When it comes to temporary national security clearance, Donald Trump is not doing his job.

Mr Porter is proof that the Trump White House is out of control and keeps people within their inner circle they like regardless of the findings of intelligence agencies otherwise.

Trump is not doing his job.

Look, this is a president that invited Russians into the White House for a meet and greet the day after he fired the Director of the FBI. How is it the Russians pull up to the White House and are waved in by Trump without the Secret Service to stop them? 

Rob Porter? Even if he were Russian he would have been provided tempory clearance (which turns into permanent clearance) because he is was part of the Trump cabal. Trump's family is not supposed to be working with him. That is prohibited. If Trump can't function without his family because he doesn't trust anyone else, then he is incompetent. Trump is breaking the USA laws over and over and Congress sits on their hands or worse.

(2)“public official” (click here) means an officer (including the President and a Member of Congress), a member of the uniformed service, an employee and any other individual, in whom is vested the authority by law, rule, or regulation, or to whom the authority has been delegated, to appoint, employ, promote, or advance individuals, or to recommend individuals for appointment, employment, promotion, or advancement in connection with employment in an agency; and

(3)

“relative” means, with respect to a public official, an individual who is related to the public official as father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, first cousin, nephew, niece, husband, wife, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, stepfather, stepmother, stepson, stepdaughter, stepbrother, stepsister, half brother, or half sister

(b) 

A public official may not appoint, employ, promote, advance, or advocate for appointment, employment, promotion, or advancement, in or to a civilian position in the agency in which he is serving or over which he exercises jurisdiction or control any individual who is a relative of the public official.... 

That is the law and Trump is completely disregarding law of the USA. Trump is breaking the law. That reality has nothing to do with the Russian probe, but, no one does a darn thing about it.

A year has gone by and the people that were with Trump from the beginning still don't have nationals security clearance. That is illegal. It's ridiculous.

Sanctions

Why not Russia?

Why Itan?

I would love to know what Russia has on Trump. He was in Moscow and was playing with prostitutes. We all heard about the golden showers. Are all the women from that day still alive? 

When it comes to Iran, at one point Chancellor Merkel was lobbying the members of the P5 + 1 to draw up new sanctions against Iran. Iran had done nothing wrong. Merkel was attempting to find sanctions that would be okay with Trump. Within a couple weeks she gave up and the original agreement still is honored by most of the participants to the agreement.

Now, why would Chancellor Merkel give up trying to find a second set of sanctions against Iran tha Trump would approve of?

Because Trump wants a war in the Middle East. It looks as though with American soldiers killing Russian, he just might get it. A war would settle land disputes, If there ever was a wide spread killing field, there would be genocide of smaller groups of people. No doubt in my mind.

We saw what Daesh did. How much of the killing Daesh carried out was genocide? I am quite sure there are some. We got lucky with the Yazidis (click here). 

But, as to the sanctions against Russia and Trump lack of enforcement of them; he isn't doing his job. He just isn't. I know most Americans see the presidency as a pinnacle of a career of some sort. But, the truth is while the presidency of the USA is interesting, it is the place where law passed by the legislation is carried out. In other words, the presidency has orders to follow. Trump is not doing his job. Just that simple. There is every indication he is sabotaging the laws passed by the legislature, when it comes to Russia.

Like I said, Greenland is melting and Antarctica is calving huge ice sheets into the windward drift.

August 30, 2017
By Rob Jordan

A new analysis of drought in Jordan (click here) – one of the world’s most water-poor countries – suggests that without alternate water sources, better land use and improved water-sharing agreements, the country could face a future of potentially disastrous droughts. The research, which was the first to analyze several types of drought and to take into account land use changes in upstream Syria, could inform water policies in other arid countries with shared rivers....

This is exactly what happened with Syria. There was extensive drought, the farmers could no longer supply food to the cities and went to the cities to live and find work. With the influx of people into the cities religious differences were exaggerated as competition for work and living space became more evident. 

We cannot afford to have this tragedy occur in Jordan. If there is little water to find, there should be a consideration for a desalination plant. No different than Saudi Arabia. But, foremost Jordan should expect a plan from the USA to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions. It is a moral issue.

There is also this:

13 February 2018
By NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

Global sea level rise (click here) has been accelerating in recent decades, rather than increasing steadily, according to a new study based on 25 years of NASA and European satellite data.

