.

The only thing active shooter drills do is pile the bodies in one corner.

Active shooter drills have never proven to save lives.

Below is a cider block wall when it meets wtih a weapon of war. The ONLY real defense of anyone against an active shooter is the police. Their response time is a good as it gets.

This semi-automatic AK-47 (click here) has been chosen to target a cinderblock wall from a good distance. At 230 yards, the 7.62X39 bullets are hitting low due to a rainbow-like trajectory. The wall has 2 liter bottles and spray paint cans inside it to keep things interesting.

The article and video are compliments of wideopenspaces.com.

The Houthis are allies of Iran.

Iran selling and/or providing munitions to allies is no different than Trump supplying immense weapon sales to Saudi Arabia. This response by Iran to the Houthis is in response to the USA escalation of tensions in the region. Saudi Arabia is guilty of seeking munitions that clearly changes the balance of power. Iran in selling and/or supplying munitions to the Houthis is in response to the aggressive stance of Saudi Arabia's "killing prince."

14 September 2019

Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for a drone attack (click here) on the world’s largest oil processing facility in Saudi Arabia which is vital to global energy supplies.

The attacks on the processor and a major oilfield, operated by Saudi Aramco, on early Saturday sparked a huge fire, the kingdom’s interior ministry said.

According to Reuters, threes sources claimed the assault had disrupted output and exports, with one source claiming 5 million barrels per day of crude production had been impacted – nearly half the kingdom’s output.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Saudi Arabia is shutting down about half of its oil output because of the incident. Authorities have not confirmed whether oil production or exports were affected.

A military spokesman for Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the strikes, saying 10 drones had been deployed in the attack....

Human beings don't matter, dollars do. Sound familiar?

Andrew Young is addressing the rental crisis in his $1000 allowance per month.

June 4, 2019
By Benjamin Oreskes and Doug Smith 

In a hard reality check (click here) for Los Angeles County’s multibillion-dollar hope of ending homelessness, officials reported Tuesday that the number of people living on the streets, in vehicles and in shelters increased by about 12% over last year.

The annual point-in-time count, delivered to the Board of Supervisors, put the number of homeless people just shy of 59,000 countywide. Within the city of Los Angeles, the number soared to more than 36,000, a 16% increase....

If a society deprives people good wages and forces them to make a choice between to "worst scenarios" it is the responsibility of the government to PROVIDE FOR THE SAFETY of the people that includes housing.

September 17, 2019
By Matt Stiles

...On Tuesday, (click here) the supervisors voted to direct lawyers for Los Angeles County to draft an amicus brief, urging the U.S. Supreme Court to take up a challenge to Martin vs. City of Boise. The case, decided by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals last September, found that arresting or otherwise punishing homeless people for sleeping on the sidewalk when there are not enough shelter beds or housing was unconstitutional.

Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who authored the county’s motion, said the ruling had “tied our hands” and made serving homeless people more difficult.

“We are grappling with a problem of unprecedented scale,” she said of the nearly 60,000 homeless people in Los Angeles County, many of them living outdoors. “Now, more than ever, it is critical that we have access to every tool at our disposal to combat homelessness.”...

The increase in homelessness is a return to the Reagan Administration and their idea that people are OBJECTS for profit. That means rentals go higher REGARDLESS of AMERICANS ability to pay.

It appears Trump has to face the reality that he has an aspect to his population's strife similar to those "shi-ole" countries.

Trump doesn't believe in capitalism that works for the people, he believes in greed.

By Scripps National

Renters (click here) are really struggling to save anything after paying their monthly rent costs, which are up 1.5 percent across the United States. A two-bedroom rental is averaging $1,180 per month.

Apartment List's Rent Report shows the rental cost increase is lagging from the 2017-18 and 2016-17 increases, but the rate in 2016-17 had soared 2.5 percent. The national median has essentially stayed flat from last June until March 2019, Apartment List says.

The biggest metros experiencing rent growth are Las Vegas and Phoenix. Other fastest-growing rent areas include Austin, Texas; Raleigh, North Carolina; Aurora, Colorado and San Jose, California....

The American Dream is disappearing. It is a general housing crisis that manifests in higher degrees of homelessness. It has nothing to do with availability. The Trump report by his economic advisors is a political document.

February 14, 2019
By Emmie Martin

Although both home prices and rental prices (click here) are on the rise, in every single U.S. state, homeowners with a mortgage spend more money per month than renters on housing. That’s according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2013-2017 American Community Survey five-year estimates, which tracks median housing costs across the country.

Exactly how much more money owners pay varies by state. In New Jersey, the discrepancy between the median monthly cost for renters and those with a mortgage is more than $1,100. In Arkansas, the disparity is just over $300.