This acceleration, driven mainly by increased melting in Greenland and Antarctica, has the potential to double the total sea level rise projected by 2100 when compared to projections that assume a constant rate of sea level rise, according to lead author Steve Nerem. Nerem is a professor of Aerospace Engineering Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder, a fellow at Colorado's Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), and a member of NASA's Sea Level Change team.

If the rate of ocean rise continues to change at this pace, sea level will rise 26 inches (65 centimeters) by 2100 -- enough to cause significant problems for coastal cities, according to the new assessment by Nerem and colleagues from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland; CU Boulder; the University of South Florida in Tampa; and Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. The team, driven to understand and better predict Earth's response to a warming world, published their work Feb. 12 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences....

This is a wake up call to mayors of all coastal cities. Globally. The temperatures will increase as well without ice structures able to mitigate the heat caused by greenhouse gases.


That melting includes Sibera as well. All the ice structures are disappearing.

Dead Russians at the hand of USA troops. This is getting to be a huge mess with no resolve for the refugees.

There are increasing tensions in the Middle East between the USA, Israel, Syria and Russia. People need to pay attention, Prime Minister Netanyahu is being investigated for corruption. (What Israeli Prime Minister isn't investigated for corruption?} Perhaps, Arlal Sharon. I think he was at one time, too, but nothing came of it. I miss him. I miss the late Arial Sharon. I think he was a great man with good visions for Israel.

But, the point is if Netanyahu is being investigated for corruption, there is more incentive to war to prevent any prosecution going forward when a War Hawk is in control. Pure speculation. 

But, it is time to pay attention to the abandonment of any potential for peace in the Middle East. The abandonment is being replaced with salvoes of war. The King of Jordan should be an interesting person at this point. 

I think King Abdullah II has the greatest and most impartial view of the Middle East. He is important and can be a peacemaker. I think if he speaks out to end tensios it should be respected. Jordan is suffering under the weight of refugees already and a war would only add to that reality when Jordan was looking forward to people returning home with the destruction of Deash.

Tillerson is due in Jordan tomorrow. (click here) I think it is appropriate the King of Jordan express his disappointment in escalating tensions and be cautious about changes to any "Memorandum of Understanding" between Jordan and the USA. I don't see why anything has to change in any agreement between Jordan and the USA until the Middle East is enjoying peace and prosperity.

King Abdullah II has extensive knowledge of the Palestinian plight. He can be a great asset to peace.

Where is the proof by the White House of Sarah Huckabee's statements which implicate the FBI is an unreliable agency?

February 13, 2018
By Ellen Nakashima and Shane Harris

FBI Director Christopher A. Wray (click here) on Tuesday contradicted the White House’s account of when the bureau informed officials about the status of a senior aide’s security-clearance investigation.

White House officials said that they were first contacted in the summer by the FBI about senior aide Rob Porter’s clearance. They also said that the investigation was never completed and that they did not know the extent of the allegations against Porter. He stepped down last week after accusations of spousal abuse by his two ex-wives.

But Wray, testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee, said the FBI submitted a partial report on his clearance in March (2017) and that the investigation was completed in July. Soon after, he said, the FBI received a request for a follow-up, which the bureau completed and provided in November. The FBI closed the file in January and then earlier this month, Wray said, the bureau received additional information and “we passed that on as well.”...

Everyone knows the recent information coming into the White House today is about the domestic abuse that was made aware to the public. There is no classified information coming into the White House. Sarah Sanders is propagandizing the idea there is new information coming into the White House. The FBI would not lie to the public, the congressional committees and while the FBI completed their investigation in July, obviously the Executive Branch does not believe the intelligence gathered. 

Only now when the truth is placed on Social Media is the Executive Branch receiving 'new information." I think this is a methodology of the current administration. They don't want to receive information from the FBI that is valuable. Trump didn't take intelligence information seriously when he was a candidate. I think the dismissive culture still exists and this is case in point. The Trump White House puts their own priorities first and if it means maligning the intelligence agencies, then so be it. Sanders statements today validates that point of view.

The rail infrastructure needs elevated high speed rail.

It is nice to say people will have a choice in self-driving cars. I am not stating it is right or wrong, but, such a national system a huge cyber network has to work all the time around the clock without errors. The security of these needed networks will be under attack all the time.

Advanced rail is a better investment until the self-driving cars are proven to be completely safe. That is not the case right now. The number of self-driving cars are few. The needs for an entire country of self-driving cars is a dreamscape that seems extremely unlikely to me. The rails are here, now and can be a real asset to regional and national transportation.

February 12, 2018
By Michael Friedberg

Several recent railway accidents (click here) may have struck fear into the hearts of passengers — but the next one could cripple our economy as well. And the deteriorating and outdated infrastructure along the Northeast Corridor rail system means that, sadly, that next disaster is just around the corner.

The Northeast Corridor’s 457 miles of railway — connecting major cities from Boston to Washington, D.C. — is the nation’s most economically critical stretch of infrastructure. These railways enable hundreds of thousands of workers to get to work each day, as one-third of all jobs in the region (that's 7 million jobs, all told) are located within five miles of a rail station. Those workers alone contribute over $50 billion annually to the American economy;altogether, the region would be the fifth-largest economyin the world....

The cabals I know exist are not organized in a White Supremacist meeting.

The cabals I know exist aren't necessarily friends, they don't get invited over each others homes for the holidays, although they might in a co-worker relationship, they are primarily at the county level of government and are held together by a common thread of religious persecution. 

I mean you know the law is imperfect and there are criminals living in society among us that should be in jail or worse. Right? I mean that is common knowledge, right?

These people believe they are plagued with others that are not Christian and evil. This is the real permanence of the Bush God Culture. It is real and it is carrying out their own idea of justice. Absolutely.

In the case of the Governor that was a political cabal that played the hand that was available to them in a game worse than poker. Poker has odds, this level of corruption is guaranteed.

Oh, minorities? "Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha goin' do when they come for you?" Sheriffs aren't any good unless they can solve the crime, ya know?

Are American sheriffs better than sheriffss any place else?

That is what Sessions is saying. He is saying Common Law (the Republicans' Common Sense) is better in the USA than any other country.

Sessions is trying to say the Anglo-American basis of law that sheriffs supposedly practice is better than any other law anywhere. This is all part of the dogma that comes along with Republicans. In other words, sheriffs are elected and they carry out common law practice in law enforcement. It is another way of saying anarchy is best unless there are some deplorables in the town; namely those with different skin color. You have to buy into this mess to understand it, okay?

Common law is ancient law and has been practiced globally since the beginning of time. So, are there sheriffs in other places? Sure. Part of what is wrong with the ISI in Pakistan is the influence the lcoals carry to law enforcement.

A sheriff by any other name is an elder in most cultures where law is disseminated among the people. So, in places like Afghanistan, one of the hurdles for the USA military was making friends with tribal elders. They were the law.

So, the idea there is a sheriff elected by the people to carry out the will of the people is not new, it is not exclusively Anglo anything and it is not at all Americans. Americans adopted such practices from England where the Sheriff of Nottingham was a living horror.

In the USA there are good sheriffs and there are bad ones. The bad ones are elected repeatedly, like Arpaio, because of "the badge" and the faith the people put into that badge. So, how can a bad sheriff be elected over and over again? They do basic law enforcement and the corruption is never detected.

The minorities in the USA know all to well how they become the subject of law enforcement and end up convicted of crimes they never committed. In a conversation with a southern lawyer, he told me the word misdemeanor is becoming meaningless. 

He was a county prosecutor for five years and he stated the cases he is now defending in his civilian defense practice would have never been brought to court in the first place when he was a prosecutor. He said innocent people are finding themselves facing a judge and don't know why. He also said there are many people convicted fo misdeameanors and it is becoming common place. Not that people aren't angry about it, but, it simply doesn't matter in society most of the time.

He blamed extremist politics on the victimization of basically innocent people. He also stated elected officials will abuse the rights of the public in order to be elected. He has more and more of it over the years. He has a vibrant practice and most of his clients are found innocent. He also said a citizen has to have patience with "the system" in order to be found innocent. That might mean jail until trial or high bail amounts, too.

My point is this: Jeff Sessions is not only stupidly talking to pander to extremist voters, but, he is enforcing corruption.  I know people who have faced these corrupt practices and their plight. I was happy to see addressed by Cenk Uygur. I believe Governor Siegelman.