Though the Census Bureau doesn’t offer a reason why, other analyses have shown that owning is more expensive than renting because owners need to cover related costs such as maintenance, property taxes, repairs and insurance, in addition to handling their monthly mortgage payments, and those keep rising....

There needs to be legislation exposing who CASH BUYERS are and what justies it. "Zillow" is a cash buyer. If Zillow purchases enough real estate they can DICTATE how much buyers pay for it. Cash purchasers are taking the value out of real estate and replacing it with manipulation for profit.

September 10, 2019
By Patrick Sisson

For Michael Pickens, a 31-year-old working in tech sales in the Bay Area, (click here) buying a home for his family isn’t an option. He lives with his wife and two kids in Campbell, California, the same town where he grew up, in an apartment across the street from the middle school he attended. He’s seen all the signs of an affordability crisis: Friends can’t afford to live in their hometown and have scattered to Texas and Arizona. He’s put in offers on $700,000 condos only to lose out to wealthy buyers making all-cash bids. The 1,100-square-foot house he grew up in, built in 1952 and barely renovated, now costs $1.2 million. Campbell is simply a “different town.” Even if Pickens could afford to buy a single-family home, he isn’t sure it’s worth the financial risk, especially in a downturn....

June 17, 2019
By Rey Mashayekhi

At this point, (click here) it’s well-documented that the Trump White House has seen a level of turnover unlike any other administration in modern times. At this point, no less than 50 top officials—from West Wing staffers to cabinet secretaries—have left Trumpworld in the two-and-a-half years since the President took the oath of office. Some departed on their own volition; others, for one reason or another, were unceremoniously forced out.

This week saw yet another high-profile appointee walk out the doors of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue: Kevin Hassett, the chairman of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers. As the administration’s top economist, Hassett—a career tax policy wonk and former director at the American Enterprise Institute, a leading conservative think tank—advocated for the corporate tax cuts that comprised the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, arguably Trump’s most significant legislative achievement to date.

Yet unlike the President, Hassett also holds more orthodox, free-market views on trade—a position that put him at odds with the Trump administration’s protectionist, tariff-heavy trade stance toward China and, more recently, Mexico. Despite that, Hassett told The New York Times that his departure has “nothing to do with any policy disagreements” within the administration....

Andrew Yang is in a different financial space than those effected by racism. (click here for article below - thank you)

Andrew Young is bringing up issues that other candidates should have better answers for such as statistics, the one percent and 0.1 percent. We know wealth is flowing to the top and the Middle Class is disappearing. The best example of the shrinking Middle Class is auto workers.



I think Andrew Yang was correct in forgiving racial epithets, however, he needs to address these issues. Andrew Yang has the luxury of wealth to forgive racial slurs. Wealth creates distance and comfort. In other circumstances, slurs affect people and their feelings about life. The rate of depression and other mental health tragedies are higher among CLUSTER groups in Asian Americans.



The article below uses statistics from 2007. But, it does reflect some issues that should be updated and explored.

Fact: Asian-American college students, had a higher rate of suicidal thoughts than White college students but there is no national data about their rate of suicide deaths. Fact: American-Indian/Alaskan Native women aged 15-24 have the highest suicide rate compared to all racial/ethnic groups.

The Congress needs to bring in US Military intelligence to testify about more than the monies Trump cut out of their budget.

Iran did not attack the Saudi oil fields. This is one of those "pretend" moments by Trump. There is no reason for gas prices to go up in the USA either, but, they will. Car pool.

Saudi Arabia needs to present any evidence regarding Iran to the United Nations Security Council, NOT only the USA!

The USA is untrustworthy in any assessment regarding at the very least the Middle East. Trump has done nothing but inflame tensions in the region. I would expect more of the same from him.

September 18, 2019

Saudi Arabia said the weekend attack on Saudi Aramco (click here) had no impact on government revenues and authorities were gearing up to list the state oil giant.

"In terms of revenues there's zero impact," Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan told Reuters news agency in an interview on the sidelines of an investor conference in Riyadh.

"Aramco continued to supply the markets without interruption and therefore revenues should continue as they are."

Netanyahu has canceled his appearance at the United Nations next week. This should help calm the rhetoric about tensions and escalating dialogue about war.

Benny Gantz's Kahol Lavan is ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Party, according to official election results released on Wednesday after 91 percent of the vote was counted.

Trump and anyone associated with him are criminals. Lying goes along with that. Stop expecting the truth. They have no USE for the law. It gets in their way of grabbing money when they shouldn’t. Their pretend use of the law is for the victimization of an opponent to that of an entire nation when considering the invasion by Russia of our election system. 

Lewandowski is not about to assist THE TRUTH from being told. He wants money and his television appearances is another USE of power to promote his own interests. They all do the same thing, including the family who is very familiar with fanfare and how it equates to profits.

Trump and any of his associates are propagandists. Being friends with communists has taught them well.