See, the acceptance of corruption becomes a way of life, UNTIL, it suits the best interests of those that want power. I think Governor Siegelman addresses that clearly in that the governance he had was not necessarily of his making and he was caught up in a process that worked against him simply because he was Governor and made an appointment that was repeated many times before him.

This stuff is scary, but, I know it's real. I know cabals exist in this country and innocent people suffer because of it. This level of corruption cannot continue to exist because when good people are elected, they find themselves nothing more than pawns in a game of control by those with money.

So, Sessions? He is nothing more than a cog in the corrupt mechanism of the GOP. He was successfully kept at bay for a long time, until Trump decided Sessions was his minion.

This the USA. DO NOT LOOK THE OTHER WAY BECAUSE SOMEONE IS FLYING A FLAG AND STANDING DURING A NATIONAL ANTHEM. This is real.

Let me point to a few things about the White Supremacists in the USA.

To begin, Jeff Sessions is a known racist. He is a White Supremacist. That is a fact. He attends their meetings and makes speeches to them. The most recent that I am aware of was in California within the past year. Steve Scalise attends the meetings of White Supremacists in Europe.

Question: Realizing the US Republicans rely on White Supremacists to win their elections does anyone actually think they will impeach a White Supremacist president?

But, as to Jeff Sessions, I want to point to his stupidity in treating "The Sheriff" as a unique invention of Anglo-American law enforcement.

Question: What are the words for "Sheriff" around the world? Mostly, was the SS a Third Reich sheriff? 

The problem with having Republicans elected to office that are stupid is the problem. They don't know anything about leadership, compassion, their place in government or how to govern. But, the worst part is Sessions says stupid stuff like this and the entire world knows he is not only a racist, but, totally absorbed in his electorate base of people who vote with their skin color rather than their ability to address their own best interest. 

Got that? I am always interested when racism is overt as with Sessions, but, the most interesting part is what he or any White Supremacist says, because it is always stupid, ie: Trump, the bankruptcy president billionaire plutocrat. By the way, when looking at the electorate of the Republican Party there are a high percentage that have declared bankruptcy and renamed their businesses without blinking an eye. Bankruptcy to people like Trump is a tool, not a problem thrust upon them by irreverent Wall Street.

12 February 2018

By Alex Kaspark

...I want to close (click here) by reiterating my deep appreciation and profound thanks to the men and women of law enforcement […] and I want to thank every sheriff in America. Since our founding, the independently elected Sheriff has been the people’s protector, who keeps law enforcement close to and accountable to people through the elected process.

The office of Sheriff is a critical part of the Anglo-American heritage of law enforcement, we must never erode this historic office, I know this, you know this, we want to be partners, we don’t want to be bosses, we want to strengthen you and make you be more effective in your work....

I want the swastika banned from public view, including tattoo parlors. It is a symbol of hate without any sincere use otherwise. No different than the Confederate Flag off public lands and sequestered only to appropriate museums, the swastika needs to be eliminated. It is not an American symbol. The swastika is an expression of anti-semitism as well. That meaning is built into it.  

Trump is setting the USA up to mine the moon, something that should never be done because ultimately it will effect the moon's orbital balance with Earth.

But, Plutocrats are myopic when it comes to money. They are destroying Earth, why not Earth's balance with the moon. Dead carbon sinks in the way of global coral reefs should be at the top of the USA budget, not forgotten as a drag on USA profiteering ventures.

There is absolutely no evidence that it is safe to mine the moon, the only orbiting satellite of Earth. Who cares though, right?

Where is the money from the morons that want to mine the moon? I haven't heard of the pre-payments for such an idiotic venture! Why does the USA have to pay for it?

February 12, 2018
By Mike Wall

...The newly unveiled request (click here) gives some more details about NASA's plans to return astronauts to the moon, a focus that President Donald Trump made official with the signing of "Space Policy Directive 1" in December.

If all goes according to plan, the agency will launch a "power and propulsion space tug," a component of NASA's planned outpost in near-moon space, in 2022. And astronauts will launch on a mission around the moon, using the agency's Orion capsule and Space Launch System megarocket, in 2023.

The budget request "reflects the administration's confidence that America will lead the way back to the moon and take the next giant leap from where we made that first small step for humanity nearly 50 years ago," NASA acting administrator Robert Lightfoot said today in a "State of NASA" address at the agency's Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama....

Official portrates by Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald

Michelle Obama’s portrait by Baltimore artist Amy Sherald, oil on linen. (Amy Sherald)

The National Portrait Gallery unveiled Barack Obama’s portrait by Kehinde Wiley, oil on canvas. (Kehinde Wiley) The President's portrait is spot on, but, solemn. I find that both artists decided to portray their subjects in a serious tone. As to the greenery. Well, to me, President Obama was never afraid of the green economy he advocated and having leaves touch him is all part of that.

"The difference between linen and canvas" (click here) It is an interesting picture of the First Lady. I don't recall her being that solemn in her demeanor, but, perhaps that is an aspect of her time in the White House that needed to be brought out.

The artists should be heard from at some point and have them talk about their journey to find the right portrait.

12 February 2018

Offical portraits of Barak and Michelle obama (click here)) were unveiled on Monday at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington.

The Obamas were there to see the unveiling of the gallery’s first commissions of official portraits by African American artists.

The former president’s portrait was painted by Kehinde Wiley, an artist best known for his vibrant, large-scale paintings of African Americans.

For Michelle Obama’s portrait, the gallery commissioned Baltimore-based artist Amy Sherald, first-prize winner of the Portrait Gallery’s 2016 Outwin Boochever Portrait competition.

“How about that? That’s pretty sharp,” said Obama, who described the art as “extraordinary”. He said: “It’s my great honor to be here. It means so much to us.”

He thanked Sherald for the portrait of his wife and for so “spectacularly capturing the the grace, and beauty, and intelligence, and charm, and … hotness of the woman I love”....

President Moon Jae of South Korea is still as popular as he was when elected.

I am not at the center of the diplomatic earthquake on the Korean peninsula, but, it is really astounding to realize how Kim Jong Un has brought these people together. The USA could never achieve this breaking point in diplomatic relations. I think the military parade in North Korea was about the USA and not South Korea.

I think Un coming to South Korea in a very real way is significant and should not be toyed with. His wife was seen for the first time in years. This is a huge movement in diplomatic relations between the two countries. The people of South Korea wanted this. China wants this. I think the way forward is still unclear, but, with openness to movement forward alone is a monumental shift in tensions.

North Korean people need help to develop an economy that carries their children into a new and better world. It has been well over fifty years. When was the agreement 1954? 

July 7, 1953 was the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement. It is time to move forward with peace. There is no doubt in my mind it is time to move forward. I think there are magnificent diplomats in Europe and Asia and can move this forward in a way that will first benefit the people on the peninsula and save lives in North Korea by providing humanitarian relief.

I think protecting life and saving lives is paramount to the opening salvoes with both North and South Korea. There are families that want to be reunited and that is a nice focus, but, the well being of the North Korean people need to be a focus. When the humanitarian mission is addressed, the ability to move forward should be easier.

I think the USA is a problem for North Korea. That may be a laughable statement, but, no one wants to escalate tensions so much as resolve them. How do diplomats function to bring these peoples together in peace if there is chronic tensions unresolved? I think North Korea's nuclear development is directly related to the USA. If the USA can't be instrumental in diplomacy to place the people first, then the USA is useless. 

Let's get something straight here. The UN seals came off the nuclear reactors in North Korea AFTER, immediately after the "Axis of Evil" speech by "W." No diplomatic effort needs the USA causing more problems. The people of North and South Korea have needs only their leaders can solve.

I congratulate President Moon Jae in accepting this incredible movement in relations with their northern neighbor. He has my sincerest wishes for success. Maybe Dennis Rodman was more of a friend to Un then we realize. Get this going. Please. I look forward to the humanitarian mission that will help the Korean people immediately while their leaders set an agenda going forward.

February 12, 2018
By Kim Jaewon

Seoul -- President Moon Jae (click here) in is facing a dilemma over whether to accept North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's invitation to Pyongyang because he needs the blessing of the U.S. that wants to apply "maximum pressure" on the isolated state.

Kim's younger sister Yo Jong officially invited Moon to Pyongyang to meet her brother in the near future, during their lunch meeting at the Blue House on Saturday. Kim Yo Jong had visited South Korea over the weekend as part of the country's high-ranking delegation to the Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games.

Moon tried to keep both sides happy by hedging his position with this reply: "Let us create the right environment for that [the visit] to happen," said Moon. It is understood that he was referring to the improvement in the relationship between the U.S. and North Korea....

I don't like the Whtie Supremacist culture in the White House, but, it is Trump and not Kelly that appears to be the problem.

I think the underlying problem is going to be there. Kelly seems to be a man similar in values as Trump, so what does everyone want? I am worried about his replacement. At least General Kelly understands the security of the country. The American people have to come to terms with the man that Donald Trump is, not his chief of staff.

The meeting to introduce General Kelly to the staff is very telling, namely, the family was present in the wings of the meeting and not front and center. That to me is a part of the problem with disgruntled murmuring in the White House.

While General Kelly is taking on the public identity of a person unable to get along with Donald Trump, I am not sure that isn't an asset in the stability of the White House. A mean boss may be difficult to get along with, but, he is a boss that can do the job. I think the disgruntled staff and perhaps journalists that do not have access to the president need to assess their real complaints and the issues the country may be facing. It seems to me the complaints General Kelly is facing was inherited and not developed by the General. Did anyone ever think Bannon would be gone? Bannon is gone.

The real story is the lack of focus by the US Congress to sincerely resolve these issues and not General Kelly.

August 14, 2017
By Michael Duffy

To the men and women (click here) of the Trump White House–the curious, the hopeful, the desperate and the dubious–the all-hands summons was a little out of the ordinary.

It invited everyone to a meeting the next day in an unusual place: not a room in the cramped West Wing or the much larger South Court Auditorium, which is typically used for such sessions, but the quieter marbled entryway of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, next to the White House. After almost 200 days of infighting, leaks and operatic staff shake-ups, morale was running a bit thin. Hundreds of people, including dozens who have been exiled from the West Wing for a sorely needed renovation, turned up to meet the new boss.

No introduction was needed. John Kelly simply stepped to the microphone and said, “Hi. Nice to meet you. I’m from Boston.” As the President’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and other senior aides watched from the wings, the retired four-star Marine general then rallied the embattled troops and laid down new rules of engagement. He urged his staff to stop the infighting and set their egos and agendas (and any leaking) aside. With a nod to the Marine credo–God, Country, Corps–he told his audience that they must start serving a hierarchy that put the nation, and not the President, first: “Country, President, Self,” he said....   

"Good Night, Moon"

The waning crescent

26.2 day old moon

12.3 percent lit

President Trump is full of bad ideas. Every country in the world looks to the US Space Program as an exercise in greatness. Yet, when it comes to Trump, he wants to dump it. Maybe we can name all the insulting ideas of Trump, "The Trump Dump." Rather than harnessing greatness and rising to the occassion, it is "The Trump Dump" because it doesn't make money.

June 24, 2018
By Loren Grush

The Trump administration (click here) is preparing to end support for the International Space Station program by 2025, according to a draft budget proposal reviewed by The Verge. Without the ISS, American astronauts could be grounded on Earth for years with no destination in space until NASA develops new vehicles for its deep space travel plans.

The draft may change before an official budget request is released on February 12th. However, two people familiar with the matter have confirmed to The Verge that the directive will be in the final proposal. NASA says it won’t comment on the request until it’s released. “NASA and the International Space Station partnership is committed to full scientific and technical research on the orbiting laboratory, as it is the foundation on which we will extend human presence deeper into space,” a NASA spokesperson said in a statement to The Verge. “We will not comment on any leaked or pre-decisional documents prior to the release of the President’s FY19 budget, which is scheduled for February 12.”...

Most of the time climate deniers like to think their economy is under fire by those seeking to maintain Earth's troposphere in a livable capacity. I think Bulgaria is a prime example of a country struggling with other issues, yet maintaining their commitment to protecting and reversing the deadly trend of the climate crisis.

Every one of the countries we have examined so far have considerable carbon sinks. Australia is trying to understand if there is anything that can be done to return The Great Barrier Reef. Austria's land is 50 percent forest and in my opinion is actually a carbon sink in the global picture. Belgium is growing more forest every year to increase it's land ability to absorb CO2 and then there is Bulgaria trying to understand the mass exodus of their young people, being successful in energy production and maintaining close monitoring of greenhouse gases.

They are all countires to admire. They have their own problems, but, never take their eye off the ball of the climate crisis.

One thing Americans never stop to realize is the pride other countries have in their climate programs. When events occur, like the loss of coral reefs globally, the people trying their darnest to end this danger really are hurt by the failure to do so. The USA has lost that aspect to their national identity.

The climate crisis is real. The USA is plagued by not just major tornadoes, but, tornado outbreaks. Tornado outbreaks are the norm and a generation of young Americans do not know any different now. To them that is the baseline to tornadoes when in fact their grandparents have a very differnt orientation. The same is true of hurricanes. There are more incredibly powerful storms across the USA today than ever before in history. I am not just talking about an incredibly powerful storm once in a decade or once in a century, there are storms of this nature all the time now.

A generation of Americans have no real reference point to a safe climate. There are either tornadoes, hurricanes or severe snow events in their lives. There are few days where the air is calm without rain or wind or severe temperatures. That is not good. It is not good for the USA or the global community.

If Australia, Austria, Belgium and Bulgaria can do their part with pride and serious concern; then the USA can as well if it returns to dedication to the natural world and it's importance to living on and with Earth.

This is the Bulgarian Climate Crisis report from 2015 (click here)

It is among the most extensive examination of a country to find compliance to reduce greenhouse gases I have seen. The dedication of the Bulgarian people to contibute to a calm climate is impressive. I wish them continued success and sincerely hope their economy performs better for all their people to bring the young people back.

Bulgaria is a beautiful country and has a proud heritage and national esteem as a global power. The young people have every reason to love their country. I wish them all well.

Bulgaria has control of 59% of it's energy needs. That means their forests can be managed to mitigate greenhouse gases.

The national energy company became BEH in 2008 and spawned two subsidiaries in January 2014; Independent Bulgarian Energy Exchange and Energy Investment Company. February of that same year, 2014, they obtained Elektroenergien as well.

There is hydroelectric power plants, but, few alternative energy projects such as wind and solar.

BHE is doing exceptionally well in supplying energy to the people of Bulgaria, but, it should be making at least small investments in experimental wind and solar projects to find where they can be applied to the energy grid.

Bulgarian Energy Holding (BEH) (click here) is the holding company for a group of companies which are principally engaged in electricity generation, supply and transmission, natural gas transmission, supply and storage and coal mining. BEH Group holds a leading position in the electricity and gas market in Bulgaria and, through electricity exports, in the Balkans. BEH is wholly owned by the Bulgarian state and is the largest state-owned company in terms of total assets in the country. The rights of ownership of the state are exercised by the Minister of Energy.

The Group owns the main electricity generation facilities in the country as well as the electricity transmission grid and the gas transmission and transit networks. The Group is also the public supplier of both electricity and gas in Bulgaria and it is therefore a strategically important state company. The Group's market share of Bulgaria's electricity generation was 59% in 2015 when it had an installed electricity generation capacity of 6.3 GW and generated 29.24 TWh of electricity.

BEH or its subsidiaries are participating in five international gas pipeline projects, namely the South Stream pipeline and four interconnection pipeline projects between Bulgaria and Greece, Romania, Serbia and Turkey, respectively, which are at different stages of development.

Young Bulgarians have universities to attend to obtain and advance a career.

This is the main building to the "University of Forestry" (click here) in Sofia, Bulgaria. It's land is 33 percent forest, some commercail forests which produce harvested fruit crops. There is also a sustainable logging industry that provides nearly all the needs for wood in the country.

The building reminds me of Harvard's ivy covered buildings. But, the fact there are universities for young people shows the country dearly loves them. I have to wonder what the diversity is in the university in maintaining a high number of Bulgarians. The university is accredited with European organizations that monitor educational facilities.

To the right is the Balkan Peninsula.

Bulgaria is situated in the central part of the Balkan peninsula with a total area of 11073350 ha, of which over 33 percent is covered by forests. Most of the forests are situated on mountain slopes and non-arable lands. The highest mountain peak rises to 2925 m. The timber-line reaches 2200 m above sea-level.

Forests in Bulgaria are public property, with 97.3 percent belonging to the state and the rest being owned by agro-industrial complexes and forestry schools for temporary management and use. The concentration of forests is quite uneven, ranging from almost 70 percent of land in the most wooded district to only about 8 percent in the least wooded one.

The variety of species, which depends largely on the altitude, is great. Coniferous forests cover 33.1 percent of the total wooded land; deciduous forests, 66.9 percent. Oak forests cover the zone up to 1200 m altitude; beech forests rise up to 1600 m; and the coniferous zone stretches to the upper forest limits.

Only a few tree species are of economic significance. Important among the coniferous are the white pine (Pinus sylvestris), the black pine (Pinus nigra), the spruce (Picea excelsa), the fir tree (Abies alba) and the Balkan pine (Pinus peuce), while among the deciduous are the beech (Fagus sylvatica), the oak (Quercus spp.), the poplar (Populus spp.) and the ash-tree (Fraxinus spp.). About 86.4 percent of the total forested area is destined for wood-production cover; the remainder has protective or recreational functions....

According to the World Bank foreign investment reached it's maximum in 2010 with $1.843 billion. It has dropped off from then to $1.179 billion. It doesn't seem to correlate with population deterioration which has been occuring steadily since the 1990s.

Population: 7.128 million (2016) World Bank

Life expectancy: 74.47 years (2015) World Bank

Fertility rate: 1.53 births per woman (2015) World Bank

Unemployment rate: 6.2% (Aug 2017) Eurostat

GNI per capita (click here) : 19,020 PPP dollars (click here) (2016) World Bank

Population growth rate: -0.7% annual change (2016) World Bank

Official language: Bulgarian

This is a little over 8 years ago, so hopefully, things have improved. But, the climate in Bulgaria is important.

November 25, 2009

Bulgaria, (click here) Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece are the countries that would be worst affected by global warming, according to a European Union report.

The EC Joint Research Commission (JRC) report, released on Wednesday, takes into account four significantly sensitive factors: agriculture, river flooding, coastal systems and tourism.

The JRC analysis is based on applying the effects of the climate expected in the 2080s, and applying them to the current situation across Europe.

The most badly affected areas, according to this analysis, are Southern and Eastern Europe. Northern Europe would be the sole region to benefit, in economic terms and for the aspects studied in climate terms.

There will be a negative impact provoked by climate change in all four sectors. Drought will reduce agricultural production by 25%, while tourist revenues might drop to EUR 5 B annually. A temperature rise of 5,4ºC is predicted as likely in Eastern and Southern Europe.

Overall, the EU would face yearly GDP losses of between EUR 20 B and EUR 65 B, depending on the precise temperature increase.

The economic well-being, or welfare, of Europeans, historically rising at about 2% annually, would improve less. In Bulgaria, it would fall by 1,3%, and the country would be among those worst affected in the tourism sector....

Bulgaria is not crime central. When people are poor and left to their own devices, there will be more "opportunistic" crime such as theft, etc.

To the left is Sunny Beach (click here). If one checks out the ratings for this area, it surpasses many others. Supporting other heritage/cultural experiences in Bulgaria can't be that difficult with such interesting places as Sunny Beach attracting tourists with money to spend.

To page through the pictures and comments, this is a very comfortable resort area where families bring their children. Culture is the backbone to family tourism, especially with children of school age. Bulgaria needs to foster it's cultural heritage and add-on tourism to these folks. They don't even think about the incredible history of Bulgaria when they are visiting. Culture makes it an interesting vacation.

Crime (click here)

Crime levels are low and violent crime is rare. However, you should take care of yourself and your belongings in the same way as you would do in the UK. Take sensible precautions to protect yourself from street crime, particularly in larger cities. Watch out for pickpockets in tourist areas and major public transport hubs, including airports. Be vigilant at all times, particularly late at night. Report all incidents of crime to the local police and make sure you get a crime report.

Tourists are targeted by thieves and pickpockets in Sunny Beach and other resorts. Don’t take valuables to the beach and be wary of poorly lit roads around the resort at night. There has been an increase in burglaries from hotel rooms in Sunny Beach. Make sure you lock your room (including windows and balcony doors) and keep your valuables locked in a safe. Don’t change money on the streets in Sunny Beach, only at licensed exchange points, banks or hotels.

Prostitution is not illegal in Bulgaria. However, we have received numerous reports of pickpocketing, muggings and assaults of British nationals by prostitutes and their minders. Avoid areas where prostitutes operate especially late at night, including car parks, the beach, badly lit areas and areas with bushes and trees. Stick to main routes and avoid alleys and short cuts in Sunny Beach....